98 Hotwell Road

The site benefits from striking uninterrupted views over the harbour, however it is highly constrained by the size and the steep hillside which rises at the rear of the site. The average width of the site between the neighbouring buildings is 4 metres or less due existing chimneys. The project brief involves two apartments, one for rent and another for the client/owner/contractor. Two dual aspect duplex apartments are stacked over a parking and access level, resulting in a slender five storey building. Both apartments are accessed by a communal stair, the upper apartment has a three-storey private staircase and lift, leading to bedrooms, storage, a bathroom, the upper floor living areas and external terrace. The principal elevation has been considered at a distance where the plot is prominent in an iconic Bristol hillside and in within the immediate context of the busy road and local heritage buildings. A bold composition in local cheddar red brick defines the middle floors facing Hotwell Road. The cantilevered brick façade forms deep recesses providing small balconies and is further articulated with narrow slot windows. Above the brick façade is a generous terrace and a setback façade and roof clad with dark grey zinc. From a distance the façade provides a strong formal and tonal relationship with the wider hillside setting; from the street scene the colour, detail and depth provide a lively yet contextual addition. Despite the constraints and technical challenges, the finished building is highly functional and has areas rich spaces within the top lit stairwell, the deep south façade and the industrial-modern top floor which opens to the terrace and wider views.