What is a Contemporary Home in 2024, MESH Energy Talk

Darren was invited by MESH Energy to present the talk ‘What is a contemporary home going to look like in 2024’ earlier this month, looking at our projects to discuss and explain the current trends we are seeing in the design of sustainable homes.

As a business we believe in using architecture to create sustainable homes, we understand that ethically and morally it is our responsibility as architects to use design to make contemporary houses that are kind to our clients, the surroundings and the planet. To build a new build house can produce up to 31% more embodied carbon than refurbishing an existing structure, which is why as a business we believe in reusing and reimagining existing dwellings where it is possible. Throughout the design process we have energy efficiency at the forefront of our minds, by adopting a fabric first approach, following Passivhaus principles and feeding as many of the UN sustainability development goals into each of our projects.

At our Brockenhurst project the clients were pushing the sustainable approach from the onset. At the early stages of the design process, we collaborated with MESH Energy to get an Energy Strategy Planning report done on the existing structure which was an extremely useful report which informed the design solution for the home and also offered the client a helpful breakdown of upfront costs compared to annual savings.

The project is currently progressing well on site, the work includes a contemporary rear extension that ties into the garden, key energy efficiency solutions include full over cladding, new triple glazed Internorm windows, insulation upgrade to walls and roof and addressing overheating concerns with sun shading introduced over large glazing in the garden.

It is always a challenge to push the sustainable agenda on clients, as this does have an impact on the budget but it is important to be able to show the initial costs and highlight the potential savings and impact. Understandable a major challenge on all refurbishment projects in the issue with VAT, many find it difficult to justify a refurbishment if they can save having to pay 20% VAT with a new build home. Interestingly, we have worked with some savvy clients who have deliberately purchased houses that have been empty, as there is often a clause that can get the VAT reduced down to around 5% for homes that have been unoccupied for many years.

When working with existing buildings things are not straightforward, clients need to be passionate about the sustainable agenda to move these projects forward. We have also found that working with good builders in very important, we try to recommend builders who will stick to the drawings and specification, especially if we are not retained onsite during the build, to ensure the completed home is as energy efficient as it was designed.

Our Burley house is unfortunately a structure that is past its best, so on this occasion we have looked to rebuild with an upgraded structure. Architecturally the replacement dwelling is contemporary vernacular, drawn from the natural agricultural aesthetic of the surrounding area. Sitting on a long and skinny plot, the house is arranged around a series of courtyards that connect with the landscape, brings in natural daylight, ventilation and offer shading.

Designed to be constructed from cross laminate walls and roof touch, the home will touch the ground lightly by sitting on screw piles, without a need for concrete foundations, reducing the impact to the landscape and allow trees and planting to be conserved on site.

You can hear the full webinar here, or get in touch to discuss your next project with us.

Design-as-Degrowth

We have written a new research module for MArch qualification called ‘Design-as-Degrowth’. The module has been written in partnership with our wide network of collaborators and University partners; this work continues our strong emphasis on teaching and research, which is core to the foundations of the company.

The concept of ‘growth’, particularly economic growth, is central to western capitalist economies. Economic growth requires ever-increasing consumption which have no tangible limits. However, given the physical, emotional, human and natural resources required to support this growth can be so destructive, we question if design hold the potential to question the assumed orthodoxies and encourage a paradigm of ‘Design as Degrowth’.

The module focuses on this concept of ‘Degrowth’, and how architecture may generate meaningful social and economic change. Encouraging a rethink or reuse of existing buildings and spaces which can offer a positive social and economic offer, whilst also providing value and flexibility for clients.

Working with students the module will offer an invaluable opportunity to work on live projects as part of a multidisciplinary team to research, test and offer design solutions. Some examples of past projects that highlight this concept include, St Margaret’s Church or Gosport High Street.

We look forward to sharing updates from this module, and project updates from future students work. For more information about the module, please contact us directly.

Architecture Through a Shared Collaborative Process Event

We are thrilled to be hosting ‘Architecture Through a Shared Collaborative Process’ at God’s House Tower in Southampton, it is a free to visit exhibition and discussion from Friday 20th January until Sunday 22nd January 2023.

‘Architecture Through a Shared Collaborative Process’ celebrates four years of working collaboratively and highlights the process and potential in working collectively to achieve inclusion and equality. 

