We are so proud to have our St Lukes project included in this years longlist for the RIBA MacEwen Award, the annual awards that recognise architecture for the common good.
The project has redevelopment the tired church hall to create The Host Café, a community cafe and multi-functional space which has become a vibrant local focal point, hosting events throughout the day and evening.
In total 30 projects have been longlisted in the MacEwen Awards, you can see the full list here, the shortlist will be annouced in early 2025.
In celebration of our six years in business, and as a reflection of how the business has evolved, we have written and published a new practice profile which we launched last week at an evening with clients, collaborators and friends.
We set up Studio BAD to deliver architecture without ego, to use our design skills as a vehicle of positive change. The idea of re-use has always been central to our ethos, in an era where climate change defines our lives it is important to us to reduce unnecessary waste and promote low energy solutions as much as possible.
Whilst these points are still core to the business, the business has evolved since it was originally established. Recently we took some time out to reflect on how the business has developed over these last six years to review what we, as a design collective stands, now stand for. This work uncovered what we see as six essential aspects, which we think of as our Design Commitment:
Studio BAD are celebrating our sixth year in business, over this time the business has evolved and what we, as a design collective, stand for has adapted. We are enormously proud of what we have achieved over this time, the projects we have worked on and the clients we collaborate with.
As part of this reflection we took a moment to analysis and redefine what Studio BAD stands for, uncovering six essential aspects of our design practice. These six strands are so important to us we felt wanted to announce them publicly, as our design commitment.
To Imagine; At the heart of our work is the idea of reimaging spaces and places, to create design rich sustainable concept.
‘A significant part of our imagination is empathy – the capacity to imagine how different situations are encountered experientially by others.’ Juhani Pallasmaa ‘Rootednes’ Wiley (2024)
To Listen (Deeply); We listen to understand, by understanding we know what the next step needs to be to unlock the potential of the site. By taking the time to listen deeply, given us the opportunity to really understand the needs for the space before we embark on any designing.
‘The aspects of things that are most important for us are hidden because of their simplicity and familiarity.’ Steven Holl. Wittgenstein. L. Cited in ‘Anchoring’ Princetown Architectural Press. (1989)
To Reflect; It is important during the design process to take a moment to reflect on the design, the site and materials, to ensure the finished project which amplifies the unique sense of place.
‘Architecture is about generating these joint imaginings of what could be…It is not necessary that all the people involved have the same imaginings all the time, but the basic elements of the concept need to be shared by all the people sharing the projects.’ Arne Carlsen, Stewart Clegg, Reidar Gjersvik. ‘Idea Work’ Cappelen Damm Akademisk. (2014)
To Understand; It is paramount to a successful design to really understand the needs of the client, the opportunities of the site and the surroundings.
‘So, without further ado, I put the question to him: “What is wisdom?” Dudley greets my query with a faintly startled look that recedes into a quizzical expression I have not seen before. “It’s in these places’ he says. “Wisdom sits in places”. Keith H. Basso. ‘Wisdom Sits in Places’ University of Mexico Press. (1996)
To Act; Architecture, when done well, can be used to create positive change, a type of alchemy to that can be a powerful and positive tool.
‘The design process is based on a constant interplay of feeling and reason. The feelings, preferences, longings, and desires that emerge, demand to be given a form that must be controlled by critical powers of reasoning, but it is our feelings that tell us whether abstract considerations really ring true.’ Peter Zumthor. ‘Thinking Architecture’ Birkhauser. (2006)
To Realise; With our process we create designs that take ideas and make them real, tangible solutions.
‘From Wonder must come realisation, because in your making you have gone through every law of nature. It is part of you. In the intuitive are recorded all the great steps of making in which momentous decisions were made.’ John Lobell ‘Between the Silence and the Light – Spirit in the Architecture of Louis I. Kahn.’ Shambala (2008)
Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine asked Darren to share his expert opinion to answer a key question they had been asked by many of their readers; can you have a contemporary extension to my house within a conservation area? You can find the article appeared in the December edition of the magazine, or read it here.
Generally speaking, yes you can. Having a home located in a conservation area does not mean you have to be stuck in the past with the architecture of any additions to the scheme but you do have to be mindful of the design, with what you are trying to achieve and your material choices.
Each conservation area is different, and it is always worth working with an architectural practice who have a proven track record in your specific conservation area. When we recently extended and sustainably upgraded an existing home (Cedarwood) which was set within a conservation area within the South Downs National Park, we were able extend the ground floor and add a striking, contemporary loft extension to the original Colt timber framed house.
We found that working in collaboration with a planning consultant and the local planning department meant we were able to have an open and constructive dialogue from the start of the design process, on this project we found the planning officers were keen for the extension to have a distinctly different architectural language from the original. A key concern for this property was the potential overlooking issues with the loft extension, our solution was to set the dormers at an unusual angle, creating a striking design which successfully has minimised the concerns.
When looking to extend your project within a conservation area we would suggest looking at commissioning a heritage statement / document, that addresses the scheme and working closely with the conservation officer from the onset, and working with an architect with a track record of working within your specific conservation area.
If you have any further questions or have a project you would like to discuss, do get in touch with the team today.
The term ‘future proofing’ is often used when describing the design of a house, or adaptations that have been made to a property, but do you know what it really means and who it intends to benefit?
We have found that many people we have worked with assume that future proofing is just to prepare a property for when we get older, or it is only appropriate for those with physical disabilities, and although this is sometimes part of the remit it isn’t the whole scope of work when we refer to future proofing. When done correctly it creates resilient spaces that maximises the whole-life value of a building by anticipating future needs, changes and stresses on the building or layout.
Future proofing a family home.
