Prince Charles' private estate has revealed plans for a sustainable, "landscape-led" new town in Faversham, Kent, created in collaboration with architect Ben Pentreath.
South East Faversham is a proposed extension to Faversham, a market town in Kent, England, located 48 miles from London.
A sketch of wildflower meadows that will be overlooked by housing
The town will be built on land owned by the Duchy of Cornwall, which is a private estate founded in 1337 in order to fund projects attached to the Prince of Wales – currently Prince Charles.
The Duchy has designed the project with Pentreath, an English architect and interior designer, and landscape architect Kim Wilkie.
A diagram of the proposed site
South East Faversham will comprise 131 hectares of rural land to the southeast of Faversham, positioned between the A2 Canterbury Road and the M2 motorway.
Dissected by two roads and the Faversham to Canterbury railway line, the new town aims to provide housing for a mixed-income community.
A sketch of diagonal paths that will cut across green spaces
"The Duchy has drawn together an emerging master plan to deliver 2,500 homes with an aspiration to provide 2,500 jobs," said the estate.
"The proposals are to bring forward a very high quality, sustainable, mixed-use settlement that will become a thriving new urban extension to the town."
Described as "landscape-led," South East Faversham will be designed around a grid of tree-lined streets with a central green, as well as a cricket pitch and a pub.
A local primary school will be built alongside various shops and other amenities that will link the community through walkable distances, in order to encourage sustainable living.
The Duchy has proposed net-zero carbon design principles for the project's housing
The town will have an emphasis on green space in the form of orchards, allotments, meadows and wooded cycle paths.
"The plan has also been mindful of the air quality and acoustic impacts of the M2 and A2 Canterbury Road," the Duchy said.
Currently, work is scheduled to begin on the town's cricket ground and football club training pitches in 2023, while the rest of the development will begin in 2024 or 2025 subject to planning approval.
The images are courtesy of the Duchy of Cornwall. All sketches are by Ben Pentreath.
Dezeen Showroom:De Vorm has released its latest acoustic panel, Mute Fraction, which is made from PET felt and based on a three-dimensional version of the golden ratio known as the plastic number.
The Mute Fraction PET felt acoustic panel has a distinctive pattern designed using this proportion system, which was put forward by Dutch architect and monk Dom Hans van der Laan in 1928 and sees the 3:4 ratio as the basis of harmonious composition.
The Mute Fraction panels can be placed horizontally or vertically
As with the golden ratio, van der Laan argued that elements that conform to the plastic number are pleasing to the human eye and don't feel out of proportion.
Following this principle led the De Vorm design team to the Mute Fraction panel, which consists of five unequal segments divided by five ribs.
The pattern is based on Dom Hans van der Laan's "plastic number"
The panel can be used vertically or horizontally and can be made to fit any surface, as all parts can be connected seamlessly.
The panel is the latest in De Vorm's Mute series of PET felt acoustic products and is available in a range of 11 colours.
Mute Fraction is made of recycled plastic bottles and is itself recyclable.
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Simon Sturgis, a consultant who advises on low-carbon construction, described the building's carbon footprint as "very high" and said its design is "completely OTT".
Above and top: Grimshaw's pavilion sits in the Sustainability District of Expo 2020 Dubai
Its spectacular steel canopy is responsible for "significant unnecessary emissions," said Sturgis, who runs low-carbon consultancy Targeting Zero.
"This design is not where you would start if you wanted to make a truly sustainable Sustainability Pavilion."
A lifecycle assessment sent to Dezeen by Grimshaw Architects shows that the construction process caused carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions of 1,050 kilogrammes per square metre, despite claims that the building would "set an example for sustainable building design".
Sturgis said the building is "comparable with a typical, average, new, multi-storey office building" in terms of its carbon footprint.
The pavilion, called Terra, has a built area of 17,000 square metres, meaning it has an embodied carbon footprint of 17,850,000 kilogrammes, or 17.85 metric tonnes.
Building is self-sufficient in energy and water
Grimshaw's pavilion is one of three flagship structures at Expo 2020 Dubai, which opened earlier this month, a year later than planned due to the pandemic.
Containing 6,000 square metres of exhibition space, it sits at the heart of the Expo's Sustainability District and promises to show visitors "how we can change our everyday choices to reduce our carbon footprint and environmental impact".
Made of steel, concrete and carbon fibre, the pavilion is shaded by a giant 130-metre-wide oval canopy topped with photovoltaics. Further photovoltaics are arranged on funnel-shaped structures surrounding the pavilion.
"The iconic Sustainability Pavilion, designed by the world-renowned Grimshaw Architects, has set an example for sustainable building design" explained the Expo's PR, who said the building is "net-zero for both energy and water."
The pavilion's steel-and-concrete canopy is topped with photovoltaics
This means that it does not rely on the electricity or water grid. Instead, it generates power via its rooftop photovoltaics and derives clean water by recycling wastewater, condensation and brackish surface water.
"The pavilion also uses cutting-edge water-reduction strategies, water recycling and alternative water," said the PR.
