Bear Lane so clearly and substantially elevates itself above the benchmark of standard urban housing design that is surprising to discover it is the result of a volume house builder operating through a design and build contract.

The project is expressed as a terrace of tall individual brick buildings. The design is understood as both a series of elements and a singular entity, with a crenelated skyline and heavily articulated facades - almost in the manner of the towers of San Gimignano.

The project wraps a triangular site, rising up from an unfortunately but necessarily retained corner pub which does historically and formally anchor the scheme. Three facades look into a communal courtyard. This is sophisticated residential architecture of the highest order.