Generating beautiful designs and creative spatial design solutions within the parameters of: the client’s brief, the regulations, legislation and best practice standards, within the economic, social, cultural and site contexts, with initial design input from engineers, specialists, and experts.

Construction is notoriously complex, but we will simplify the process and work with you every step of the way, from initial concepts to worked up proposals, with key consultants, specialists and experts, as required.

Our aim is always to work with the uniqueness of a project vision and context to maximise beauty, performance, and value. We can make suggestions of how to achieve more with less.

We do not have a ‘house style’. We do strive to produce simple, contemporary buildings, with clarity of form and detailing, which sit well in their context.

Through listening, researching, and testing / sketching options, we can review / produce a creative brief, setting out the parameters and the priorities.

From the earliest stages we aim to collaborate with the client, stakeholders, and the design team, to tease out the very best solutions to maximise the project’s potential, both physical and social value.

If required, we would start initial conversations with the local authority and the wider community to ensure we negotiate successful permissions.

Following this rigorous early design process, we would produce the required documentation to achieve planning permission.

We have the experience and access to resources to carry out projects large or small, using the latest collaborative software and to BIM Level 2 if required. We will devote our attention and exacting standards to your project to keep it running smoothly.

RIBA Stage 0-3 SERVICES CAN INCLUDE:

• Brief development / consolidation

• Site appraisal

• Regular design team meetings and design workshops

• Feasibility / capacity studies

• Consultation and community engagement to co-produce the vision

• Concept design including models and sketches

• Advice on procurement options and team

• Assistance with appointments and programmes

• Assess required surveys and consents

• Outline design

• Assist with obtaining cost estimates

• Pre-application consultation

• Planning application

• Listed building consent

Developing proposals with construction technical acumen to produce clean, functional detailing, and fully coordinated integrated proposals with engineers, specialists, and experts.

With a wealth of technical experience, we produce robust proposals, material specifications, and schedules for building regulation and warranty submissions, pricing and tender.

‘The devil is in the detail’. The construction details and coordination with other consultants can make or break a project financially, performance environmentally, and of course aesthetically. We have the experience to produce well organised packages of information for tender and for construction.

Careful attention is paid, from the earliest stages of design, to the details that are engineered for materials and systems to perform at their optimum, whilst delivering beautiful, site and project specific bespoke solutions.

Great care is taken to include and set out the actual specified systems and products in the drawn details, considering buildability and sequencing, to ensure that projects can be constructed to exemplary standards.

We have a deep understanding of construction material properties and engineering from previous work at the design delivery phase on many large, sustainable, complex projects and through continued curiosity, learning and exploration. This is also informed by hands-on self build experience of making - carrying out building works, from demolition to carpentry.

Through careful composition and articulation, the properties of the materials can be expressed to produce honest functional forms, shaped by their material qualities, as much as their context and requirements.

Our approach is never to assume and always to seek the best advice from specialists in the industry, to ensure that every project is informed by the latest possibilities and expertise.

RIBA Stage 3-4 SERVICES CAN INCLUDE:

• Technical design and coordination

• Regular design team meetings and design workshops

• Fully developed proposals

• Building regulation (and warranties) submissions

• Tender documents

• Help to select contractor from tenderers

Project management skills to lead the process and work effectively as a team with shared goals and mutual respect.

Having a proven record of successfully delivering complex projects, we can conduct the project management of the build contract and the coordination with the contractor and the design team. Depending on the scale of project and the procurement route, the construction phase will be a phase that we can help manage as contract administrator, as client representative, as lead designer or as lead consultant, working closely with the client or contractor teams or both.

We work in a way that suits our clients, ideally covering all stages from inception to completion, whether the project is procured through a traditional, design and build, or management procurement route. We have plenty of experience leading the design process and enjoy working closely with client and design teams to develop proposals, and with contractor and project teams to deliver projects on site.

We would ensure any remaining approvals eg planning conditions, building control conditions, and warranty conditions, are obtained.

During this stage the design team issue construction drawings. Elements detailed up to design intent level are worked up with specialist fabricators that we relish the opportunity of working with at the earliest possibility. Technical reviews of sub-contractor information are also carried out to ensure proposals meet the requirements.

Our services can go beyond completion and handover. We are always keen to visit completed projects to see how the shared vision, common goals, and objectives have been achieved.

RIBA Stage 5-7 SERVICES CAN INCLUDE:

• Site attendance

• Contract administration including managing all aspects of the contract

• Regular design team meetings and project workshops

• Sub-contractor drawing reviews

• Responding to contractor’s queries

• Planning conditions and building regulation conditions submissions

• Contribution to health and safety plans and operations and maintenance manuals

• Post occupancy evaluation