We enjoyed working with Design at Work and Living Space to help deliver an extension to Beard’s head office in Swindon. As part of a broader interior refurbishment we designed a double-height breakout space that better integrates a previous extension with the main building.

(photos courtesy of Design at Work)

A deep office refurbishment of a Grade II Listed property in central Bath. This historic building was originally a church but was converted in the 1980s and contained cellular office spaces. The refurbishment included stripping back the partition walls and suspended ceilings and installing a system of exposed services which added height to the space while complimenting the historic features. The M&E refurbishment involved the move off gas to an electricity based MVHR heating and cooling system with air source heat pumps. This was combined with improved facilities internally and externally to support cycling to work.

In 2012 when we worked for Nick Henley, we had an interesting project on the esplanade in Weymouth, developing a strategy for a sustainable use of beach kiosks.

The key issues for the design included being able to remove the kiosk for extreme flooding events as well the prevention of overheating in the summer and managing damp in the winter. The design of the kiosks' sloping "keel" has vents at either end to allow passive air circulation and the overall form of the shell helps draw the air through the kiosk. Hatches to the front and back were arranged to allow the kiosk to operate in winter with a reduced, sheltered servery.

The foundations for both the kiosk and the deck were constructed from Greenheart piles, recycled from Portland Harbour. In turn, these can be recycled in the future.

The shell to the kiosk used a traditional timber strakes construction covered externally with a bronze/grp composite and internally with high build varnish. The bronze/grp composite reduces the maintenance required in this very exposed location and will allow the shells to be resurfaced at a later date. The simple construction was factory fabricated by a local boat builder and craned into place in two halves which were assembled on site.

Traditionally the existing beach kiosks have been refurbished and modified for every new season, but the design provided internal flexibility that reduces the need for major alterations or new build over the period of the lease.