Residential
Low-Energy Eco-Housing built for Community
The Triangle
Image Credit: Glenn Howells Architects
Renewable Energy Integration: Provision made for future photovoltaic and solar thermal installation on pitched roofs
Construction Process: Timber frame structure with cast-in-situ hemp-lime (Hemcrete) external walls using English-grown hemp mixed with lime binder to form insulating monolithic wall construction.
"The balance of public, communal and private spaces is one of the great successes of the project and demonstrates the importance of good public realm design in creating sustainable communities and desirable places to live." RIBA Awards Citation
The Triangle is a 42-dwelling housing development in Swindon designed by Glenn Howells Architects for Hab Oakus, a joint venture between HAB Housing and GreenSquare. The project reinterprets the Victorian railway terraces typical of the town through a contemporary low-energy construction system. The housing is organised as terraces around a central landscaped village green, intended to function as shared communal infrastructure and reinforce neighbourhood interaction. The primary construction system combines a timber structural frame with cast-in-situ hemp-lime external walls. The Hemcrete wall system uses hemp shiv derived from English-grown hemp combined with a lime binder to form a monolithic wall build-up providing insulation, airtightness and thermal inertia. Approximately 350 mm of hemp-lime was used in the external walls to reduce heat loss and moderate internal temperature fluctuations. Passive environmental strategies were prioritised to reduce reliance on mechanical systems. Houses incorporate stack ventilation via chimney-like cowls that exhaust warm air through the stairwell while enabling natural air movement through the dwellings. Solar orientation and controlled glazing ratios were used to maximise winter solar gain while limiting summer overheating. The project was designed to meet Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 and Lifetime Homes standards while maintaining affordability through simplified construction and compact dwelling layouts.
"The balance of public, communal and private spaces is one of the great successes of the project and demonstrates the importance of good public realm design in creating sustainable communities and desirable places to live." RIBA Awards Citation
The Triangle is a 42-dwelling housing development in Swindon designed by Glenn Howells Architects for Hab Oakus, a joint venture between HAB Housing and GreenSquare. The project reinterprets the Victorian railway terraces typical of the town through a contemporary low-energy construction system. The housing is organised as terraces around a central landscaped village green, intended to function as shared communal infrastructure and reinforce neighbourhood interaction. The primary construction system combines a timber structural frame with cast-in-situ hemp-lime external walls. The Hemcrete wall system uses hemp shiv derived from English-grown hemp combined with a lime binder to form a monolithic wall build-up providing insulation, airtightness and thermal inertia. Approximately 350 mm of hemp-lime was used in the external walls to reduce heat loss and moderate internal temperature fluctuations. Passive environmental strategies were prioritised to reduce reliance on mechanical systems. Houses incorporate stack ventilation via chimney-like cowls that exhaust warm air through the stairwell while enabling natural air movement through the dwellings. Solar orientation and controlled glazing ratios were used to maximise winter solar gain while limiting summer overheating. The project was designed to meet Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4 and Lifetime Homes standards while maintaining affordability through simplified construction and compact dwelling layouts.
Bio-based envelope system: External walls use 350 mm cast-in-situ hemp-lime around a timber frame, combining insulation and thermal mass while reducing reliance on petrochemical insulation materials.
Passive ventilation architecture: Chimney-like ventilation cowls create a stack ventilation system drawing warm air through stairwells, enabling passive cooling without complex mechanical systems.
Terrace morphology as environmental strategy: Continuous terraced forms minimise exposed surface area and heat loss while maintaining a compact urban density on a small infill site.
Shared landscape infrastructure: A central village green and productive gardens occupy significant site area, structuring social interaction while supporting food growing and sustainable drainage.
Material supply chain logic: Hemp used in the hemp-lime wall system is sourced from English-grown crops, linking the building envelope to regional agricultural supply chains.
Bio-based envelope system: External walls use 350 mm cast-in-situ hemp-lime around a timber frame, combining insulation and thermal mass while reducing reliance on petrochemical insulation materials.
Passive ventilation architecture: Chimney-like ventilation cowls create a stack ventilation system drawing warm air through stairwells, enabling passive cooling without complex mechanical systems.
Terrace morphology as environmental strategy: Continuous terraced forms minimise exposed surface area and heat loss while maintaining a compact urban density on a small infill site.
Shared landscape infrastructure: A central village green and productive gardens occupy significant site area, structuring social interaction while supporting food growing and sustainable drainage.
Material supply chain logic: Hemp used in the hemp-lime wall system is sourced from English-grown crops, linking the building envelope to regional agricultural supply chains.
Project Team
Location
Year Completed
Project Value
Awards
Sources
More Stories
More articles you may find useful, carefully selected from our journal
