greenspace brochure 2014
TRANSCRIPT
www.greenspacearchitects.co.uk
Greenspace Architects ltdThe Old Town Hall
The SquareEllesmere
Shropshire SY12 0EP01691 623889
[email protected]://www.facebook.com/greenspacearch
Greenspace Architects ltd is an eco-architectural practice, with extensive experience of producing high quality, low energy and carefully crafted architecture underpinned by sustainable design principles.
Quite simply, we create fantastic places, spaces and buildings that exceed the aspirations of our clients.
Architecture is poetry, buildings are prose
Our approach is based on dialogue and collaboration: we listen carefully to you, our client, to establish a strategic brief, then help develop the brief into a project that will exceed your expectations, bringing our experience to bear to realise the opportunities the brief presents. We encourage you to ‘dream’, to draw-out your true aspirations for your project, then find a way to attain the most important elements for the available funds.
We believe in ‘quality of thought’: we do not just do what we are asked or what is easy, we question everything then take you on a journey to discover the solution through exploration and dialogue. Your contribution is vital to the success of a good project.
“We still wake up every morning and look out of that round window towards the sunrise and have to pinch ourselves!”
Clients, Chapel Conversion, North Wales
Central to our philosophy is the desire that all projects undertaken – whether small alterations and extensions to a house, the restoration of a listed building or a large commercial development - will be sustainable in the widest sense. We aim to increase the energy efficiency – and therefore reduce energy bills and carbon emissions - of existing buildings or create highly efficient eco-friendly new buildings, whilst in all cases improving the look, feel and usage of a building or place.
We are at the forefront of meeting The Retrofit Challenge in the region but ‘Sustainability’ is not just environmental: it encompasses economic and social aspects too, so our work is focused on ‘people and places’, using buildings and the spaces in between to enhance the local environment.
But however efficient or clever a thing is, it will not be sustainable if the users do not love it: it will quickly be discarded. The quality of space, access to sunlight, harnessing of views, links to outdoors, materials and colours -
all must be orchestrated to ensure every day is a delight. Architectural sensibilities should not be sacrificed in pursuit of a technical solution.
Buildings should not be a burden on either you or society: they should be beautiful, low maintenance, low energy and above all: work. The Retrofit Challenge is an absolutely key issue to get people out of fuel poverty and to improve their comfort; this should be used for wider improvements to the environment as a bonus, such as with overcladding existing structures.
Architecture should be of its place and time to contribute to the rich fabric of our towns, villages and countryside. Local materials can be employed on structures developed from – not resembling – local forms and combined with new materials, technical advances and radical ideas to address the issues of the day, such as climate change.
“You employ stone, wood, and
concrete, and with these materials
you build houses and palaces. That
is construction. Ingenuity is at work.
But suddenly you touch my heart, you
do me good, I am happy and I say: `This is beautiful.’
That is architecture. Art enters in.”
Le Corbusier
Greenspace Architects Ltd: Our approach
The Retrofit Challenge
Change for the better
In the UK there is a massive burden of energy inefficient buildings with high carbon emissions which the Government has targeted to reduce by 80% by 2050 compared to 1990 levels. Given that 80% of the buildings that will be standing in 2050 are already built, around 20m homes (70% of which are privately owned) and 1.8m commercial buildings will need to be retrofitted for carbon reduction over the next 36 years at an estimated cost of £500bn – the equivalent
of treating every building in a town the size of Shrewsbury every month until 2050.
We cannot afford to add to this burden, so we are keen to ensure any new developments we undertake are low energy and low carbon, such as aiming to achieve Code for Sustainable Homes Level 5/6 on new housing; at the same time we are equally focusing our efforts on the existing building stock, researching solutions
and technologies that will be applicable to most building types, particularly hard-to-treat solid walled buildings including historic buildings and more everyday semis and terraced properties.
“The real carbon reduction challenge - or opportunity - lies in treating the millions of ordinary
private houses throughout the country.”
Kevin Slack
What We Do
Creating fantastic places, spaces and buildings
We work across a number of sectors, principally one-off houses and conversions, housing-led mixed-use developments and masterplanning, together with commercial and public projects. Drawing on the wider experience of the team, we are developing interests in the hotel & leisure sector, churches and the growth of country house and agricultural estates.
