project

Student Mentoring & Site Visit to 227 Winchester Road!

For the second year in a row we are hosting students from Bath University and UWE as part of the innovative RIBA Student Mentoring scheme organised by the team at RIBA South West Forge Design Studio. Following two office based sessions we visited site this week at 227 Winchester Road.

Having recently received planning permission for the comprehensive re-design and re-building of the original house, our client has made a meaningful start on site. The demolition of a substantial part of the original house has been completed and the reduced dig is underway in preparation for the piling rig.

Proposed Ground Floor Plan

Proposed First Floor Plan

The new design will create approx. 5,000sqft of accommodation, providing 6 bedrooms, 2 reception rooms and a large multi-function kitchen/dining/lounge area in a split level arrangement which takes advantage of the subtle change in level on the site.

The house follows an inter-locking, cranked plan which wraps around the generous garden with excellent orientation to capture the evening sun. The house will be served by an air source heat pump, underfloor heating and solar pv arrays on the roof.

We are excited to see the proposals for this innovative, contemporary design emerge from the excavations, stand by for a major transformation in 2020!!

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 House – Full Planning and Listed Building Consent!

Forge Design Studio is delighted to confirm that our project for our client, the Ware Family, at North Brook End House has been granted consent. The building is Grade II Listed and is a very fine south-facing Victorian House set in an extensive garden. We have worked closely with the family to develop a series of additions and modifications to create an improved balance of accommodation which is commensurate with its location and setting.

We have liaised with our fellow consultants Cambridge Architectural Research, who produced the Heritage Statement and Gawn Associates on the Structural Engineering Strategy.

Even though we say so ourselves it had a very smooth route through the planning process at South Cambs District Council thanks to a thorough and comprehensive approach which was complimented by the Case Officer.

The project will now be worked up in detail with the input from the team to get ready for a start on site later this year.

We look forward to the opportunity to see the project through to completion!!

Ocean Drive – First Overseas Permission Granted

Forge Design Studio is delighted to confirm that one of our Ocean Drive villas has being granted Detailed Development Permssion by the Turks and Caicos Islands. We have liaised with local island Architects who have successfully co-ordinated the submission.

The project will now be worked up in detail with the input from the services and structural engineers in order to get the required Building Permit to start construction.

We look forward to the opportunity to carry out some site visits!!

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.

Former Brewery Site, Portslade, Brighton, Permission Granted!!

We are delighted to confirm that the final proposals for the regeneration of the Former Brewery Site at Portslade were approved at Brighton and Hove City Council Planning committee on 9^th August. After healthy discussion, the vote was carried by a majority of 10:1 and the next chapter for the site can proceed.

Ground Floor and Workshop building to accommodate Phoenix Arts.

The final scheme includes 48 homes of which 11 are new build, 7 are renovations of the existing cottages and 30 are apartments created within the original Victorian Building. Parking and access is created within a new shared courtyard which will also provide a valuable area of open amenity space.

In addition, Phoenix Arts, Brighton are the likely tenants for the 6,500 sqft of studio/gallery/café space proposed for the ground floor of the Tower and Workshops fronting onto the High St. This is a particularly exciting element of the scheme as it will provide further much-needed, low rent studio space for Brighton’s creative community.

Detail of renovated tower.

The scheme has involved a tremendous effort by the whole team, who have tackled numerous demanding technical challenges, and represents approximately 24 months of hard work.

We look forward to being involved in the next stage of the project.

Competition Entry

Amongst a busy schedule we managed to fit in time to submit an entry to the RIBA Competition for a Co-living Project in Forest Gate, London.

The intention was to have some fun with the project, so when faced with the brief, which asked us to select one object which represented the concept of Co-living, in true Forge Design Studio we thought of our stomachs!!

Competition 1

A well known brand of sweets seemed to perfectly encapsulate the idea of community, individuality and connectivity. Unfortunately, the judges were obviously not ready for this and we didn’t get short-listed. Too bad. However, it was a really enjoyable exercise and gave us the excuse to buy several bags of Revels to have with our coffee in the studio.

Competition 2

Attached are 2 of the 4 sheets that we submitted. We thought you might like to see them!