Pocket Meadows in Marylebone
New-build residential opportunities are unusual in The Portman Estate, so 25, Castlereagh Street is noteworthy; it provides a prestigious, sustainable development that aims to act as a regeneration catalyst for the whole street.
Designed to achieve Code for Sustainable Homes level 4 accreditation, the development incorporates a number of landscape features for the enjoyment of residents, as well as to attract insects and wildlife.
The accommodation is grouped around a shared courtyard which gives the development an attractive central focus. The courtyard is also visible to passers-by, making it a welcome pocket of green infrastructure within the surrounding streetscape.
To the rear of the building are a series of green roofs that, conceived as pocket meadows, provide a striking feature for those living in and around the development. With a simple maintenance regime involving an annual mow and minimal irrigation, the roofs are virtually self-sustaining. Seasonally they are a riot of colour from the planted and self-seeded wildflower species that have become established, and they are already attracting a wide variety of birds and insects.
The project was short-listed for a Civic Trust Award, 2016.
Quick Facts
Estate:
The Portman Estate
Location:
25 Castlereagh Street
Features:
Green roofs
Awards:
Shortlisted for a Civic Trust Award, 2016.