100 Riverdene Place, Bitterne Park, Sout

100 Riverdene Place, Bitterne Park, Southampton, SO18 1ER

Working closely with the client’s contractor, permission was secured for a retractable balcony awning in a large retirement apartments complex in Bitterne, Southampton. The project involved research into the site history, close liaison with the building owners and warden and a personal visit to build rapport with the client and explain the process and its timing. Written permission was also necessary to re-use the architect’s final built-out drawings.

The outcome was by no means certain, with many council’s often strictly controlling the uniform appearance of elevations in blocks of apartments. However, given the modest size of the awning and the modern technology involved, with the awning having a sensor and automatically retracting in windy conditions, permission was granted.