White Arkitekter

White arkitekter's Goods and Leadbetters Proposal for Greengate won the Salford House 4 Life international design competition in April 2011.

White was inspired by the 2008 Marmot Review, an independent review of evidence-based strategies to reduce health inequalities across the social gradient. It called for local community-driven solutions and encouraged citizen participation to encourage people to lead flourishing and healthy lives.

The result of this input is a masterplan aiming to create a sustainable community, through the recognition that housing needs change over time. A full spectrum of house typologies are catered form from small one bedroom apartments, traditional two storey houses, modern town houses and 1-5 bed apartments, in order to attract a range of occupants of all ages. The British penchant for home extensions is catered for by the provision of an outdoor room enclosed within the building line.

White's scheme aims to capture the spirit of the quintessential English village where residents take pride in their environment and engage with their neighbours. Open spaces are communal, with residents encouraged to plant, harvest and occupy these spaces as if it was their own garden. The design also has a European influence of street planning, drawing on White's experience of successful masterplanning in Sweden. The development promotes sustainable activities such as waking and cycling, giving residents the opportunity to improve the quality of their lives.