building

Sunshine Garden Centre_Visioning Document

Forge Design Studio have developed a vision for the future development of the Sunshine Garden Centre which is situated nr Alexandra Palace, North London.

Located on the site of a former open-air lido the Garden Centre is a very successful business which has long out-grown its premises. Significant aspects of the retail operation have moved on line yet the stock remains on site and takes up a great deal of valuable space.

The nature of the business means that there is also substantial footfall who still visit the site. Balancing these sometimes conflicting demands as well as dealing with deliveries presents great challenges to the management team. In addition the building fabric is in poor condition and is also in urgent need of renewal.

The site is well located on a main route and sits alongside a popular local park. Opportunity exists to engage with the local community and to make a much more positive contribution to the neighbourhood. The site is famous locally for its Christmas displays and is fantastically busy.

A comprehensive masterplan was required to fully explore the relationships and inter-connectivity with the existing facilities, the neighbouring park, car parking/deliveries and access and the proposed new residential uses which will help the viability of the whole development.

The Practice were responsible for developing the initial designs through 3d massing models and visualisations. Inter-connections for pedestrians/community uses and customers were considered in detail and the whole site was opened up and made more accessible.

Valuable shopfront and much more kerbside appeal was created to the main road which will appeal to the many notable brands for which the Garden Centre holds the franchise.

These exciting proposals represents the continued investment and commitment by the Management team to the long term future of the operation. We are looking forward to maintaining our involvement as the project moves forward.

Project Handover, Cambridge

Forge Design Studio have been working with Volker Fitzpatrick on a major re-modelling and refurbishment project for a higher education client in Cambridge.

The project required an extensive de-cant programme to vacate the occupied spaces. This involved working closely with the Estates Team and the Contractor’s Site Team to gain an appreciation and understanding of the whole campus. The main campus has been an operational live environment through-out the process which has entailed out-of-hours working and a great deal of flexibility on the part of the Contractor.

It has been a highly technical project involving retro-fitting steelwork and FDS have been involved in all aspects of the project – from strategic accommodation studies to detailed surveys of existing furniture, fittings and equipment within existing spaces. We have produced sketch options, g.a’s, specifications, detailed schedules and working drawings. We also carried out monthly site visits and spot checks to review progress and assist with quality control.

Volker Fitzpatrick made great progress on the major re-modelling and refurbishment and kept ahead of schedule. We carried out our final site visits as the end of June, and the project is due for handover shortly.

North Brook End Stud Open Day_6th April 2019

Forge Design Studio were delighted to be invited to the official opening of the new specialist Mare and Foal Stable Wing at North Brook End Stud. Overton Contractors Ltd have a couple of weeks work to finish including the link between the two yards. This is the latest phase of work to be completed at the Stud and completes the realisation of the original masterplan.

We worked closely with Sarah, Douglas and the team at North Brook End Stud to realise their dream of creating a state of the facility which compliments the quality of service that they deliver.

After a great deal of hard work by all parties, (and numerous iterations!), the final result was revealed to friends, clients and visitors on Saturday. Its an absolutely fantastic facility which will allow the Team to continue to develop the level of care and service required to produce the excellent standard of horses that NBES is known for !!

Stop Press – New Arrival

Nellie, was born at 5.00am on Wednesday 10^thApril, this little one is the first foal born in the maternity wing! Mum and baby are doing well!!

Check out the NBES Facebook Page for regular updates.

Photo Credit: dgmphotos2019

Keeping Busy!!

We have been particularly busy over the last few weeks, completing and submitting three significant planning applications.

Manor Farm, Andover

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Firstly, working with Adrian Barker at Lucid Planning we completed the design proposals for the redevelopment of Manor Farm, nr Andover. We have been employed directly by the site owners on the development of the former farm building site for residential use.

Situated in open countryside between the villages of Monxton and Abbotts Ann this has been a long process which required some innovative thinking to resolve the strategic planning issues. This has also involved extensive negotiation with the Planning Authority at Test Valley and local residents pressure groups. It has been a lengthy project extending over the last 18 months and the application is now heading towards a committee date in the middle of June. Fingers crossed.

The design has been developed in close co-operation with the landscape architect and has played particular regard to the setting and context with the open countryside. The original farmyard buildings have been retained to create a sense of continuity and the shared open space will act as a landscape buffer as well as creating opportunities for allotments and community facilities

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North Brook End House, Steeple Morden

Secondly, by contrast, we have submitted a Full Planning and Listed Building Consent Application for North Brook End House, Steeple Morden. The site overlooks our long-standing project at the neighbouring Stud Farm and is for a private client.

