Chris ~

2715 days ago

Segal believed that a house should adapt to its occupants, not the other way round. The construction method means the walls can be moved and the homes extended more easily than in most houses. Dave Dayes explains: “Walter Segal said that the house should be able to adapt to your changing needs. It did for us, because when we first started building we had two children. Just after we finished, a third one arrived and we had a fourth six years later. So we have extended the house in stages.”

Being adaptable, the homes are also a great canvas for eco-innovation. The Dayes family has added solar panels, a ground source heat pump and clad the house in fast-growing, durable Accoya wood. Other neighbours have added insulation and triple-glazed windows.

The Segal scheme has now inspired a new generation to create well-designed eco-friendly community housing.

'This isn't at all like London': life in Walter Segal's self-build 'anarchist' estate

theguardian.com

When visitors arrive at my unconventional street, their first comment is usually: “This isn’t at all like London”.