The build-up to Christmas

Another busy month in the office with lots of work progressing on site. In Fritchley, the roof glulams arrived last week and were craned into position before being protected and covered with the metal roof deck. The windows are expected to arrive later this month to make the building watertight for internal fit out.

Roof glulams being installed - South Field, Fritchley.

The Horseshoe site in Matlock has been protected from the winter weather with a scaffold canopy. Stonework is nearing completion and the zinc clad second floor is being constructed. Once watertight, the scaffold will be removed and the completed exterior revealed.

View of the balcony inside scaffold canopy - The Horseshoe, Matlock.

St Josephs Church Hall extension in Derby is also progressing well, the blue brick plinth and floor have been constructed, and brickwork is commencing to the external walls.

St Josephs Church extension, Derby.

A new classroom block for Littleover Community School is also due to start on site next week. This project includes 10 new classrooms and a large common room. The new building sits in front of the existing school entrance, with a curved brick frontage that follows the existing roadway to the front of the school.

Sketchup model of new classroom block - Littleover Community School, Derby

The second year studio from Nottingham University that we are guest tutoring has also been out on site in the Peak District. Both second and third years are looking at a site along the Monsal Trail, completing short design projects before Christmas. All the students stayed out in the Peaks for the weekend to study their sites and meet local guides, residents and planners. They now have to push their designs on working with, in or around the perceived restraints that the Peak Park may, or may not, give them.

Sketch of Millers Dale Station

We also went to the Brick Awards this month to see the finalists announced. Our project for the Funeral Directors in Wirksworth was shortlisted in the Best Commercial Building category. The category was won by  Designscape Architects with a white glazed brick formaldehyde studio for Damien Hurst. Definitely a worthy winner and we had a great evening with Ibstock. We also heard recently that the Funeral Directors has been put forward as a Regional Finalist for the Civic Trust Awards, so we look forward to hearing the results of these awards in January!

Corduroy on the rise in Matlock

Work is progressing on site despite the weather, at Fritchley the lower ground floor is now laid, and blockwork is underway to take the walls up to first floor level. The basement has two leaves of blockwork with reinforced concrete infilling the cavity for additional strength.

Basement construction at South Field House, Fritchley

In Matlock, the Olde English steelwork is starting to be clad in stone. The sandstone from Stanton Moor Quarry has been tooled to a unique vertical ridged 'corduroy' pattern that has been developed specifically for the building by the client and us. The tooling defines a framework with panels of glazing or cut ashlar stone between.

Vertical ridged stone set out to encase a steel column at the Olde English

Detailed elevation of Olde English ridged stone 'frame' with ashlar  panel and window

A church hall extension in Derby has also begun on site. This extension to St Joseph's Church provides a large independent community hall. The construction is expected to take approximately 27 weeks. We've been working with the church on this project for over 9 years, so it's fantastic to start to see it realised.

3D visualisation of the extension to St Josephs Church, Derby

Design development is also ongoing for a number of residential projects. We're investigating options for an extension to an existing cottage to get the most from the outstanding views and developing plans for a new Ecohouse.

Models of options for a house extension

Ecohouse development model

Crafty!

The office became a model making workshop this month, with various projects being explored in 3D. A concept model for a potential new project got us experimenting with plaster of paris and copper:

Concept model components

Model workshop in the office meeting room

With a bit of help from a few friends including Simon Windley Specialist Woodworks to make the base, we were really pleased with the outcome and hope to be developing the concept further soon.


On site at the Olde English the steelwork is complete, floor decks laid and concrete pour has commenced. With the site being only a short walk away from the office, we've been keeping a close eye on progress!

Steelwork construction at the Olde English, Matlock

At South Field house in Fritchley, the lower ground floor has been dug out of the hillside, with steelwork reinforcement underway, the concrete foundation should be poured later this week.

Lower ground floor level for the new house at Fritchley

At a slightly earlier stage, we have just completed our set of tender information for the new classroom block for Littleover Community School. The project will be going out to tender soon and hopefully starting on site later this year. This drawing shows the plan section detailing for the two storey concrete arches to the curved front elevation.

Concrete detailing for Littleover Community School

We're bricking it!

Its been a busy month on site -

Nethergate School in Nottingham is moving swiftly towards completion of the Phase 2 works, with the refurbished existing buildings looking much improved. All the existing classrooms have been re-vamped with new lighting, heating, IT equipment, blinds, full redecoration, new external doors to outdoor play areas, and plenty of built in storage ready for the school to fill in September!

Nethergate School before and after

At the Olde English site the steel frame is beginning to take shape. Next job is to help the client think of a name for the building - any suggestions welcome!

Steel frame for the Olde English

Work at Fritchley is on pause for summer holiday's and awaiting approval to relocate a sewer that runs underneath the new building, but the building has been set out, beginning to show the long linear form running along the new boundary.

South Field, Fritchley - set out on site

At earlier stages, a design for a house extension near Matlock has been granted planning permission and we're starting to work on the building regulations application.

We've also had some good news about a completed project - R&K Jepson Funeral Directors in Wirksworth has been shortlisted for a Brick Award in the Best Commercial Building category! Looks like some tough competition in the shortlist though...