In response to the homelessness crisis in Milton Keynes, the Council have sought additional local accommodation specifically designed for homeless families.

Planning consent was secured for 70 homes with a manager's office and laundry under the C3 Use Class for Temporary Accommodation purposes. The housing units have been designed to cater for a range of family sizes up to and including households of four people.

To help with delivering the homes as early as possible, modular housing units have been used. These have been manufactured offsite, then delivered and erected on site much faster than through the use of traditional construction methods.

The housing modules are specially adapted in a factory to accommodate the spaces needed in a home. These modules have a ribbed exterior punctuated with doors and windows and are built on top of each other, with the windows grouped together and the front entrances on the opposite side. The front doors are linked by walkways connected to a central staircase that results in the building having a natural break at the midpoint.

The modular nature of the building establishes a simple grid like rhythm to the elevation which has been enhanced by the cladding. The cladding 'frames' around the larger windows to the living spaces draw upon the natural rhythm of the modules and helps express the individual homes, as well as the main point of access to the central stairway. The 'frames' wrap around the corners of the building creating bookends that tie in the end elevations.