Soil Association An innovative prototype HQ Building
Designscape came second in a European wide competition for the new £20m headquarters for the Soil Association on the Harbourside site in Bristol. The design sought to put the building users first and create a healthy and respectful workplace which would reflect the core values of the charity: A work environment for ‘free range’ employees. The proposal demonstrated a holistic approach to environmental design by minimising energy usage, using low embodied energy materials and maximising the passive energy potential of the site. This was an opportunity to design a prototype office building fit for the future and the ideas generated are relevant to many situations. We look forward to putting these into practice in future projects.
Kelston Road An annexe home converted from a garage
This project is a single storey annexe on the Kelston Road, designed as a home for our client’s elderly parents, within the curtilage of their existing home.
The site is located on the outskirts of Bath within the Greenbelt, we created a design which both preserves and enhances the surrounding environment, converting and extending a former garage. The use of a green roof and materials sympathetic to the original dwelling allowed the annexe to become a complementary addition to the site.
Clarks Head Quarters Working within a historic factory complex
We have been appointed to undertake a number of projects for Clarks Shoes at their Head Quarters in Street, Somerset. These are located within historic former factory buildings, from which Clarks once manufactured their famous shoes. Optimising this space for current and changing workplace activities has been an ongoing project for Clarks. We have produced a masterplan considering the phased redevelopment of underused sections of the estate for new uses and buildings, including conference suite, meeting rooms and office space.
Green Park Station A new public space
Green Park Station is a Grade II listed building which was redeveloped as a retail and events space in the mid 1980s after its closure as a railway terminus in 1971. We were appointed following an invited competition to propose ways of revitalising the station as a major public space. Our work to date has involved the extensive consultation with a variety of interested parties, including the Farmer’s Market and other traders, Sainsbury’s Supermarket (who operate the adjacent supermarket) and the Bath Cultural Forum. Ideas from these discussions have been translated into a proposal that would provide the city with a vibrant, accessible and commercially viable public venue in the spirit of Covent Garden Market in London.
Jetty House An engineered timber Passive House
The Jetty House is conceived as a place of refuge, a counterpoint to the busy urban world that most of us live in. A place for quiet and family life. The proposal offers the possibility of privacy and individual space but also of a sense of community within the groups of houses. The houses bring the occupants into direct contact with the natural world, and whilst providing a high degree of comfort and sustainable living, the design exploits the whole potential of sustainable living rather than simply to focus on low energy usage. The Jetty House is designed to perform to Passivhaus standards. Nonetheless the design allows for large areas of opening windows and woodburning stoves, enabling seamless integration and enjoyment of the rich context.
Hardy House Home for an artist
Hardy House is a former club building in the heart of a Wiltshire village. Converted in the 1980’s the building needed updating and alteration to meet the client’s needs whose brief called for the refurbishment of the existing house with the provision of new home working facilities for their artistic activities. Comprehensive refurbishment of the existing house created a clean, modern interior with studio and gallery as well as more conventional spaces and includes improvements to reduce running costs and increase thermal performance. A new glazed canopy to the rear provides a useful veranda space to enjoy views across the garden and a sheltered space to park the car and enter the house.
Planning consent was also obtained for an independent studio building in the garden, as yet unbuilt.
Hardy House was short listed for the AJ Retrofit Awards 2014
Calderwood C20th house update, extension and alteration
This detached house was originally constructed in 1965 and is located on a suburban street close to the centre of Bath. The clients bought the property with the desire to upgrade and extend the accommodation to suit their growing family. The new alterations have a minimal impact on the front of the house, instead providing a dramatic transformation of the living spaces at the rear and improving their connection to the garden. This has been achieved by extending outwards and to the side which, with the removal of the existing external and internal walls at ground level, creates a generous open plan living space. An additional bedroom at first floor was also provided and the rest of the house was refurbished to a provide a thoroughly modern and more energy efficient living environment.