The possibility that architecture can be developed through shared collaboration is an ambition and lived experience for us at Studio B.A.D. Our practice ethos is to collaborate with clients, designers, architects, artists and academics to bring a range of voices and perspectives to enrich their projects.

The process is inclusive; all collaborators are equal.

As a practice we work with community groups through a process of listening initiated at community consultation workshops to develop shared visions and goals with the client body. The practice develops proposals with clients that are about the long-term sustainability of the community, with the architectural practice as partners in this relationship.

Come and join us, tickets are free and can be booked on Eventbrite here

Architects Journal Sustainability Webinar

We were delighted to have taken part in the recent webinar with Architects Journal, discussing sustainability in small projects, hosted by their sustainability editor Hattie Hartman. It was a really interesting conversation which looked at the approach to sustainability in two very different projects, if you missed the seminar you can catch up with a recording here.  

We presented and discussed our St Margaret’s Church project, a large community hub redevelopment which won this year’s AJ Small Projects Sustainability Award. We were joined by Summer Islam from Material Cultures, who discussed their small Block House project which focused on experimental materials, and which had also been shortlisted in this year’s sustainability awards.

It is increasingly important to shine a light on projects that lead the way in sustainability, which is something that we all understand to be important within the build industry but unfortunately it is not always imbedded in design. During the seminar we discuss and explore ideas of retrofitting, collaboration and innovative use of materials.

The seminar concluded with some interested questions from the audience, including what the process was for focusing on the heating of the church, why we choose to use concrete within a historic building, how the church is now use by the community and what we would have done differently.

A really interesting conversation you do not want to miss!

RIBA Tour of St Margaret’s Church

As a recent MacEwean Award Commended project, the RIBA Hampshire Branch have invited us to host a tour of St Margaret’s Church for local members. We are thrilled to have this opportunity, to showcase how we have transformed the once condemned building though a minimal refurbishment and ‘meanwhile approach’, transforming it for the local community.

Do please come and join us, the event is free although we would encourage everyone who can to make a donation to the church’s fund. Pre booking your tickets is essential, get your here.

Date & Time:
Tuesday 26th April 2022
1800 – 2000

Location:
St Margaret’s Community Church
Highland Road, Southsea, Portsmouth, PO4 9DD

Reading University lecture

We were delighted to be invited by Reading University Architecture Society to deliver a lecture in their 2022 lecture series titled ” REFORMATION REQUIRES” which we gave last night; after so long presenting lectures across zoom it was a delight to be back talking to a real audience.

For the lecture I focused on our most recent community and public realm work, to highlight how architecture can be a vehicle for positive social change. This is an area which all of us at Studio BAD are really passionate about, in many ways it is a key pillar of the company and the reason I set up the business as I wanted to focus on this area of work.

We strongly believe in re-using what is existing, creatively engaging architecture to re-imagine the potential of a building, or a site, to make it fit the current needs. For example, St Margaret’s Church building had been condemned and likely set for demolition, through our work we have delivered a vibrant space for the whole community which is activated throughout the day and week with much needed services, such as a food bank, café, child’s play area and bicycle workshop. We touched the building lightly, only making physically alterations where vitally needed, such as the flooring where we replaced the wooden floor (which we sold, to help fund the works) and replaced with poured concrete, to work with the newly installed, zoned underfloor heating.

Architecture in the 21st century does not have to be just about a physical building, I believe many projects need architecture in a different which is not necessarily just about the bricks and mortar buildings. We have recently been working on projects that focus on reactivating the traditional high street; with these projects we interrogate how we can change the dynamic of the streets to create vibrant and engaging spaces. In Bedford Place, in Southampton, our project was a result of the community needs in the wake of covid, answering how to activate and reanimate the area to create opportunities off the back of temporary road closures. It has been a real pleasure to see the success of the scheme, now nearly two years later much of the scheme is still in place and the local council are looking to make it permanent. We are currently looking at similar reactivation projects in Gosport, Eastleigh and other areas of Southampton.

We truly believe Architecture can creatively problem solve many of the issues we are currently facing; without ego architecture can be immensely powerful, helping to reactive our cities, reduce waste, reduce carbon and deliver richer, long lasting and interesting projects.