High Street, Southampton

The project required the demolition of the former bank at 12 High Street and the retention and refurbishment of the adjoining building at 13 to 14 High Street. The new modular extension introduces 47 modern studio apartments arranged in a series of T4 and T2 module types. The use of these two module sizes enabled the design to articulate the building massing, achieve stepped elevations and reflect the surrounding urban grain.

The development includes a prominent corner building that responds to the historic context of the High Street. Architectural detailing, brick relief, vertical framing and a recessed top floor all reference the surrounding vernacular while creating a contemporary, cohesive street frontage. This approach was shaped through two pre application consultations which focused on

preserving and enhancing the character of the conservation area. The combination of modular new build and retained structure required careful alignment of the module grid with the existing core. The layout achieves high efficiency with consistent module sizes across the building, supporting standardisation, consistent quality and accelerated delivery.

High Street sits within the Old Town North Conservation Area, which contains several listed buildings including the Grade I Bargate and historic medieval town walls. The architectural strategy followed a detailed contextual study to ensure the new building strengthened the streetscape.

The proposed massing reflects the vertical rhythm and strong facade hierarchy seen throughout the Old Town. Elevation designs incorporate features such as:

• Pronounced verticality
• Horizontal banding at key levels
• Recessed brick details to add depth
• Varying window proportions to reflect traditional plots

Visual references from nearby buildings including the Star Hotel and neighbouring High Street properties further informed the material palette and facade articulation.

High Street demonstrates how offsite manufacturing can be integrated seamlessly into a prominent, highly constrained city centre site.

Key modular highlights include:

• Application of brick slip facade elements in the factory for the first time, avoiding complex installation on the gable wall by using a self sealing detail that allowed modules to slot into position with no further external works required
• Exposed Paroc panel cladding on the top floor setbacks to reduce onsite facade works
• Efficient module landing sequence coordinated around extremely tight site boundaries and one way traffic flow
• Night time module installation to minimise disruption and maintain public safety on the busy central High Street

These strategies enabled rapid progress with minimal road closures and significantly less disturbance than traditional construction methods.

The development provides a complete set of resident amenities, including:

• Reception space
• Study room
• Lounge
• Games area
• Communal kitchen
• TV and karaoke room
• Gym
• Laundry
• Bookable study room

These areas were carefully designed to support resident wellbeing and encourage active use throughout the year.

A new public facing cafe and communal area on the ground floor also enhances the building’s active frontage onto the High Street.

High Street demonstrates how offsite manufacturing can be integrated seamlessly into a prominent, highly constrained city centre site.

As a hybrid project with both refurbishment and new modular build, High Street required precise coordination from early design stages through to delivery.

Key technical successes include:

• Alignment of the modular grid with the existing structural core for seamless transitions between retained and new floors
• Standardised module sizes that maintained design clarity while maximising offsite manufactured value
• Factory level quality control for building fabric, thermal performance and airtightness
• Reduced onsite working hours and simplified assembly through systemised installation

Although mechanical ventilation with heat recovery was not used on this project, most technical principles applied at Winchester Terrace Court were replicated here for continuity of quality.