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!!
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.
We are delighted to receive two new instructions to prepare outline feasibility proposals for sites within Test Valley Borough Council.
Working with Adrian Barker of Lucid Planning we are preparing initial material for consideration under the recent Call for Sites issued by the Local Authority. Developing the links set out by our involvement with our colleagues in the Connected Collective this is a perfect example of our ability to help our clients from the most strategic level through to the delivery of detailed planning and construction advice.
Details of the process are set out in the extract from the Local Authorities website as follows –
SHELAA & Brownfield Sites Call for Sites Submission Form 2017
This process should be used to promote land for the Strategic Housing and Economic Land Availability Assessment (SHELAA). The information you submit will be used by the Council to inform future housing and economic land allocations within future Planning Documents and on-going monitoring within the Borough including calculating the five-year deliverable housing land supply position.
With regards to residential and economic uses, the Council will accept sites for a net gain of 5 or more dwellings and sites that are 0.25ha (or likely to provide at least 500m² of economic floor space) and above.
This form should also be used to put forward Brownfield sites for inclusion on the Brownfield Register.
Attached are the aerial shots of the sites which need to remain anonymous at this stage. Should you or your client need any similar advice please contact the office.
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!!
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.
Attached are 2 of the 4 sheets that we submitted. We thought you might like to see them!
After a period of gestation, Forge Design Studio have started work in earnest on the design of 2 luxury villas on the islands of Turks and Caicos in the West indies. This fantastic opportunity has grown out of the relationship developed with one of our main current clients, who we have now worked with on several projects in the UK.
The site is near the main town of Providenciales and is on a south-facing slope over-looking the ocean. The attached photographs give a flavour of the uninterrupted views to the ironshore which forms the sea wall.
The creation of integrated inside / outside living space will be key to the success of the villas and the relationship to the main spaces to the external terraces and swimming pool is very important. A multi-level approach, stepping down the hillside with a suite of guest bedrooms at the lowest level, the ‘grand salon’ at upper ground and a luxury master bedroom suite on the top floor with its own private sun deck, are the initial ideas.
Consideration of climate with shade required from the sun and shelter from the prevailing trade winds being a strong design criteria. Liaison will take place with a local partnership contractor and engineers to develop the form of construction and inform the choice of suitable materials and detailing.
Consideration of climate with shade required from the sun and shelter from the prevailing trade winds being a strong design criteria. Liaison will take place with a local partnership contractor and engineers to develop the form of construction and inform the choice of suitable materials and detailing.
The design is being developed in our usual sequence of hand-drawn sketches and 3D modelling.
Looking forward to the site visits!
Design work is continuing on the plans for a new house at Silver Hill, Shenley.
In order to replace the burnt-out shell of the Grade II, Former Thatched Cottage, negotiation has been undertaken with the Local Authority and Historic England. The exceptional circumstances behind the case have been demonstrated and an ‘in principle’ agreement has been acknowledged with the Case Officers subject to agreement on the detailed design. Impact on the green belt and the adherence to planning policy are being addressed within the current phase of work.
Detailed surveys will be carried out on the what remains of the existing fabric to record its condition.
Design principles have been established and we are carrying out 3d massing studies as well as physical modelling to fully explore the impact on surrounding areas. The design of the replacement house has been the subject of much discussion with the client and his family
We are pushing towards a submission of the formal planning application in the very near future.
After extensive pre-application discussions with the Planners at Brighton and Hove City Council the application for the regeneration of the Former Brewery Site at Portslade has been submitted and registered with the Local Authority.
Mike attended the second public exhibition held on site on the 8th June and the feedback received has been further reflected in the submitted proposals. Notwithstanding the regeneration of the whole site and securing a future use for the distinctive brewery buildings, one of the most exciting elements of the scheme is the potential partnership with Pheonix Arts Brighton.
It is proposed that the former workshop building and lower floors of the corner Tower fronting onto the High St are converted to form a series of affordable low-rent studio spaces, multi-purpose exhibition, teaching areas and café. The attached images show an example of the proposed spaces together with an extract sample of the submitted drawings.
The scheme includes 50 residential units with a comprehensive mix of sizes and configurations and approx. 7,000 sqft of creative employment space.
Forge Design Studio has a number of projects currently under construction on site
Setting-out and the below ground sub-structure has been completed at Cedardore for Mayflower Homes. The concrete beam and block floor is in and the first lift of masonary is well underway. Progress should be good as the better weather arrives!!
Site clearance and excavations have been dug and foundations poured at Cowesfield Lodge. The beam and block floor has been installed, and, as you can see, all the preparations have taken place ready for the mini-steel frame to arrive.
Steel has been required to suit the light, open and airy extension. Almost 50sqm of new space is being created, as well the re-organisation of the existing house. This has been achieved under permitted development.
Richard Stanton at RFS is the Main Contractor.
The first phase of development is well underway at North Brook End Stud. The first floor staff apartment is being dry-lined, rooflights are in, the original exposed trusses have been cleaned. The contractors, Overton Builders, have got the first fix installations in place and are getting ready for the fit-out and all second fix joinery.
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