Mindful Design for Sustainable Living
A long-term residential design partnership supporting one of the UK’s leading housebuilders, the Vistry Collection brings together standardised house types, digital coordination and Modern Methods of Construction to improve the delivery of homes across the UK.
Overview
Vistry is one of the UK’s leading housebuilders, delivering homes across both Partner Funded and Open Market sectors. SPACE works alongside Vistry to support the design, coordination and ongoing development of the Vistry Collection: a national portfolio of more than 100 standard house types.
The project is built around an ongoing relationship with Vistry, allowing the house type portfolio to evolve in line with changing design standards, delivery methods and market needs. SPACE supports Vistry in maintaining a coordinated, intelligent and future-ready collection that can be applied at scale while still responding to local vernaculars.
- Year Ongoing
- Location UK wide
- Client Vistry
- Project Sectors Residential
Design Approach
The collection includes homes designed for both timber frame and masonry construction, giving Vistry the flexibility to respond to client requirements and regional delivery needs. Developed using a Design for Manufacturing and Assembly approach, the portfolio has been designed to improve efficiencies across the design and build process, condense build programmes and support more consistent delivery across Vistry’s national operations.
All homes within the Vistry Collection are designed in response to key residential standards and future performance requirements, including Nationally Described Space Standards, M4(2) & M4(3) accessibility requirements and the Future Homes Standard.
BIM plays a central role in this process. The house type models are developed to be collaborative, information-rich and aligned with Vistry’s wider move towards ISO 19650 compliance. This digital approach supports better coordination across disciplines, enables material take-offs for more accurate quantities, and helps reduce waste during construction.
Result
The Vistry Collection supports the delivery of high-quality homes at scale, combining standardisation with flexibility. Through its work with SPACE, Vistry is strengthening its ability to deliver homes efficiently, respond to local character and continue progressing towards Modern Methods of Construction.
This long-term approach helps ensure the collection remains at the forefront of residential design and delivery, as the industry moves closer to zero carbon homes and the challenge of delivering the homes of the future across the UK.
“SPACE have been fundamental in establishing our new product that is Future Homes Standard ready and have been resilient in supporting Vistry through its rapid growth, consistently producing packs of information to our high standards.”
David King
Group Design & Technical Director at Vistry
People
Accessible, adaptable homes for the changing needs of the homeowner.The homes within the Vistry Collection have been designed to meet the Nationally Described Space Standards, with enhanced accessibility through compliance with Approved Document M4(2) and, where required, M4(3). This helps ensure that homes are practical, comfortable and adaptable, supporting the needs of residents today while future-proofing them for changing circumstances over time.
Planet
Implementation of low-carbon technologies as standardThe Vistry Collection has been developed in alignment with the principles of the Future Homes Standard. Homes feature enhanced building fabric, improved thermal performance and the removal of gas in favour of low-carbon technologies as standard. This approach supports the delivery of homes that can achieve significantly lower carbon emissions — around 75–80% less than homes built to 2013 regulations.
Place
Designed with placemaking at its heart.Vistry is committed to creating places people love. The new Vistry Collection supports the UK Government’s ambition for every new development to be designed with placemaking at its heart. The collection combines considered, well-designed elevations with a flexible toolkit of architectural features, enabling homes to respond to local character, regional vernaculars and client needs across the UK.
Credits
- Project Lead Liam Barnes
- SPACE Team Gary Jones, James Mitchell, Liam Barnes, Rebecca Eltringham Noble, Stephen Pearson
- Design Team Briary Energy, Designbrook, Paramount Structures, Vistry, Vistry Works
- Photography SG Photography Ltd.