Our work falls broadly into three categories, always underpinned by sustainable principles:
i. NEW BUILDINGS: the sky’s the limit here, and our knowledge of the planning process, modern methods of construction and our own aspirations for our clients help you achieve your dream project.
ii. OLD BUILDINGS: we take ugly, tired, inefficient or redundant buildings and turn them into incredible new environments, transforming them with a little of our ‘magic’.
Project Sectors
iii. HISTORIC BUILDINGS: Our conservation architects apply our low energy approach to already beautiful structures, maintaining the character whilst improving the fabric to 21st century standards.
RESIDENTIALOne-off Low/Zero Carbon Low Energy Houses
Retrofit projects for carbon reduction & energy efficiency
Barn, chapel and redundant building conversions
Housing developmentsStudent Housing
COmmERCIAL
Hotel and Leisure developmentsOfficesRetail mixed Use
PUBLIC
Schools/EducationCivic/Community facilities.
HISTORIC BUILDINGS
Listed BuildingsChurches Country House Estates
Sustainable ArchitectureConservation Architecture
Retrofit/Energy Efficiency DesignRefurbishment/Conversion
Planning Applications Interior DesignUrban Design
Strategic masterplanningFeasibility Studies
Development Appraisals
Services
Chapel Conversion, North Wales
Conservation | Private Homes | Interior Design | Refurbishment | Retrofit
Location | North WalesClient | PrivateBudget | UndisclosedArea | 140 m²Completion Date | 2014
Greenspace architects were offered an opportunity to transform a deconsecrated chapel into “Somewhere that was both a home and a workplace, somewhere that both respected its original use and function, but somewhere which was also innovative and contemporary.” With the building set into a steep north-facing slope, getting light – particularly direct sunlight – into the 4m high interior was a major goal.
With a continuous design conversation between us, the clients and the very adaptable and skilled builder, together we have achieved the clients’ aspiration of “doing something different”, by transforming the chapel into a spatial and material delight, augmenting the chapel’s historical character with bold contemporary additions.
Having stripped the building back to its walls, a 6m section
of the back wall was removed to open up the building to the south, then a new timber frame structure inserted to create an air tight envelope. multiple roof lights and dormers bring light flooding into the highly-insulated interior, where a combined air source heat pump and woodburner heating system supplies underfloor heating throughout. Extensive use of oak joinery and LED lighting completes a fantastic interior.
“Somewhere that was both a home and a workplace, somewhere that both respected its original use and function, but somewhere which was also innovative and contemporary.”
Clients, Chapel Conversion, North Wales
“We were interested in doing something
different”
Clients, Chapel Conversion, North Wales
“The project has transformed the
Chapel into exactly what we were
looking for”
Clients, Chapel Conversion, North Wales
“Accomplished through a continuous
design conversation between us, the
clients and the builders”
Kevin Slack
1960’s Retrofit House, Staffordshire Location | StaffordshireClient | PrivateBudget | UndisclosedArea | 300 m²Completion Date | 2014Refurbishment | Retrofit | Private Homes | Interior Design
This project turns a bland, boxy, much extended 1960’s dormer bungalow into a stunning, thermally-efficient modern family house by subtly reorganising the interior and complete over cladding with timber-based panels, zinc long strip and new composite aluminium windows and doors. The principal idea moves the stair to the front and the entrance below the central dormer, creating a double height galleried hall around which the principal rooms and bedrooms revolve. The irregular mis-matched dormers are unified with highly insulated metal cladding; which projects forward of the general timber cladding. To the rear a strip of sliding/folding doors opens the interior to the large garden via an extended terrace. We produced photo-real images of the exterior and interior from our single Building Information model to
allow the client to fully understand the proposals, drawing fully on our interior design experience to create a crisp modern design that integrates exterior and interior.
First Floor
Ground Floor
Dining Room
Kitchen
Breakfast Room Living
Room Garage
Cinema
Hall
Office
WC
Utility Room
master Bedroom
Bed 2
Bed 3Bed 4
Dressing RoomEn Suite
En Suite
Bathroom
Gallery
Farm House Retrofit, Shropshire Location | ShropshireClient | PrivateBudget | UndisclosedArea | 530 m²Completion Date | 2014Refurbishment | Retrofit | Private Homes | Interior Design
This is a major extension and refurbishment of a nineteenth century farmhouse ‘modernised’ in the 1960s, and includes total external and internal refurbishment with 100mm of internal insulation, new high-performance sash windows and all glass rear extension with a low-pitched zinc roof. This project demonstrates that highly efficient retrofits do not need to look quirky or modern, but that beautiful traditional buildings can emerge from beneath later additions. High quality Watercolour visuals helped convince the planners to accept an extension that is not set back from the existing building, creating a house that looks so intended from the outset. Phase 1 work to the existing house is virtually complete; the phase 2 extension to the right is to follow at a later date.
