Time is a critic. But in our industry, it can also be a keen adversary. It discolours, dissolves—tests every inch of our designs.
But when a project is designed with the ambition of creating a better future—one that’s more sustainable, that’s built on deeper community bonds—time becomes an essential partner. That’s when a building’s impact can echo long into the future.
So, when Great Bow Yard, our community of forward-thinking homes, won the Architecture Today Test of Time Award, we found ourselves reflecting on the building’s story so far, and the echoes it continues to have twenty years on.
Making sustainability the status quo
Before Great Bow Yard was a game-changing sustainable development, or a thriving community of ecologically-minded inhabitants, it was an idea. An ambition, dreamt up by our client, ECOS, to push the boundaries of residential design and ‘make sustainable construction the norm’.
From a little patch of edgeland, sandwiched between the historic town of Langport and the Somerset Levels, they hoped that by challenging norms and capturing imagination change would spill out across the industry.
At the time, sustainable design was itself somewhat of an edgeland—found only in outliers like BedZed, or in the esoteric small-screen builds of Channel 4’s Grand Designs.
Were they impressive? Absolutely. But ECOS also wanted them to be affordable. Repeatable. On your doorstep— not your telly.
Light, warm, and far from the norm
Right from the beginning, the design decisions we made in helping the client achieve their ambition were about breaking the mould.
Rather than entering from the front, residents enter through the back, so that living spaces could open out onto a south-facing verdant community garden which forms the heart of the development—whilst cars stay tucked out of sight
The development’s L-shape creates a nurturing cluster layout around a garden space. Drawing inspiration from co-housing principles, we’re sure it’s been a major contributing factor for the tangible community spirit.
The distinct angled shape and layering of the houses’ structured facades didn’t only enhance thermal performance; they challenged the limitations of typical boxy houses that seperate their occupiers from nature.
In one of the two terraces, bedrooms on the middle floor with living spaces above, offer breathtaking views and beautiful day-lit roof-spaces.
The choice of UK-sourced timber for the frame and cladding, and the use of reclaimed brick in a newbuild, were also innovative at the time.
“I think the imaginativeness of the design is what always gets me. So many different ideas come together to make it such a habitable place.” – Duncan, Inhabitant, 2023
But behind each of these innovations was a deeper strategic vision to have a positive impact on ecology, community and put sustainability at front of mind, and to generate influence—what we might now consider ‘regenerative design’ thinking.
Insulation made from recycled paper. Wood-chippings from trees pruned during construction. Mono-pitch roofs to capture rainwater for WC flushing.
This combination of form and function has resulted in houses that still boast extremely low energy consumption and a high degree of comfort for inhabitants.
As part of their concerted effort to share their learnings, we even helped ECOS publish a book to capture the story.
A living legacy
After it was completed, Great Bow Yard was named the ‘most energy efficient street in the UK’ in a study by Sheffield University and EON. However, since 2006, the industry has evolved.
Passivhaus has created a more scientific approach to energy efficiency, and there’s no doubt that we’d make some changes if we designed the project today.
But as the wood façade weathers year after year, and the gardens continue to grow lush and tall under the watch of the families that tend them, the development’s sense of community grows, too.
In 2023, we went back to hear it from the residents themselves, as part of our Inhabitant series. They’d seen the area transform, and their lives transform with it.
For them, Great Bow Yard’s is a story of childhood, parenthood— even grandparenthood. It’s a community where friendships were made, a green space where a pandemic was endured.
The design has helped create a sense of community that has stood the test of time.
“During the pandemic, just sharing that garden together was really like a lifesaver. I think it was so important to everybody here.” – Beth, Inhabitant, 2023
The story continues
Even now, twenty years on, echoes from Great Bow Yard continue to sound.
This year, they’re informing our early design approach for a potential new sustainable development of 50 houses in Anglesey, North Wales, set to be built on land owned by the parents of one of Great Bow Yard’s residents.
Having witnessed their son and his family living happily at Great Bow Yard, they’ve seen first-hand how its emphasis on nature and wellbeing can create thriving community.
Still in its early stages, the development will build upon these themes, exploring unique clusters of homes—also built around shared garden spaces—focused around nature and community.
“A surprising majority of the original inhabitants of Great Bow Yard still live there today. That’s an amazing testament to the strength of that community and the design.” – Rob Delius, Head of Sustainability
When we embarked on this project 20 years ago, these were exactly the kind of echoes we hoped Great Bow Yard would make. And it was a project of hope too. Aiming to provide a roadmap to a brighter future. To this day, we’re incredibly proud of what this unique project has achieved.
We’re grateful to the Architecture Today judges for selecting Great Bow Yard as their 2025 Test of Time Residential award winner. A huge congratulations to everyone from the team who created this special place.
“This project, though nearly 20 years old, still offers a clear template for the kind of houses we should be building today.” – Architecture Today Judges’ comments
You can discover more stories from the Inhabitants of Great Bow Yard here.