Grimshaw Architects chairman Andrew Whalley described the project as "an opportunity for the UAE to showcase innovations in energy efficiency, generation and water management for the region and deliver an aspirational message about the natural world and technology to a global audience."
Whalley added that the building was designed so that only minor alterations will be required to turn the building into a permanent sustainability museum at the end of the six-month expo.
"We expect this will be a 50-to-100-year building," he said.
The building has achieved LEED Platinum certification, which is the highest level available under the LEED sustainability certification system. It has also achieved LEED Zero Energy and LEED Zero Water certification.
LEED targets are "more nuanced and specific to the building design and usage requirements" than other standards that focus on embodied carbon, Whalley said.
Grimshaw prioritised decarbonisation of operational carbon
"When the building was originally designed in 2015, we prioritised the decarbonisation of operational carbon for the building, particularly as it was located in the Middle East," Whalley told Dezeen.
"Embodied carbon evaluation is a relatively new field, and the measurements and benchmarks are very much in flux and can vary significantly by building type and region," he added.
"As knowledge of this area increases then benchmarks and targets are changing."
Grimshaw expects the pavilion to be a 50-to-100-year building
Whalley pointed out that the pavilion's embodied carbon footprint represents "a 41 per cent reduction from an equivalent new building in the region."
He added that the lifecycle assessment, which was carried out by Buro Happold, "includes an assessment of embodied carbon but also goes beyond that to consider other important potential material impacts such as ozone depletion and impacts on marine environments."
Pavilion's embodied carbon is double the target set by LETI
"Surely to be worthy of the name Sustainability Pavilion it should be in this zone and not double," said Sturgis.
By comparison, Sturgis pointed to Hopkins Architects' recent Living Planet Centre for the UK branch of the World Wildlife Fund, which has an embodied carbon footprint of less than 500 kg per square metre.
Simon Sturgis described the canopy as "completely OTT" and "directly responsible for significant unnecessary emissions"
But Whalley argued that the building could not be compared to typical residential or commercial buildings and said the targets set by LETI are not appropriate.
"Terra is a very usage-intensive building and does not benefit from a regularity of form or economy of scale that a typical residential or commercial building does," he explained.
"The floor loading requirements are much higher than a residential building for instance, due to the potential uses of the spaces and levels of peak occupancy."
"Likewise, finishes and MEP [mechanical, electrical and plumbing] requirements are also required to be of a higher specification, which tends to lead to higher embodied carbon."
Sturgis said the steel-and-concrete canopy was "completely OTT".
"You have a huge density of steel and concrete structure at the roof centre, which is completely OTT in relation to the type of building it is trying to be," he said.
"This decision alone, to cantilever the roof, is directly responsible for significant unnecessary emissions."
Low-carbon materials "nothing special for a Sustainability Pavilion"
Sturgis said that the building's use of recycled steel and ground granulated blast-furnace slag to replace some of the cement cement "is normal for an office building but is nothing special for a Sustainability Pavilion".
"What about the use of sustainable materials like timber instead of all the concrete and steel?" Sturgis asked.
"This a standard 20th-century modernist design which is trying to be squeezed into a 21st-century sustainability pot," Sturgis concluded. "No amount of photovoltaics will fix that. The design needs to start from a completely different place."
Sturgis pointed out that Grimshaw Architects is a signatory to climate action group Architects Declare but said its design for the pavilion "suggests that they do not understand what this means. Where is the innovation fit for today?"
The built environment is responsible for 40 per cent of global emissions, with embodied carbon emitted by construction supply chains responsible for around half of those.
Italian brand Arper has presented a selection of contemporary lounge chairs for the home and office on Dezeen Showroom, including a semi-spherical bowl chair and minimalist armchairs designed for the circular economy.
The chair adopts circular economic principles in that the production, distribution and various components of the chair are designed to minimise environmental impact and increase the product's lifespan.
The Kata chair is sustainably designed with a FSC-certified wood frame and upholstery made from post-consumer plastic waste
Oak and black locust FSC-certified wood is used for the frame, which is topped with a water-based varnish.
The frame is upholstered in a 3D-knitted cover that forms both the seat and backrest in a unified piece. The knitted cover is made from polyester that has been sourced from post-consumer plastic waste – the equivalent of one kilogram of PET bottles – which is then recycled and woven into yarn.
At the end of its lifespan, the chair can be entirely disassembled and recycled.
Each component of the Mixu chair can be easily disassembled, repaired or replaced
Similarly, Arper's Mixu chair, designed by global architecture firm Gensler, also takes a sustainable approach and was created to "offer interior designers a degree of authorship and a sense of the human touch."
Made from FSC-certified wood and post-industrial recycled plastic, the chair is composed of three elements – a seat, backrest and base – which are held together without the use of glue or staples to ensure it can be easily dismantled, recycled or responsibly disposed of. This also makes it easy to replace various parts.
The commitment to sustainable principles is further demonstrated through the product's distribution, in which the chair is shipped in its disassembled state to reduce its volume and carbon footprint.
