An Architect Fits 157 Homes on a Green Hill Instead of 80

Architect Mary Duggan had a difficult challenge in south London. The local council wanted to build 80 homes on a steep hill with many trees. Instead of 80 homes, Duggan designed 157 flats for the site, and she kept the trees and green spaces.

instead of= 表示「而不是；代替」，用來引出被取代的原定選項。

The project is called Lion Green Road. The first plan had ordinary rows of houses with car parking. Duggan changed this idea. She designed five brick towers instead. The towers sit among the woodland. Each home has windows on two sides for sunlight and fresh air, and every flat has a balcony with space for plants.

sit among= 表示「座落於⋯⋯之中」，生動地描繪建築物融入周圍自然環境的樣貌。

The land between the buildings is open to the public. There are no fences around the site. People can walk on winding paths through gardens and play areas. There are even tiny wooden shelters for insects. Half of the flats are affordable homes rented through the council, and half are private rental homes.

open to the public= 表示「對公眾開放」，指任何一般民眾皆可進入或使用。

The project has now won the Stirling Prize, a major award for the best new building in the United Kingdom. It is only the second time a council housing project has won the prize. Experts say the project shows that cities can build more homes without losing trees or open green spaces.

It is only the second time= 表示「這僅僅是第二次發生」，用來強調某件事情相當罕見或具歷史突破性。

學習筆記

文法整理

句型	意思
instead of	表示「而不是；代替」，用來引出被取代的原定選項。
sit among	表示「座落於⋯⋯之中」，生動地描繪建築物融入周圍自然環境的樣貌。
open to the public	表示「對公眾開放」，指任何一般民眾皆可進入或使用。
It is only the second time	表示「這僅僅是第二次發生」，用來強調某件事情相當罕見或具歷史突破性。

詞彙整理

單字	意思
challenge	需要付出很大努力才能處理或完成的困難，也指能激發人迎接並超越自我的事情。
steep	（斜坡、山地等）陡峭的；傾斜角度很大的
balcony	建築物樓層外側向外突出的平台，通常設有欄杆、矮牆或圍欄，可供人站立、休息或活動。
affordable	價格在經濟能力所及範圍內的；負擔得起的
award	獎項；為表揚成就、肯定表現或表示優異而頒發的獎品、獎狀、獎牌等。

延伸學習

•在英式英語中，通常使用「flat」來稱呼公寓，相當於美式英語的「apartment」。
•「council housing」（市政公營房屋）是指由英國地方政府提供給民眾的可負擔出租住宅。
•史特靈獎（Stirling Prize）以建築師詹姆斯·史特靈命名，是英國建築界每年頒發的最高榮譽。