Innovation in housing supply
Y:Cube Housing
YMCA London South West
What we wanted?
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Give resident’s their own front door
Separate double bedroom
Affordable to rent and run
Aspirational
No need for grant
Demountable
Low environmental impact
Compact
Low cost of construction but high
performance
Y:Cube
Y:CubeHousing
Housing
Who is Y:Cube?
• YMCA London South West • Roger Stirk Harbour +
Partners
– Registered RP
– Operating across South
West London
• Supported Housing
• Health & Wellbeing
• Children’s & Youth Work
– Design lead
– R&D
• SIG
– Main contractor
What is Y:Cube Housing?
• One bed, 26m², self
• Life span of 60+ years
contained unit for single • Good for undeveloped sites
people
– from only 0.2 acre
– brownfield sites
• Volume-metric
• ‘Back of a lorry’
• Demountable
• Sustainable
• Code 4 to 6
• Low carbon footprint
• recyclable
– leased from 5-20 years
• Several LAs and housing
providers keen to use
• Strong support from GLA,
DCLG & HCA,
About the construction
system?
• Patented technology
– Code level 4/6
– airtightness
– Excellent acoustic &
thermal performance
• Renewable timber
frame
• NHBC approved
• System also used by
ASDA, Tesco and
Sainsbury’s
• Independently assessed
by Arup, Taywood, BRE
• Light weight
• 8 weeks manufacture
• Meets building regs.
• Design life 60 years +
• 20% cheaper than other
forms of construction
Design and Planning
• Adaptable
– Schemes can breathe
– Lease sites
– Cladding solutions
• Compact
• Not a homelessness
solution
– good design
• Last as if it’s a
permanent home
• Not a life time home
– Semi permanent
accommodation
– Size below GLA size
standards
– Sufficient for single
person for average 3-5
years
• Full residential planning
application
• Scalable
Feedback
• Testing the prototype, 1st Generation
• Improve on design, fixtures & fittings
• YMCA residents
– Shantae
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Press
Local Authorities
Housing Providers
Local Residents
Challenges
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None traditional
Unproven
Appearance
Planners
Size
• Professional fees
• Need to see,
smell, touch
• Funding
• Land
Process
Detailed design
Planning consultation
Prototype
Planning application
Planning decision
Confirm finance
Sign contracts
Construction
Open
Nov 13
Jan 14
Feb 13
April 14
Sep 14
Oct 14
Nov 14
Nov 14
Apr 15
What next?
What next?
Contact Details
Andy Redfearn – Director of Housing &
Development, YMCA London South West
andyredfearn@ymcalsw.org
Tel 020 8339 7305
www.ymcalsw.org/ycube