Affordable Housing for AEOB
rescuing redundant workspaces for community based affordable housing
Community
Self-Build
Retrofit
Abolish Empty Office Buildings (AEOB) is a Bristol based not-for-profit organisation whose aim is to rescue redundant workspaces for community based affordable housing.
The practice began working with the group on appraisals of sites and buildings in Bristol. Soon after they secured their first site in St George, a former workspace that was renovated and extended to create six affordable flats in a mixture of one, two and three bed dwellings. Also included is a common room, shared laundry and a secure shared garden.
The work was carried out as a self managed project, utilising available skills within the group, and avoiding the high level of profits demanded for commercial development. The completed project is now operated as a co-operative, with the building subject to an asset lock to retain the development as affordable housing and prevent it being subject to ‘right-to-buy’.
The project incorporates a number of sustainable principles, including very high levels of externally mounted insulation, roof mounted solar PVS, using the south elevation as both a growing wall and to shade south facing windows, and collection of rainwater for garden irrigation.
Our projects include the design of buildings for community groups and charities, affordable eco housing and hostels, low energy offices and commercial refurbishments.
our projects→