Proposed Ground Floor
Whitchurch Civic Centre, Shropshire Location | WhitchurchClient | Shropshire CouncilBudget | £685,000Area | 800 m²Completion Date | 2014Civic | Community | Interior Design | Refurbishment | Retrofit
The £863,000 project was largely funded by Shropshire Council’s market Towns Revitalisation Programme and Whitchurch Town Council. Our strategy was to give the tired 1970s building a ‘green makeover’, particularly bringing the external spaces into complimentary use with the newly-linked existing halls, making a fantastic indoor/outdoor venue for markets, events, festivals and local/street theatre that is a real ‘event’ on the High Street and a long-term daily attraction in itself.
The contemporary design, which features a public balcony at first floor level, is realised in handmade brick and green oak, ensuring the building will blend with the historic fabric of Whitchurch. Internally, the foyer has been remodelled to create a hub for the council and library services using a central ‘drum feature’.
“The town council is very pleased with
the Civic Centre’s refurbishment and we look forward to
the new community hub providing a unique and
exceptional service to the people of
Whitchurch.”michelle Wilson, Whitchurch Town Clerk
“I think to describe the original 1970’s building as ‘tired’ would be polite.
What we have now is a massive
improvement”
Chris Westwood, customer service manager
“These improvements will
help to revitalise the town by attracting more visitors to the building itself and
the high street.”
Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for business growth
Church Street, Shropshire Location | Ellesmere, ShropshireClient | PrivateBudget | £ UndisclosedArea | 8,900 m²Completion Date | Submitted to planningmaster Planning | Landscape Architecture | New Build
This is a development of 10 new dwellings of varying sizes that demonstrates the potential for a positive impact in a sensitive development.
The principle factors in establishing the site layout that we took into account were the views to and from The mere, the position of access points, the existing surrounding development and the positioning of existing trees and features, and the need to retain the natural habitat
for wildlife and animals. The mix of units offers housing to suit a wide range of potential occupants and will blend well with the current built fabric of the town.
The landscaping of the public and private amenity spaces takes its cue both from a desire to protect the existing biodiversity of the site and from the principal features on the site: the boundary with Cremorne Gardens, mature trees and The mere itself. We wanted
to create a high quality ‘gateway’ to the town’s principal natural asset, The mere, and to promote stronger links between this lake and the town.
“A much needed link between The Town and The Mere”
Change for the better
Conservation
Old buildings – built before 1914 – are designed differently from modern buildings and perform differently. It’s essential to understand this difference when carrying-out repairs, alterations or designing extensions. Without this understanding, “improvements” can actually make matters worse. Two of our architects have attended the RIBA conservation course and the practice is on the RIBA Conservation Register enabling us to conserve, enhance
and protect old building for years to come. We have carried out Quinquennial Inspections for listed churches, advised on remedial work and appropriate repairs to listed buildings, and designed numerous extensions to old buildings. Retrofitting old buildings is also something our practice is keen to do properly with an understanding of how old buildings behave and how they can be upgraded to enhance
their thermal performance and overall quality. members of staff have undertaken training in the responsible retrofit of old buildings and we are currently completing the retrofit of a substantial Grade II Listed property.
Detailed recording of an oriel window at The Hollies, Ellesmere
The Hollies, Ellesmere, Shropshire Location | ShropshireClient | PrivateBudget | £285,000Area | 500 m²Completion Date | OngoingConservation | Private Homes | Interior Design | Refurbishment | Retrofit
Greenspace Architects were appointed to bring a derelict Grade II listed home back in to use as a family dwelling whilst improving thermal comfort and reducing its carbon footprint. The property had widespread dry and wet rot following years of neglect, requiring extensive timber treatment and stripping back before work could begin to re-instate modern technologies alongside original features.
Internal wall insulation was introduced to all external walls and ground floor rooms received insulation and underfloor heating where possible. Along with improved loft insulation, air tightness and weather stripping, mechanical ventilation units with heat recovery have been installed to manage condensation and air quality. Existing decorative oak panelling was restored and re-instated along with existing cornices.
