We are in the process of developing designs for a planning proposal on behalf of our client for an extensive renovation of Ascot House, a residential building comprising 24 single-bedroom flats in Wokingham, Berkshire.

Wokingham, a market town of about 180,000 inhabitants, 25 miles west of London, has been voted one of the top 10 places to live in the UK for quality of life, and was this year named as the healthiest place to live in England. Wokingham's new flagship Carnival Hub Leisure Centre and cultural venue is taking shape, while the town's well-connected train station is within a 10-minute walk of the site, making it an important addition to the town's housing stock. The site stands at one of the gateway points to the town centre.

The spirit of the design took inspiration from the original building which represented a diluted and poor representation of the Frank Lloyd Wright 'Prairie Style'. The plans strive to emphasise strong horizontal features by recessing the new upper floor under a shallow hipped roof while recessing and projecting the mass to create amenities and mitigate overlooking.

We believe our design will lift Ascot House out of its anonymity, providing much-needed and more flexible dwelling spaces within walking distance of Wokingham town centre, helping to raise the architectural bar at this gateway to the central business district and increasing urban density within London's existing commuter belt.

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