Archive for June, 2009

29 Jun 2009

New Approach at LMU Bears Fruit

Tom Potter's Monastery - External

Tom Potter's Monastery - External

Richard Waite, AJ News Editor, has noticed that Leeds Met has changed its approach to teaching architecture and the shift is bearing fruit. At the recent select exhibition for the school’s end-of-year show, Richard said “the projects closest to the door, drawn up by post-graduate students, are impressive…Tom Potter has created a sweet, colonnaded Chipperfield-esque model for a micro brewery in Leeds.” Nice one Tom

26 Jun 2009

Planning Permission granted - NUH New Radiotherapy Centre

In a follow up to our initial post some months ago, Nottingham City Council has recently granted full planning permission for a new radiotherapy centre at Nottingham University Hospital.
Due to start on site mid July this year, P+HS Architects have been working closely with Medicinq Simons under a ProCure 21 contract.

Breeam target - Excellent
Contract value - approx £12 million
Completion date - October 2010

25 Jun 2009

Blaydon Primary Care & Leisure Centre

Work has started on the new Blaydon Primary Care / Leisure Centre.

P+HS Architects are responsible for the design of the Primary Care Centre, while S&P Architects are responsible for the Leisure Centre.
The Primary Care Centre concrete driven piles and pile caps are now complete and erection of the steel frame is underway [approx 20% complete], the Leisure Centre steel frame is due for erection on 24th August, Week 22.
These photographs were taken from the raised viewing platform between the Willmott Dixon site offices.

The project is being delivered under the scape procurement method.

Contractor: Willmott Dixon Limited

Contract Value: £17.5m approx [AMP]

Completion Date: September 2010

Week 6 of 78

Week 6 of 78

Week 8 of 78

Week 8 of 78

Week 13 of 78

Week 13 of 78

23 Jun 2009

Seaham Health Centre receives Planning Approval

Seaham Health Centre has received Planning Approval from County Durham.

Procured through LIFT with Accent and CP25 the new health centre will provide “state of the art” primary care in Seaham. It’s been designed as part of a new Public Realm for St John’s Square, which will include a new park, Library and office space. The project is due to start on site in early 2010.

22 Jun 2009

Government performs ‘pathetic’ u-turn on Part L

The construction industry is ‘shocked’ at the ‘pathetic’ decision to scrap Building Regulations Part L2A’s ‘consequential improvements’ clause. The Building Regulations Part L2A’s ‘consequential improvements’ clause - which would require homeowners to upgrade the energy efficiency of their homes when undertaking significant refurbishment - was dropped from the consultation document which was released yesterday by John Healy, the housing minister.

Read the rest of Hattie Hartman’s article here.

22 Jun 2009

Planning consent extended to six years

The Housing and Planning Minister John Healey has announced that planning permission consents can be doubled from the current three years to six years, in a move to encourage building. The move echoes that of Steve Quartermain, chief planner at Communities and Local Government, who in May wrote to all planning authorities to extend the consent period to five years.

See the rest of Christopher Sell’s AJ article here.

18 Jun 2009

Fodder Open for Business

Stacks of local produce

View of Fodder

Inside the café

The new development at The Yorkshire Showground was officially opened last night: it includes superb office accommodation and meeting rooms for the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, along with office space for start up businessses with agricultural links from the region. The really tasty bit though is the farm shop and cafe, where trading is brisk. ’Fodder’ as it is aptly named,  opened its doors to the public earlier this month, and it really is worth a visit:  not only is it located in a great building with lots of eco friendly features, the shop is stacked full of locally sourced fresh and speciality foods.  So if you’re looking for something to do this weekend, take a trip to Harrogate..and fill your baskets (made from recycled plastic of course).

 

10 Jun 2009

LMU Arts Festival 2009

If anyone is interested, Leeds Met University is holding its annual Arts Festival at the moment, with the architecture section opening this weekend. The exhibition is split over three sites (all in and around Leeds city centre) and includes selections of work from a whole range of creative disciplines, including graphic design, art, architecture, landscape, film making and performing arts. More information can be found on the LMU website.

9 Jun 2009

P+HS Scoops Best Healthcare Building at LABC Awards

Once again, P+HS have excelled themselves at the LABC Northern Region Building Excellence Awards.  In a glittering ceremony, P+HS  received two commendations for Eaglescliffe Health Centre (with Tolent Construction) and Wrekenton Health Centre (with Laing O’Rourke), and won the Best Healthcare Building overall for Washington Primary Care Centre (also with Laing O’Rourke).   Washington will now go through to the National LABC Awards later in the year.  Congratulations to all involved.  The results were as follows:

Washington Primary Care Centre for Sunderland Teaching PCT- Best Healthcare Building - Overall Winner

Washington Primary Care Centre - Winner

Wrekenton Health Centre for Sunderland Teaching PCT - Commended

Wrekenton Health Centre - Highly Commended

Eaglescliffe Health Centre for Abstract Integrated Healthcare - Commended

Eaglescliffe Health Centre - Commended

8 Jun 2009

Adding to the P+HS Talent Pool

P+HS have increased the size of their talent pool. Two of our students, Ryan Meadows and Tom Potter, have passed Part 2  of the RIBA Qualification with merit:  they will be joined at P+HS by another successful student, James Park, who starts work with us on June 15th.  All of their Project work is showcased here, and P+HS congratulate them all for their hard work and outstanding results.

Ryan’s Project:
Urban Scout Centre
“The aim of this thesis is to investigate whether the traditional scout movement is relevant in contemporary society - specifically in an urban environment? And if a new model is required what effect will it have on the facilities required and upon their design?”
 
Tom’s Project:
Trappist Monastery/Brewery
“By transposing this normally secluded building type into an urban, overlooked location this project will explore the modern monastic lifestyle requirements. In particular, this project will draw on the apparent paradox of isolation versus integration to reinterpreted the traditional monastic brief into a new and more viable alternative.”

James’ Project:
Foyer
“This thesis is creating awareness of the issues facing young people who are homeless, unemployed or feel excluded from society. My aim is to create a place where they can live and learn independently. I intend to design a Foyer that can be of benefit to young people and appreciated by the wider community, that will hopefully spur on other, similar projects.”

 

 

 

4 Jun 2009

Common of Houses

Here’s a novel response to the ongoing MPs expenses fiasco: An architectural design competition to find a housing solution for MPs in Westminster and in their constituencies.

Download the brief here: http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/J…ion%20Pack.pdf

Additional information here: http://commonofhouses.blogspot.com/