Careful consideration and consultation with the Local Authority Conservation Officer was required throughout the project to ensure that the overall appearance and the existing historic fabric were not compromised whilst restoring this locally recognised property as a home fit for modern family living.
Early stages of a project are often carried out freehand or on a drawing board, to quickly explore ideas; hand illustrations are also often used in presentations, particularly to planners and funders where they can offer seductive images of the proposals.
AutoDesk Revit is the new industry standard for architectural design: it produces all the project information – plans, elevations, details and schedules through to photo-real perspectives if required - from a single project model. With the all the information from a single source, the project is fully coordinated and can be viewed from any angle, sliced in any way and represented with cast shadows at any time of day. Our 3D work is complemented by the industry standard 2D CAD software AutoCAD, as this is still in use by the majority of consultants and suppliers.
Photoshop is another industry standard tool, and is used to produce images and graphic material principally for presentations. At the top end, as an additional service, photo-real images of the project can be merged with photographs of the site to give a good impression of the finished product. We also use Adobe illustrator and Indesign to ensure that our work is presented to the highest level.
We have the full range of professional printing facilities to ensure your project can be documented to the highest standards, both for your own approval, funding applications, publicity and in applying for planning permission and/or listed building and conservation area consents.
Hand drawn techniques 3D Building Information modelling Software [BIm]
manipulation with Adobe Creative Suite
Outputs - Large format and colour
Resources
Greenspace Architects Ltd use the latest 3D computer software to develop and document designs, together with physical moddels, traditional hand drawing and watercolour painting processed through image manipulation software for presentations as appropriate to each project.
The Greenspace Team
Outside our new office: The Old Town Hall, Ellesmere
Formerly Design Director for the North at Capita Symonds Regions, principally involved with the multi-disciplinary education teams working on bids and delivery of BSF schools and academies, in September 2010 Kevin set-up Greenspace Architects Ltd with the late Robert Netherwood in Ellesmere, Shropshire as an eco-architectural practice specialising in sustainable design. He set-out to create fantastic spaces, places and buildings with sustainable principles at the core of the firm’s work.
Kevin has thirty years experience – fifteen at Principal Architect/Director level - across all fields of architecture and interior design and a variety of procurement paths with values up to £50m, principally focused on Residential, Hotel & Leisure, mixed-Use Regeneration and Education sectors but encompassing commercial, healthcare and retail. Kevin has achieved BREEAm Excellent, Code
for Sustainable Homes level 6 and EcoHomes Very Good on a number of projects. In 1993 he won a Distinction from the Royal College of Art for his mA studies in ecological architecture. In 1998 he became a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts for his work in sustainable design and art & architecture.
Whilst managing the business Kevin maintains a strong concept design/feasibility role, together with design team leadership and direction. With his experience as part of a construction and development group he also has a demonstrated ability to meet the design and informational requirements on complex large-scale phased developments. Kevin is married with five children and is keen mountain-biker.
Kevin SlackmA(RCA)(Dist) BSc(Arch) BA(Hons)(Int.Des) FRSA RIBA
Chartered Architect | Interior Designer | Director - Greenspace Architects Ltd
Fellow, Royal Society of Arts (FRSA)Corporate member, RIBA and Registered Architect
Diploma in Professional Practice (Honours), Architectural Association member, Chartered Society of Designers Interiors Category C2 (mCSD)
mA Architecture, Royal College of Art, London [Distinction]BSc Architecture, Polytechnic of North London
BA[Hons) 3D Design [Interior Design], manchester Polytechnic [Class:2.1]
199819941993-199419931991-19931989-19911983-1986
“Good design starts with a conversation and a pencil”
Kevin Slack
Kevin’s career includes designing city centre apartments (top left), a 1000-bed sustainable student scheme (top right), and hotel projects such as the interiors of the 5 Lakes Hotel and Country Club, Essex (left below) and a 5-star boutique hotel and spa on the North Wales coast (right).
Geraint graduated from Liverpool School of Architecture in 2009 and joined Greenspace Architects in 2010 - becoming a project architect in 2014 following the successful completion of the RIBA North West Diploma in Professional Practice. Prior to joining Greenspace, Geraint gained a wide range of experience working on large scale residential, commercial and leisure projects at all stages of the design process.
Geraint has been responsible for overseeing a number of recently completed projects within the office, including a chapel conversion in North Wales, and residential retrofit project in Cheshire. Geraint believes in making every project he works on the best it can be, and is passionate about providing our clients with fantastic spaces to enjoy.