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The work has involved detailed design proposals to reflect the need to respect the historic fabric. We have also involved Cambridge Architectural Research (CAR Ltd) who have prepared the accompanying Heritage Statement.

The proposals are for a two-storey rear extension, which has been carefully integrated with the existing building, as well as internal alterations to create a new en-suite facility. These elements required a great deal of detailed work to ensure they could be satisfactorily implemented without disturbing the existing building fabric.

South Street, Bishops Stortford

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Finally, we have completed the design work on our town centre project in Bishops Stortford. Our client has purchased a former Co-operative Buildingon the corner of South Street and Station Road, which has, frankly, seen better days!!

The existing floors have been re-modelled to suit flexible future uses with an additional floor of residential apartments being added at second floor level. New external treatment to the elevations is proposed in response to the setting of the Conservation Area.

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Detailed massing models have been prepared utilising a 3D base model prepared by Joanna James Ltd. We have inserted our site sketch-up model into the wider context so that the impact can be fully considered.

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Progress on Site in Hertford

Sites at the Former Waters Garage and 66-68 St Andrew Street

Recent site photographs on a very sunny day in Hertford. Construction of two of our projects are well underway on site.

Located in the St Andrew Street Conservation Area, the restrictions of the site are plain to see and have given rise to quite different design solutions. Both schemes are heavily constrained but demonstrate how effective use can be made of even the trickiest of sites to facilitate regeneration and successful development.

The Former Waters Garage site creates two distinct areas – the first has utilised and restored the original coachworks to create a unique frontage with a discreet mews development to the rear which has echoes of the workshop building that it replaced. Secondly the rendered terraced villas pick-up on the original, distinctive semi-detached buildings along North Street.

Diagonally opposite is the site of 66-68 St Andrew Street which immediately abuts a pair of historic grade II listed cottages. By re-forming an original historic street pattern, we have created 4 unique, residential units around a shared courtyard.

Our clients, the new site owners, Leary Developments Ltd, have recently purchased the cottage next door which has given us an excellent opportunity to open up the rear area and will create a great shared private space for the mix of units which surround it.

The close proximity of the busy roads has imposed constraints on the construction process which we helped address within the building methods. As can be seen, good progress is being made on both sites with a number of sales being secured off-plan at Carriage Court (Former Waters Garage) and a great deal of interest being expressed at 66-68.

We look forward to seeing the successful completion of both projects before the end of the year.

Forge DS Project Updates!

Regeneration Projects

Regeneration of previously developed urban sites remains at the heart of many of our projects.

Major news for the year included the Former Brewery Site, Portslade which was granted Planning Consent in August. After an intensive period of work immediately preceding the Committee it was passed by an over-whelming majority. The proposal includes a mixed-use of 48 residential units, in a mixture of new build and conversion, together with a Creative Arts complex providing start-up, low rental employment space.

The proposals retained the conceptual principles that have been at the heart of the project from the outset with a careful blend of context and contemporary design. We are in continued discussion with our Client and look forward to the stage of the project.

Our first site in Hertford, the Former Waters Garage on North Road has continued on site whilst on the opposite side of the road!! …. construction work has started on 60-68 St Andrew Street. Both projects are complex insertions within close proximity to grade II Listed Buildings. The archaeological investigation which was required on 66-68 as part of the planning conditions was completed and a start on site was made in Summer. The hybrid construction of steel and masonry is well underway and the shape and form of the building is now evident.

On a different scale construction is nearing completion at North Brook End Stud on Dragonfly Barn. Marketing advice has been taken and the property will be brought to the Market early in the New Year – the impressive interiors and panoramic views have been very well received so far and we look forward to a successful sales process.

Forge Design Studio’s Year in Review!

Living Spaces

After a great deal of fund-raising effort on the part of the YMCA, work has started on site at the former St Silas Church Centre in Cheltenham. The scheme will provide 21 living spaces in a comprehensively re-modelled existing building. There will be a range of unit sizes from small studios to 1-bed apartments.

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Forge Design Studio are working with the appointed Main Contractor to develop detailed working drawings and schedules to support the construction (see examples below). The constraints of the existing building has created challenges which the team have worked together to overcome. Work is continuing at full pace on site and is due for completion in the summer.

Ground Floor Plan:

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First Floor Plan:

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We have also been involved in a series of local residential projects which range from the Cedardore project in Wellow – a complete new build dwelling, to Remenham House in Whiteparish – an interior design project, through to Cowesfield Lodge – a comprehensive
re-modelling and extension under permitted development, which is located within walking distance of the office!

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All of our projects are treated with the same level of professional service and respect. They are greatly valued, providing us with a varied and interesting series of opportunities.

We look forward to 2017 with eager anticipation.