We are absolutely delighted to have received planning approval for our new arts community facility located in the heart of Chichester, reusing the locally important Brick Pavillion.
The building, having stood vacant for several years, had fallen into disrepair resulting in it becoming a magnet for ongoing antisocial behaviour and vandalism. We are thrilled to be reimagining the building, working in collaboration with Chichester Community Development Trust, to bring it back into the heart of the community.
We look forward to bringing updates from site as we start the construction stage later this year.
In this month’s update, we are sharing news of sustainable EV charging at Marwell Zoo, update on the Brick Pavilion project in Chichester, and another award win for our Brockenhurst House.
New Forest Design Award Win
We are honoured to have had our Brockenhurst House awarded with Best Residential Project in this years New Forest Design Award, the second award for this project so far!
These awards are organised by the New Forest District Council, set up to recognise high quality design and the best new developments within the New Forest National Park.
The judges commented,‘this design was a noteworthy combination of modern, forward-thinking ideas, which referenced the local vernacular in materials, and employed good green credentials. They were particularly pleased to see a proposal more in spirit of the government’s advice over embodied carbon, with retention over replacement, and showcasing a retrofit scheme on a more typical modern dwelling found within the New Forest.’
Chichester Brick Pavilion update
We have submitted planning for our Brick Pavilion project, an exciting milestone in this community project. Our design reimagines and redevelops the vacant, locally significant building situated in the north-west corner of the cities Priory Park.
We have been working in collaboration with Chichester Community Development Trust (CDT). To help steer the designs we have hosted communitte engagment events, to explore how this neglected building can be restored, using design to deliver a valuable community asset.
Sustainable EV Charging at Marwell
We have achieved planning permission for a unique, fully off grid electrical vehicle charging system at Marwell Zoo, working in collaboration with the University of Southampton and the FEVER research project.
The project delivers over 20 EV charging spaces, designed with solar panels installed on butterfly roofs, which are linked to battery storage and a back up generator.
The design offers visitors an opportunity to charge their cars sustainably, aligning with the zoo’s strong commitment in this area. Learn more here.
Studio BAD have worked in collaboration with University of Southampton to research, and achieved planning permission for fully off-grid electric charging within the Marwell Zoo customer car park, near Winchester in Hampshire.
Designed to deliver sustainable infrastructure to support the nationwide drive towards sustainable car charging, without adding a burden to the existing electrical grid, this project is a trail which we hope can be rolled out to more locations in the near future. This scheme is set to be live for three years, to test the unique, fully off grid electrical vehicle charging technology. Because of the temporary nature of the installation, the design does not involve the removal or alternation of any of the mature trees on the site, installing permanent foundations, or fixing, it has been designed to touch the ground lightly, and be removable.
In total the project will deliver over 20 car charging space, with solar panels installed on butterfly roofs, linked to battery storage, and a back up generator.
The design offering visitors to the zoo an opportunity to charge their cars sustainably. Supporting and aligning to the zoo’s strong commitment in this area, other initiatives include generating their own power through solar power, and their ‘Zoo Poo’ project which recycles animal waste to heat buildings.
The project works in collaboration with the FEVER research project, led by the University of Southampton in partnership with Universities of Sheffield, Surrey, and Portsmouth, and funded by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
We are so happy to have had our Brockenhurst House recognised in the New Forest Building Design Awards this year, picking up the award for Best Residential Project – our second award for this project to date!
Our project has reimagined the distinctive 1970s chalet-style home set on the edge of Brockenhurst village. Our design was guided by three key ambitions: improving spatial flexibility, enhancing environmental performance, and strengthening the connection between house and garden. The finished project has created a contemporary, sustainable, and accessible home, without compromising the architectural quality of the spaces.
The judges commented that the project had a ‘noteworthy combination of modern, forward-thinking ideas, which referenced the local vernacular in materials, and employed good green credentials.’
They went on to praise the project, which they felt was ‘in spirit of the government’s advice over embodied carbon, with retention over replacement, and showcasing a retrofit scheme on a more typical modern dwelling found within the New Forest’.
This would not have been possible without our wonderful and inspiring clients, and our hardworking team of collaborators who brough this scheme to life – congratulations to us all.
We visited the Courtyard House site last week, located in the New Forest near the village of Burley, and were delighted to see that the building is now ‘watertight’; an important milestone in the construction process.
With the glazing fully installed and the roof now tiled, the project is now completely enclosed and protected from the elements. This marks a key transition on site, allowing the construction team to move their focus to the internal works, including plumbing, electrics, and finishes. From this stage on, the scheme will begins to feel more like a home and less like a building site.
Internally, the house feels spacious and filled with natural light, something we have worked incredibly hard to achieve on this narrow site. The internal courtyards, carefully cut into the building form, respond to the constraints of the elongated plot by drawing daylight deep into the plan and strengthening the connection between inside and out.
We look forward to sharing further updates as this New Forest residential project continues to take shape.
We are absolutely thrilled to have won the ‘Best Architect for an Extension Project’ at this year’s Build It Awards for our Brockenhurst House project.
The design has taken the tired 1970’s chalet home, and transformed it into a stunning, contemporary home to perfectly suit our clients’ needs. Their ambition was to extend and reimagine the property to deliver a home that could support their evolving needs, while remaining true to principles of beauty, sustainability, and architectural integrity.
The result is a refined, low energy home that champions passive solar design, natural materials, and renewable technologies, demonstrating how thoughtful architecture can elevate everyday living while responding to environmental challenges.
Our client stated;
‘From our very first meeting with Darren and Studio BAD team, it was clear that we had found someone who was listening and importantly hearing our ideas, priorities, and intentions. As we are of a mature age and this is to be our forever home. A warm and comfortable, accessible, and environmentally responsible property was our goal and with Studio BAD’s design and assistance we have been able to score it. ‘We are delighted with our completed home and are able to enjoy life without worrying about changing situations regarding aging, mobility and access etc.’
