Westwick Row is a 75-home development that quietly reconsiders the conventions of suburban living, creating a place shaped by a strong collective ethos.

One of three pilot projects initiated by The Crown Estate, the 2-hectare site sits on the edge of a new town with strong regional connections, including access to the M1. The masterplan is organised around an open, connected sequence of gardens, courtyards and meadows, challenging the hard boundaries that typically divide suburban places into public, shared and private territory.

As lead consultant for RIBA Stages 0-2, Periscope developed more than ten iterations of the masterplan as the site layout and strategic principles were tested and refined with engagement groups and the wider design team. The engagement strategy of the project has been led by TOWN and it has been central to the masterplan evolution and iterations: 3 different groups were engaged on a regular basis with an updated site layout, co-design sessions enabled participants to actively participate and provide insights into ways of living, preferred approach, enlight limits and identify points of strength in the current proposals.

Architecture and landscape are conceived together, with a close relationship between efficient, well-planned homes and the open spaces they face. Each front door addresses a shared setting — orchard, courtyard, woodland or park — encouraging neighbourly interaction, informal support and a strong sense of belonging.

Resident-led spaces support remote working, exercise and shared activities, while fruit trees and growing terraces enable food production and exchange across generations. The project combines ambitious environmental, operational and social targets, including an upfront embodied carbon levels of 300 kg CO2/m2 and operational energy use intensity of 35 kWh/m2/year. Westwick Row also achieves 15% biodiversity net gain. Its tenure model is equally innovative: 27 homes form a cohousing community, with the remainder offered for rent, bringing together long-term collective living and a more open, flexible housing model.