The Kingsmeadow Estate was a bleak 1970's housing estate where teenagers used the access roads for joy-riding, where cars were often vandalised, and where even leaving washing out on the line was a calculated risk. These were some of the problems expressed when Bruges Tozer Architects consulted the tenants.

The two storey blocks of flats were in good condition with excellent space standards, but the layout of the estate was the root of the problem. Typical of its period, it was very open with an attempt at traffic segregation. There were many hidden corners giving rise to insecurity.

Kingswood Borough Council had successfully applied for Estate Action money and set up an estate office. Bruges Tozer's proposals aimed to reinforce the sense of belonging and pride for the immediate environment. The solution was to create natural security by enclosing open public spaces into semiprivate neighbourhood 'closes'. These are entered through porched gates with pitched metal roofs supported on sturdy brick piers. The enclosing brick walls are capped with creasing tiles and reconstructed Bath stone copings which step down the sloping site in gentle curves. Private gardens are formed with stained timber palisade fencing with complementary garden stores. Cars can be seen from windows and hidden corners are eliminated.

Security is further improved by a new street lighting scheme and the addition of entrance screens to each block of flats with entry phones.

Traffic calming was achieved by speed humps made of coloured block paviors, and the main access road to the parking area was reduced in width with an avenue of Alnus trees. Chunky timber bollards protect the soft landscaping and define the routes into the parking 'closes'.

Parking areas were opened up by the demolition of one block of six garages to permit natural supervision. "Fiberdec" golden gravel was introduced to cover the drab tarmac and garage doors were painted in varying shades of colour increasing gradually in chromatic intensity. Soft landscaping was introduced to areas which were formerly oversized concrete parking aprons.

Inevitably the £250,000 contract disrupted life on the estate for a few months, but now that life is back to normal, tenants say they feel their washing is safer and vandalism has reduced substantially.