Building for a Healthy Life: Rochester Riverside - a Housing Design Award-winning development

The quality of our homes and urban environments play a vital role in our health and wellbeing; something that has become all the more evident in 2020, especially as a result of the pandemic. This Housing LIN Case Study (No 159) captures the key design characteristics that establish a route to healthy, sustainable and enjoyable home for all ages. It features this year's winning entry from the Housing Design Award's first-ever Building for a Healthy Life category.

Written by Caroline Dommett, Andy Heath and Louise Morris at BPTW architects, it describes the redevelopment of the former local dockyards in in Rochester, Kent, for Countryside and The Hyde Group. The result, a pleasant, sustainable and varied neighbourhood along the Medway waterfront that encourages an active lifestyle, whilst retaining strong connections to the town.