Building and site description
Great Bow Yard is a green housing development comprising 12 eco-homes, offices and a bistro arranged around an ecological garden.
Great Bow Yard housing scheme © Design for homes / Richard Mullane
Built on a small regenerated site where an old oil depot stood, this waterfront development sits at the corner of Bow Street in Langport, Somerset overlooking the River Parrett.
Begun in 2003, the project was completed in 2007. Developed by Ecos Homes, Great Bow Yard is a great example of an environmentally sustainable housing development.
The homes are designed to reduce water consumption and CO2 emissions from fossil fuels using state-of-the-art energy-saving technologies.
All the properties use sustainably sourced materials, avoiding the toxic chemicals commonly found in new homes. They have been insulated above UK construction standards and incorporate renewable energy sources and energy-saving devices in their design.
The homes are grouped into terraces to allow space for gardens and communal spaces, with their orientation to sunlight and views of the river. The community garden includes native species of plants, chosen to attract wildlife.
Great Bow Yard is complemented by a restored Grade II listed warehouse that provides offices, workshops and a bistro with gallery space. This provides a multi-functional space that the local community can use.
The development is predominantly a pedestrian environment. Bollards replace kerbs where possible and parking is concealed at the back of the site or within timber-screened undercroft garages.
Architectural style
Exemplary sustainable housing development
Quirky facts
- The timber-frame cavities are filled with recycled newspaper.
- Great Bow Yard’s north terrace houses have rainwater harvesting tanks. The water is used to flush downstairs lavatories.
Building highlights
- varied façades created by a mixture of steel and timber cladding over recycled brick balconies on the east terraces
- complements and makes the most of the local environment
- spacious central garden with trees and native plants
- a mixed-use site – residential, community and business
- mixture of home sizes
- incorporated sunspaces.
Great Bow Yard housing scheme © Design for homes / Richard Mullane
Using the Great Bow Yard as a teaching resource
This modern sustainable development gives students a chance to learn about best practice in sustainable design and construction, including the benefits and purposes of:
- energy and water efficiency
- using sustainable building materials
- sustainable waste disposal
- the use of natural elements
- developing the local environment.
Suggested activities
Key stages 1 and 2
Look at images of Great Bow Yard. What is unusual about it? How does it differ from the home you live in? What building materials can you identify? Would you like to live at Great Bow Yard? Give reasons for your answer.
Key stages 2 and 3
Imagine you are an archaeologist who excavates Great Bow Yard in 1,000 years’ time. What would you expect to discover about the development and how people lived? How would you interpret their lifestyle?
Key stages 3 and 4
Using Great Bow Yard as a model, design the sustainable home you would like to live in. Having looked at all the sustainability features of Great Bow Yard, think of ways in which your classroom or school could be made more sustainable. From this, create a class shortlist, and in teams plan how you could make these changes happen.
Region
South west
Location
Ecos Homes
Great Bow Wharf
Bow Street
Langport Somerset TA10 9PN
01458 259400
admin@ecostrust.org.uk
Accessibility
The Great Bow Wharf is accessible to the public, showcasing the restored warehouse including offices, bistro and gallery
Ecos Trust runs various events and seminars for those interested in sustainable housing including two-hour site tours of the Great Bow Yard on specific days.
Further information
The Ecos Trust website has general information, details of the project, images and information on sustainable living.
Stride Treglown’s website lists the sustainability features of Great Bow Yard and has a virtual tour.
