Getting into the groove..

The stonework finish for the Olde English building is developing towards a series of vertical cuts in the stone to emphasise the verticality of the frame, with infill panels defined in sandblasted stones & recessed windows.

The Olde English stonework detailing

We're being as specific as possible with the stone dimensions and set out for each element of the facade to ensure the quality of the finish. Fingers crossed the conservation officers will agree with the approach, and the stone masons on site will be as particular in the construction as we are on the drawings!

Roof samples are also now arriving, included two alternative seam details for the copper rooftop penthouses. These samples are a double lock standing seam for the low pitch roof, and an angle standing seam for the vertical clad walls.

Copper samples for the Penthouse cladding

Also in Matlock, our planning application for the Horseshoe site has now been approved! We're really pleased that the planning department were supportive of our contemporary approach to the site and we're now starting to work on the detail of the buildings with the aim to construct the apartment block over the summer.

The Horseshoe site section - as existing and as proposed

Designs are starting to emerge for the gardens at Ashgate Croft ILU to spend the money we raised for the school last October. Architecture students from Nottingham University had a workshop day at the ILU this week. The School were fantastic with staff taking time out to talk to the students about the ILU and Special Schools and give them the opportunity to meet some of the pupils and School Council. Phil Corbett from "Cool Temperate", a specialist permaculture designer, also joined us to talk through the design of a successful garden and give advice on the types of plants for certain positions, use, appearance, smell and touch. It was a very successful day with the students presenting schemes at the end. They are now completing their designs which hopefully we'll be able to include images of on later blogs. The students also offered to lend a hand to help plant the completed garden design. Many thanks to Nicole Porter from Nottingham University for arranging the day.

The workshop taking place in the gardens and in the ILU building

We're hot down under!

Further working drawings and tender packages are being drawn and compiled together in the office currently. The Olde English Hotel building that we showed some model photos of in our blog in November is moving towards construction. Currently we are discussing the finish on the stonework and trying to find a tooling that works over the large areas of stone on the elevations, provides a contrast of finishes between the 'frame' and infill panels and also adds to the contemporary design whilst not appearing overly commercial. It's a tricky task. Luckily we have a client with a quarry on hand to provide us with lots of samples!

A tender is being issued this week for the restoration of a series of local historic barns. The information includes detailed survey sketches recording damage to the original structure:

Rob and Andy have both now joined the OPUN design review panel. OPUN promote good design practice across the East Midlands. The review panel meet regularly to critique local schemes and offer advice on improving design quality. Last week Andy attended a workshop in Leicester that explored changes in the planning system and what the National Planning Policy Framework implies in respect of neighbourhood planning and community engagement and the difference roles for Design, Support and Enabling.

Lastly, we received a package from Australia in the post today, including a copies of a new book, 'Best Coastal Homes'. The book contains some great new houses in some beautiful locations, and features on page 100 our design for Sea House, Portloe! We're honoured to be included and will no doubt be looking at the books other projects for some future inspiration!

Detailed design...

Its been a hectic couple of weeks in the office. The working drawings for The Cow Shed drawings have been completed, including a little detail for a sliding ventilation panel door that allows for ventilation and views between a first floor bedroom and the double height entrance hall.

Sliding ventilation door detail

We've also been looking at some designs for fitted furniture. In the Cow Shed, this included a stone hearth for the woodburning stove, with fitted cupboards adjacent in oak with leather handles, and on a Church Hall project a secondary hall space has been developed to include storage units including pull out toy boxes for the Nursery that will occupy the space frequently.

Toy box storage unit for Community Hall

Early design work has also been progressing on several projects, including an extension for a house in the Peak district, which is looking to extend at the rear to include a contemporary Kitchen and Sunroom alongside the traditional cottage.

Sketch model options for house extension in the Peak District

We're currently looking at options for how best to extend to the rear to provide maximum daylight into the Sunroom and existing house, whilst not allowing the extension to effect the village streetscene - more models needed!

Model behaviour...

We have recently started work on a new extension for a secondary school in Derby. The project is for a new block to include vital additional classrooms adjacent to the entrance to the existing school. Our development models are currently exploring means of linking into the strong existing geometry and axis of the site and school.

The working drawings for the Cow Shed barn conversion in Stanton are now almost completed. Alongside the drawings for the underground extension and interventions into the existing barn we have been exploring the detail as a computer model to walk-through with the client. We're hoping this project will start on site in the Spring.

As winter is almost over, we've started thinking about how the sponsorship money we raised last year for Ashgate Croft can help in the gardens of the Independent Living Unit. We started discussing the possibilities with Architecture students from the University of Nottingham and we're looking forward to developing ideas with them and Ashgate Croft School so we can start planting as soon as the weather improves!

Playful incidents...

We posted our Expression of Interest for the Kedleston Hall 'Playful Incident' competition last week. We're waiting to hear if we have made the shortlist of 3, but our hopes are fading as time goes on. Still, we had great fun making this model to show our initial concept for the project with two towers projecting from the woodland canopy on axis with the Hall and facing each other across the valley.

We've also been busy working on a planning application for a site in Matlock Green. The scheme is for a new apartment block to sit in the grounds of a former pub that is already being converted into flats. On the other side of the site are a pair of semi-detached Art-Deco style houses, so our proposal had to balance between the historic pub and white rendered Art-Deco style houses.

The Horseshoe site, Matlock Green

Finally, progress from Nethergate  - with the windows almost complete and scaffolding removed from the roof of the new Assembly Hall, the new school entrance is starting to take shape.

Nethergate Special School, Nottingham - new entrance