Brighter Places, Bristol’s largest independent housing association, have launched a design competition with Bristol Housing Festival for their Midland Road site in Bristol’s Old Market Quarter.

The competition invites local architects to submit innovative and solutions-focused proposals for a 100% affordable development of exceptional quality.  The aim is to deliver an affordable housing scheme that complements the local area, is as climate smart as possible to reduce costs for residents and supports the city’s climate goals.

Following a previous planning application for the site Brighter Places believe that rethinking the design will produce a better outcome for future residents and the city. The challenge to architects is to propose a design that delivers much-needed affordable housing in Bristol city centre, fosters a sense of place, draws on the wisdom of the local community and meets the city’s carbon reduction agenda.

A panel of judges, including members of Brighter Places resident engagement panel who are involved in key decision-making, will choose three designs to be shortlisted in stage 1 of the competition.

The final deadline for stage 1 submissions is 31 August 2023 and more information can be found on the Bristol Housing Festival website.

Sally Gilbert, Homes Director for Brighter Places said “As an innovative Bristol housing association committed to providing much-needed, energy efficient affordable homes, our Midland Road site is a unique opportunity to provide a site with 100% affordable homes in Bristol city centre.

This is a demanding and exciting design challenge for local architects to create a flagship scheme of low carbon, energy efficient homes that residents can afford to run and creates a sense of community and belonging.”

Jessie Hayden, Projects and Policy Lead, Bristol Housing Festival said “We’re delighted to work with Brighter Places to facilitate a design competition for this city centre site. Design competitions present a unique opportunity to invite innovative solutions into the challenges faced by the housing sector as we seek to deliver homes amid multiple crises.”

The Midland Road design competition is open to architects in the West of England Combined Authority area.  The project details and design brief are available on the Bristol Housing Festival website. 

Watch Sally Gilbert, Brighter Places Homes Director and Harry Evans, Development Manager talk about this exciting challenge https://youtu.be/HOu1MJ_yPG8