Goldsmith Street is an exemplary timber frame scheme of 93 highly sustainable homes, all socially rented, in the heart of Norwich. Designed by Mikhail Riches, the development provides a combination of family-sized houses and flats for Norwich City Council, all built to the rigorous Passivhaus standards.

Seven terrace blocks are neatly arranged into four rows, with three-storey blocks of flats at each end and generous gardens between the terraces. The terraces are carefully laid out with a southerly orientation, excellent form factor and angled sloped roofs that maximise daylight. By embedding their solar strategy into the masterplan, the architects were able to adapt their design, with minimal changes, to target full Passivhaus accreditation at the client’s request.

Goldsmith Street was the first new social housing development undertaken by Norwich City Council in 20 years. Seeking to alleviate housing need and fuel poverty, and foster a sense of community, it was important to the client that the scheme aim for high quality as well as quantity.

Providing light-filled homes with low fuel bills (approximately £150 per year), this simple but well executed, high density scheme (83 dwellings/ha) has won multiple architectural awards, including the RIBA Stirling Prize and Neave Brown Award in 2019.