One obvious example of future proofing is the family home. The design demands on a family home will change enormously over the years and these needs should be inbuilt into a dwelling, to offer on-going flexibility to support the changing dynamics.
A good example of this is adding the ability for a ground floor bedroom. We regularly look at adding in a home office on the ground floor of a house, designed with dimensions to change the use of the room into a bedroom, offering adaption over the space over time. The room could be used for guests staying, with the separation from the main bedrooms offering privacy to all, or the room could be transformed into a permeant bedroom should the owners need to have a ground floor bedroom. At Holly Cottage we created an annex on the ground floor, currently used as an informal living space but designed that is could be turned into a ground floor ensuite bedroom should they need it.
Accessibility in your home.
We do believe that, where possible, it is worth keeping in mind accessibility for all when looking at the design and specification of your home. Building regulations will offer the minimum requirements, often it is worth interrogating these to add future flexibility, along with a generous feeling of space within a property.
Areas such as entranceways, corridors and bathrooms can become stress points for some, for example due to mobility issues, which can be avoided by instilling a more generous space from the initial design stages. This often offers a feeling of space with a better internal flow, offering ultimate flexibility for future needs and the potential for a higher market value as the property is accessible to all.
How to I make a heritage home more accessible?
Retrofitting any property is always harder than designing a new build, with a heritage building it can be a little trickier as the proportions are often not in tune with modern knowledge of accessibility. However, it is still possible to add elements of future proofing into heritage and listed buildings to accommodate your future demands.
There is no blanket term on what can be achieved on listed or heritage properties, as each will have different elements which cannot be changed or challenged and it is worth speaking to an architect to discuss what is possible before you begin any project of this nature, have a read of our listed building article for more information. If your property is listed it is still possible to make small but positive changes such as lowering kitchen counters, adjusted lighting, introducing lightweight acoustic buffers, which should be possible to add without damaging the heritage of your listed home.
I’m young and have no disability, why should I care?
Jos Boys from the DisOrdinary Architecture Project, answered this question well at her talk at the RIBA in February 2024, with saying “you are just not disabled yet”. Although this may sound morbid, or worrying, she went on to say that accessible needs of a person change all the time. A pregnant lady may not be able to go into certain rooms because the smell makes her sick, that changes her needs of the built environment. A person can break their leg at any point, this means their needs then change. Whether it is long term, or short term, at some point in life your needs for the built environment will change. So why not prepare for them now?
Future proofing benefits everyone from the current habitants to future owners of the property. It basically means making the property more accessible for all. By instilling future adaptation into your home, it gives you the peace of mind that you are able to accommodate changes in the future, whilst making a better environment to yourself in the present.
Why should I care about future proofing?
A well designed, future proofed house will grow with you meaning you will not be forced to move due to accessibility issues. It will also be a more attractive property to others on the market, as it will be accessible to all and can be adapted easily to fit another’s needs or tastes.
Future proofing in simple terms, is anticipating your future needs and reducing the effects it has on your life. By looking at what obstacles you might encounter in the future, it can give you the security of knowing you will not be forced to move from your home due to accessibility issues. For example, you may become unable to climb the stairs without assistance, how do we prepare for that?
Is future proofing just preparing for getting elderly?
Yes and no. It enables us to prepare for any incidence where our needs of the built environment may change, this is often for when we get older, and mobility may be more restricted, but there are many who have other health conditions that make the built environment challenging.
At present only 9% of the UK housing stock is classed as accessible, and 24% of our population is registered as living with a disability. Designing your home to be accessible not only protects your future needs, but makes financial sense as it would enable your property to be marketed to those who cannot live in the other 91% of housing stock.
How can my architect help me?
Architects have trained for many years and understand how to design spaces that work, layouts that flow and flexible spaces that create welcoming environments, additionally they understand the regulations set out by local and central government to ensure the design of your home or property complies with these. One key document that architects can we must help clients comply with is Approved Document M, which states accessibility standards.
This is officially only needed for a new build building and only suggest a minimum that buildings need to meet to get signed off by Building Control. As designers we aim to achieve better than this minimum standard if possible, and help our clients add longevity to our homes, creating environments that are appropriate for all.
It is worth noting that if you are retrofitting an existing property, you may not need to comply with all these standards. It also means that it may make it easier for you to retrofit your home to help meet your future needs, with less legislative hassle but it is worth checking with an architect who can help you understand the regulations.
What are examples of future proofing?
Future proofing can cover many areas of design, from fundamental design aspects such as single storey living or having a flexible internal layout for future changes to the plan. However, there are smaller areas of design that can be more easily integrated into your home but which can have a big impact going forward.
Positive adaptations include, having level thresholds, installing wet rooms instead of traditional bathrooms, having wider doorways, lowering counters, using materials to help ‘dampen’ noise intrusion, introducing acoustic insulation, thinking about the location of switches and sockets to make them easy to reach and using non slip flooring.
We design buildings that are able to be redesigned and can be adaptable, for improvement or even to accommodate future financial ability. Get in touch to speak to us about how we can help create a future proofed home for you.
We are delighted to announce we have secured planning permission to sympathetically refurbish and extend a Grade II listed Regency villa in central Southampton.
The design will extensively renovate the existing building, to deliver a scheme that enhances the rich, historic personality of the original dwelling and upgrade the energy efficiency of the property. A contemporary extension, replacing the current, poorly constructed extension, will create a largely glazed structure to transform the rear of the property with a spacious kitchen running across the whole elevation of the home. The work will breathe new life into the property, to create a functional, joyful home for the owners and their young family.
You can read more details about the project here; we have also written an article about working on listed and heritage building which you might find interesting which you can find here.
