MULTI-UNIT FLATS

—«»■ BERHAMPORE SCHEME

NEW GOVERNMENT PROJECT

ATTRACTIVE LAY-OUT

the Details of a flat development seheir c at which it is proposed by the Govnri :ntly ment to erect at Adelaide Road, Be g on hampore, were given to "The Posi was today by Mr. R. McKeen, M.P. Tor We land lington South. Through the courtes has of the Tinder-Secretary for Housin the (Mr. J. A. Lee), Mr. McKeen submi Co- ted the plans to the Mayor of We with lington (Mr. T. C. A. HLslop) and com :on cillors and officers, who were in Mew pressed with the lay-out of th. ,vith scheme for any part of the city wher this sufficient land is available. The tot; number of flats is 48, with 11 mote ues- garages. There are several difTerer has typos of flats, which all contain livin; j?. room, bathroom, kitchen, and laundr; 1 0 { including a bed recess in the livinj tv/o room, and one, two, and three be< acts rooms. The site, of approximately tw side acres j s situated on the Adelaide Roa cler,Q c tram line within the second sectio the from Courtenay Place. It slopes we to the afternoon sun and is not oyei iave shadowed by hills or industrial buile the ings, and has good access to playin eral fields and the beaches. The soil is by clay which will give a first-class four 2ea- dation, with the exception of th that north-west corner, where a depressio :°f has been filled in. The boundaries c on the site faces practically north, soutl The east, and west, with Adelaide Roa ime forming the west boundary. SINGLE v. MULTI-UNITS. The housing problem is of sudh mag on nitude, says the Government's state the ment, that every approach should b and analysed and encouraged. Two broai re _ approaches are the single unit dwell and mg> an(i multi-unit dwelling. Ther tj ve is a difference of opinion as to whicl ton. wiH &ive the most satisfactory livin; the conditions. Multi-unit advocates havi p e . gained much ground of late years, a Der . these give compact, • convenient, an< ivas private units in spacious surrounding the wrtn communal services. urs "Unfortunately," continues' the state jph ment, "the standard and type of multi j^ c unit dwelling that has been erected ir b e England and this country, until quit< les . recently, has been such that the objec tion raised against it has been wel ing founded and to the average laymar I( jg has been a very real factor in in j(j e fluencing him to consider the single lhe unit dwellings—that is, the cottage, a: Q ic the ideal. Because of the increased |- on number of dwellings to the acre thai j e( j the multi-unit provides, it has the folier lowing advantages:—All dwellings are on within easy distance of the centre oi ' the town; the cost and time of transport are reduced to a-minimum; the capital cost of developing roading ,' transport, drainage, power, and water I*,- to the city or housing authority is reduced; it is possible to provide more I parks, reserves, and playing fields, again within easy distance. . . . 3 ly DETAILS OF SCHEME. he "The number of dwelling units has been restricted to 24 to the acre, as on this property is not within the city lis- area where a denser proportion would les be considered. For multi-dwelling U., developments housing authorities ed abroad consider 25 units to the acre us as very satisfactory for urban condied ons. The scheme has been planned js- to obtain the effect of as much open ne- space as possible. The buildings have re been placed approximately 25ft from by all boundaries, leaving a large open he space in the centre of the site to be 1( j developed as a garden. Particular, atat tention has been given to the placer ing of the blocks of flats to secure a I£ j maximum of sunlight for the interiors, or ' and to afford as much protection as ~„■ possible to the central garden, livingrooms, entrances, and balconies, from the prevailing winds. The different blocks are situated so that each fiat has a clear view of the garden with its lawns, trees, flowers, and shrubs. All trade and service access to the flats will be along the areas between the buildings and the boundary, not through the centre garden. In a development of this nature it is desirable that wheel traffic should be excluded and with it the danger, noise, smell, and necessity for wide and exit pensive roads that are inherent with n ( this 'traffic. )f "The buildings on the north side are ie one storey high. By restricting the > r height on this boundary the centre of ■ c the scheme is opened up to the maxi,t mum amount of sunshine. The south, east, and west blocks are generally two storeys high, with the exception of - block E, which is three storeys high, ~ vand block D, to Adelaide Road, under which eleven garages are provided. , The most has been made of the slop(7 ing site to provide variety and interest by means of different floor and r' terrace levels. By arranging the ' blocks in one, two, and three storey °- heights, the dreariness of a standardn ised roof level over a large area has y been avoided. The front approach to all flats is through the central gare den. Each flat has a separate front r and back door, except that block E V has a common staircase entrance and :■ block C has a separate front door only. i- The total number of: flats provided is - 48, of four different types of accom--2 modation. The smallest has a living--2 room with a bed recess and a small 2 kitchen and bathroom with an area of \ 360 square feel, and the largest has < 3 a living-room, three bedrooms, kitchen, j t bathroom,, washhouse, and sun porch. - of an area of 1000 square feet. , f BUILT-IN SERVICES. I '[ '"To allow as much sun and air as * " | possible to enter each flat and to give ' each flat an unrestricted view of the ' central garden, the windows have been J :' made as large as practicable; but at v the same time have been planned to ; allow for convenient placing of the ' furniture. Each flat has a fuel fire- c ' place with an ample-fuel bin of easy * ; access, a coat cupboard or recess, and c ' a linen clipboard, and each bedroom 1 has a built-in wardrobe. The kitchens v are fully equipped with cupboards, c ■ bins, drawers, food safe,- drying cup--1 board, cooking range, and terrazzo sink ~ i top and a large number have a recess _ for meals. Also in the kitchen is pro- * 1 vided a special cupboard for the garb- J age can with access to the open, air, through which the can may be re- n moved." w In consideration of earthquake. Tire, C( maintenance, and cost ojC erection, it is c; proposed 1.0 build the exterior walls, c j dividing walls, bearing walls, first floor, and roof in reinforced concrete. Details a of the construction and finishing are a^ given. ' cc SOUND INSULATION. th "Close consideration has been given m to the question of making each flat as ac sound-resisting as possible. In the Tl larger fiats, only the end walls abut a^ th'o adjoining Hals and the access stair to to the first floor acts as a very effective ca insulating area between them. This is w also the case of the flnt adjoining the oc recreation hall. All divisions between flats not so in.'-ulaled will be construct-1 an ed of two walls at least 4in thick with Ire a 2in space between. T\ c first floor Jw; will be constructed of 4£in concrete, Tl then a layer of sound absorbent board, and on top of this will be laid 3in by nn 2in wood joists and lln thick wood on

1.. flooring, forming a very effective barrier against sound. LIVING ROOMS AND BALCONIES. "No living-rooms face south. They have all been planned to face north, west, or east. Those facing north receive the sun all day. Those facing east receive it from sunrise until midday, and those facing west from mid- ' day to sunset. All living-rooms have ; a dear view of the central garden and avoid overlooking one another. It is considered essential that all fiats above the ground floor level should be planned with balconies, to allow for easy access to the open sunlight; and air. The balconies have been planned to avoid overlooking one another or on to windows of adjoining flats and to catch the sun and avoid the prevailing '; winds, and are large enough for an 11 occasional meal." The scheme provides for laundries, an ornamental central garden, children's play area, and a recreation hall i with committee room and kitchen. 1 The garages open on to Adelaide Road, f An illustration showing the appear- c ance of the finished scheme appears I on the illustrations £3gS today. Jt