139 homes inspired by nature and integrated into the St Helier landscape
South Hill occupies a stunning site on the edge of St Helier, in a former stone quarry. Our design integrates 139 apartments into the landscape, across three buildings layered within the site - east to west – to make the most of views out over the harbours and bay. The facades of the buildings create further layers, through their sculpted balcony frontages which are planted to evoke the character of the naturalised granite rockfaces.
Designed to Passivhaus principles the housing has an exemplar environmental agenda, on which we collaborated closely with our client to create a scheme that will help Jersey to realise its ambitions for reducing carbon.
Inspired by landscape
Inspired by the geological forms, and evoking the nearby Mount Bingham’s granite rock face through the building’s mass, tonality and texture, the development has generous planted balconies to the apartments. In collaboration with Gillespies, the Landscape Architects, we took a biophilic approach to designing the balconies, green roofs and lushly planted gardens to give a sense of place and connection to nature, and to soften the former quarry landscape.
New and improved walking and cycle routes will make the site more accessible for residents and visitors to the area, with an engaging landscape that includes play areas, areas to linger and enjoy the views and an existing listed building will be transformed into a garden room for residents.
Part of the community
The benefits of the development go beyond those experienced directly by the new residents, as significant enhancements to South Hill’s surrounding green spaces remain a central part of the proposals.
Working in partnership with the Parish of St Helier, JDC’s proposals for the site include the re-design and refurbishment of the adjacent children’s play park. The designs for the park have been influenced by local school children who were asked to design their ideal park as part of a competition. The resulting park designs also include a serviced area for a food vendor and publicly accessible WC’s, making the area a more welcoming place for all.