Outside of architecture, Geraint is a keen DIY enthusiast and has
recently renovated a house in Wrexham for his young family - gaining some valuable hands-on experience.
Since graduating in 1997, James joined Rodney Bellamy Associates, becoming a Chartered Architect and also an associate by 2001. James was principally involved with residential, ecclesiastical, commercial and retail projects, with a focus on conservation and sustainable design. This has involved achieving AECB Silver Standard for a series of barn conversions and also undertaking
work on many listed buildings, including the Grade II* listed Pell Wall Hall, the last domestic project by distinguished architect, Sir John Soane. Work on various church projects has involved Quinquennial Inspections, re-ordering, re-roofing and extensions.
Since joining the team at Greenspace Architects Ltd in may 2013 as a project architect, James has worked on a variety of schemes including housing developments on sensitive sites, works to listed buildings and small commercial projects. In 2014 he completed the RIBA Conservation Course and has been involved with the responsible retrofit of existing housing stock, attending several seminars on the subject.
James is married with one child, he is a keen sportsman, being a member of his local running club and regularly entering races across the West midlands.
Geraint EdwardsmArch(Hons) BA(Hons) HNCChartered Architect | Project Architect
Chartered member, RIBA and Registered Architect Advanced Diploma in Professional Practice
mArch(Hons), University of Liverpool School of ArchitectureBA[Hons) University of Liverpool School of Architecture [Class 2:1]
2014
2007-20092003-2006
James BennettmArch Dip Arch BA(Hons) int RIBA
Chartered Architect | Conservation Accredited Architect | Project Architect
Corporate member, RIBA and Registered Architect masters in Architecture, University of Huddersfield
Graduate Diploma in Architecture, University of HuddersfieldBA[Hons)International, University of Huddersfield [Class:First]
200120001995 - 19971990 - 1994
Anne - also an Ordained Priest - qualified from the Liverpool School of Architecture and worked with Gerald Beech & Partners, before establishing her own practice with her husband, Robert. He and Anne accepted an invitation from the Church mission Society in 1976 to relocate to Tanzania and establish a Home Advisory Service for people who wanted to build their own homes. This led to Anne being responsible for designing a ‘self-build residential area’ for a population of 15,000. Returning to the UK in 1984, they re-established Robert & Anne Netherwood Architects, gaining a great deal of conservation experience working with historic buildings.
In 2010 Anne, along with Robert and Kevin, established Greenspace Architects where she acts as the practice conservation consultant. Anne is registered on the Lichfield Diocese’s list of approved architects,
and is responsible for a number of ecclesiastical projects.
Outside of architecture, Anne combines her role at Greenspace with acting as minister Responsible for Pradoe Church. As well as being a doting grandmother, Anne is also a dedicated gardener and can be regularly found tending her allotment - keeping the office supplied with a wonderful variety of fresh fruit and vegetables.
Robert is a young, enthusiastic architectural assistant who graduated in 2014. Prior to this he gained his first experience in architecture during a period of work experience at Aedas in 2008, working on an office development in Derby.
Since joining Greenspace Architects, Robert has been involved in several housing projects. Keen to express his ideas and his strong interest in sustainable design, Greenspace has given him the opportunity to continue to expand his knowledge and gain vital experience.
Robert enjoys playing badminton, mountain biking and skiing.
Katrina joined Greenspace in 2012 and fulfills a range of roles covering Finance, HR, PR and generally making sure everything is running smoothly.
She has a wealth of administration experience, in both the public and private sectors, and is currently undertaking an Open University degree in Business management. Away from Greenspace Architects, Katrina is a keen on running and gardening.
Anne Netherwood
Katrina Chalk
Office manager
Robert SimcoxBA(Hons)
Architectural Assistant
B.Arch BD RIBAChartered Architect | Conservation Accredited Architect
SPAB - Repair of old BuildingsRIBA - Conservation course
Ordained Priest (Church of England)RIBA Professional Practice Examination, Registered Architect, Associate RIBA
Liverpool School of Architecture
2013
199419681961-1966
2011 - 2014 BA(Hoins) LJmU [Class 2:1]
www.greenspacearchitects.co.uk
Greenspace Architects ltdThe Old Town Hall
The SquareEllesmere
Shropshire SY12 0EP01691 623889
[email protected]://www.facebook.com/greenspacearch