The Kinesit Met office chair is lightweight and minimal and features adjustable lumbar support
Design studio Lievore Altherr Molina has given the Kinesit Met office chair a contemporary update with a host of new textures and materials.
The lightweight office chair, which was originally launched in 2014, is now available in a refreshed palette of warm, cool and neutral tones that can be mixed and matched, with different colours used for the seat and backrest.
With a minimal and elegant silhouette, the chair is suited for home offices or comfortable work environments. It features adjustable lumbar support concealed within the thin backrest's frame and comes in a low or medium-back option.
The Aston seating range is distinguished by its deep profile and plush upholstered cushions
French designer Jean-Marie Massaud has evolved his Aston seating range to include new club chair models. Originally designed in 2006, the updated variations retain the same shape as their predecessor but offer a more relaxed feel and are tailored towards lounge settings instead of boardrooms.
The Aston Club features a deep inclined seat with ample space and a wraparound headrest designed to enclose its sitter in comfort and enhance privacy. It is also available with an optional footrest.
The Aston Club Low Back also provides generous comfort but takes a more compact form and has no headrest. Both chairs are available with four-star bases that can be finished in painted aluminium, no-VOC paint or polished.
Like Arper's other products, the chair's internal frame is composed of post-industrial recycled waste and can be easily disassembled and recycled.
Arper has released Bardi's Bowl Chair in two Rubelli fabrics that resemble Bo Bardi's work
Originally designed in 1951, Arper has reissued Bardi's Bowl Chair – created by modernist architect Lina Bo Bardi – as a nod to her recent Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in memoriam.
The brand collaborated with Venetian textile company Rubelli to create a limited and numbered edition of 500 pieces, releasing the chair in two Rubelli fabrics that resemble Bo Bardi's work.
The Lollipop fabric echoes typical 1950s prints featuring geometric patterns of red and mustard yellow brushstrokes, while the Eureka fabric has a similar colour palette but features a woven textured design.
Established in 1989, Arper is a family-run company that produces chairs, tables and furnishings
Arper is an Italian family-run company founded by Luigi Feltrin and his sons Claudio and Mauro in 1989.
The brand regularly collaborates with renowned architects and designers to create its products, as well as materials and finishing companies such as Kvadrat and Camira.
About Dezeen Showroom: Dezeen Showroom offers an affordable space for brands to launch new products and showcase their designers and projects to Dezeen's huge global audience. To launch a new product or collection at Dezeen Showroom, please email showroom@dezeen.com.
Dezeen Showroom is an example of partnership content on Dezeen. Find out more about partnership content here.
The apartment belongs to businessman Peter Fong, who previously collaborated with Lukstudio on the design of a nearby cafe-cum-co-working space. He brought the studio back on board to revamp the apartment he shares with his partner and young child.
Nicknamed Urban Cottage, the 180-square-metre home is almost entirely fit-out with pale Douglas fir wood, which stands in direct opposition to what is traditionally considered an upmarket interior in China.
Douglas fir panelling features throughout the apartment's bedroom (top) and dining area (above)
"The apartment originally came with shiny marble and dark wood, a formula commonly recognized as 'luxurious' in the Chinese property market," explained Lukstudio.
"For Peter and Lukstudio, solid planks of Douglas fir define our vision of luxury, because its distinct colour, grain pattern and smell recall the memory of the countryside," the studio continued.
"For most busy urbanites, home is a temporary refuge and one would need the countryside for real rejuvenation."
The living area can now be seen from the open kitchen
The studio had to make a number of structural changes because the rooms in the apartment were awkwardly arranged around a dark dining space that had become nothing but a thoroughfare.
A new eating area has been created in a former study, which was opened up to reveal a window and flood the centre of the plan with natural light. The space also features a lengthy Douglas fir table and a cushioned bench built into the wall.
A storage wall in the entryway contains alcoves lined in Douglas fir
To keep the space free of bulky shelving units, the studio has constructed a double-sided storage wall in the home's entryway.
Here, the wall is inset with a duo of Douglas fir-lined display alcoves, as well as a seating nook where the client and his family can perch to remove their shoes.
Almost every surface of the living room is clad with Douglas fir wood
Partitions around the kitchen were knocked down to create sight lines through to the living area, where the ceiling, floor and entire rear wall are wood panelled.
The room has been dressed with a cream-coloured sofa, peachy leather beanbag and white marble coffee table.
A wide panel of Douglas fir runs along the back of the main bedroom to form a headboard. The same wood has also been used to frame the room's deep-set bay windows, forming cosy niches where residents can read or relax during the day.
"While open spaces ensure the family having quality time together, nooks and crannies are just as important for each individual to feel at ease alone," the studio explained.
Douglas fir-clad reading nooks feature in the master bedroom
The material palette takes a detour in the en-suite, where surfaces have been clad in grey Ceppo marble while smart glass screens can switch from translucent to opaque, providing privacy when the room is in use.
Douglas fir reappears in the child's bedroom, lining a house-shaped recess that accommodates the bed.
A house-shaped recess accommodates the bed in the kid's room
