Architectural Review 1971

The Architects' Journal Information Library 7 July 1971 30 4 Apex Society The Apex Society was formed in 1965; its area of activity is Greater London and the Home Counties. Under the 1964 Housing Act it has completed seven schemes, and has two under construction — a total of 410 units. The majority are in inner London suburbs where relatively high rents can be obtained. The architects for all the schemes, Derek Sharp Associates, have explored a variety of building forms to meet the particular conditions of each site. They have developed, more than most housing society architects, a positive and new approach to group housing for middle income co-owners. Houses at Frimley, Surrey Architects: Derek Sharp Associates (Lawrence Abbott). Quantity surveyors: Braysdale & Young. Date completed: mid 1970. Background notes Frimley is commuter country where new developments can be fairly happily absorbed into a wooded and undulating landscape. The mixed qualities and styles of property establish no firm tradition, and introduction of a novel housing society scheme seems to have been accepted. The site was 2·2 acres (0·88 hectares) of sloping woodland in a key location on a road crossing and with a village church opposite. Planning permissions for 15 houses per acre have led at nearby sites to narrow fronted terraced housing by speculative builders who first have to clear the land and lay out roads and footpaths. The society bought this site for the scope it offered for alternative layouts at this relatively high density.