Hunter Street, Chester, is a new mostly brick construction project of 77 student residential flats set over six floors, with ancillary and communal facilities, landscaping and car park.
Located just within Chester’s city walls, in a redevelopment area, the site is in a prominent position next to the ring road; it is also next to a former Odeon cinema constructed in the 1930s, which has recently been renovated and extended to become the city’s thriving new arts centre, Storyhouse. Storyhouse itself became an Award winner in a previous Brick Awards and so this project, illustrates the continued high quality development going on in the city.
It is from Storyhouse, that the design cues for the new building have been taken. This includes extruded brick made by Forterra, with detailing that has a playful relationship with the recessed brick detailing for Storyhouse.
The brick selected for the project was Forterra’s County Multi Smooth a red, smooth textured, high quality facing brick that complements the modern aesthetic of the copper rainscreen cladding and through coat render, used alongside.
It also connects the structure with the existing masonry buildings adjacent to it, including Storyhouse itself, helping to ground the building in its environment.
We eagerly await the full effect once the copper cladding matures too!