Box Makers Yard

Assael Architecture

Client: Legal & General

: Vistry Partnerships (Contractor), BCA Landscape (Landscape Architect), Lister + Lister (Interior Designer)

Box Makers Yard is a Build to Rent development of 376 homes that unites two plots in the Bristol Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone (BTQEZ) to create a cohesive residential community.

The vision was to create a permeable and outward-facing development that strengthens existing pedestrian routes through the Temple Quay area to Bristol Temple Meads Station and local waterside destinations whilst responding to its locality. The contemporary design strikes a balance between the civic nature of surrounding offices and existing and emerging residential buildings whilst adopting a material palette and architectural details that reference the neighbouring historic brick buildings. As a Build to Rent development, Box Makers Yard provides an innovative housing offer for Bristol, providing residents with not just a home but a community. The two new buildings use best practice Build to Rent design principles to shift the emphasis to shared living and experiences, nurtured around a generous array of amenities, including spaces to enable home-working, and supported by dedicated on-site management. A wide range of apartment types and sizes broadens the accessibility to the Build to Rent product for local residents - and it’s pet-friendly! Post-occupancy evaluations have been undertaken by Assael, L&G and the on-site team, allowing lessons learnt to be incorporated into future Build to Rent developments within the portfolio. Resident feedback has been very positive, in particular regarding the apartment layouts and the communal amenities, which are often used by ‘resident groups’ that have been created to promote interaction.