Great Bow Yard by Stride Treglown will be presented at the AT Awards live finals on 17 September 2025. Learn more about the project below.

Completed
2006

Great Bow Yard is a development of 12 homes located on the edge of Langport in the Somerset Levels, commissioned by ECOS to serve as a bold and sustainable demonstration project. Designed by Stride Treglown, the scheme consists of two distinct buildings arranged around a shared central garden. The south-facing terrace includes five three- and four-bedroom homes, each featuring integrated sunspaces as part of a passive solar design strategy. The west-facing building houses a mix of townhouses and apartments. Parking is discreetly positioned between the buildings, allowing the garden to dominate the shared setting and foster a sense of community.

The project faced several early challenges. Built on a contaminated, flood-prone site with mature trees and a prominent location at the entrance to Langport, the design needed to navigate environmental sensitivities and public perception. Sustainability was still niche in 2005, with few precedents to follow. The team focused on impact and education, publishing a book to share the learnings. Despite initial concerns about local support for the modern aesthetic, the project was well received. Residents were closely involved in the process, selecting details such as window surround colours and shaping the vision for shared outdoor spaces.

Over time, the development has matured both environmentally and socially. The communal garden has flourished through resident stewardship, softening the buildings and enhancing biodiversity. Residents adapted rainwater harvesting systems for washing machine use and retrofitted roof-integrated solar PV systems using pre-installed infrastructure. The western red cedar cladding has weathered naturally, contributing to a more rustic character that blends into the landscape. The site’s layout—cars tucked away and homes facing a shared green—has created a strong sense of neighbourliness, with feedback highlighting the importance of shared spaces to wellbeing and social connection.

From a performance perspective, independent studies suggested the homes were among the most energy-efficient in the UK at the time of completion. Residents report high comfort levels and low energy use, supported by bio-based construction, extensive insulation, solar technologies, and thoughtful passive design. The sunspaces, which double as thermal buffers and light-filled living areas, proved especially popular, shaping future Stride Treglown projects. Lessons around clustering homes around shared spaces and prioritising daylight and indoor-outdoor connection continue to inform housing design. Great Bow Yard remains a case study in early regenerative design, grounded in community, simplicity, and long-term sustainability.

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