Our work included the design of two complete urban blocks – comprising a diverse mix of house and apartment types arranged around a rear mews lane. The garages within the mews are used as to structure a series of private external spaces within the interior of the block, working on multiple levels from ground to roof – small gardens, courtyards, patios and raised terraces. These are intimate private spaces – but they are also part of a bigger landscape, intended to help generate a sense of neighbourly communality.

The house types within the block were designed specifically to contribute and respond to this landscape – with strong connections between the interior rooms and external spaces. The diversity of house types is also used to generate a distinctive architectural language for the block – combining calmly ordered terraced streets with more distinctive buildings at the corner of the block.

"5th Studio were invited by Beyond Green Developments to design housing and collaborate on the masterplan for a prestige 250-unit scheme for the University of Cambridge. Their work has been excellent – some of the finest designs for new homes we’ve seen. Subsequently we have asked 5th Studio to work with us on a major, 50-acre, urban neighbourhood regeneration project in London; they are assisting with the masterplan currently. 5th Studio are an excellent practice – a talented, committed and professional team with a good suite of skills and sensibilities. We also thoroughly enjoy working with them."