We love to design as much as we love to build. As part of our approach we endeavour to explore a number of solutions to shape final proposals, provide clients with alternative avenues and inspire further developments. Below is a collection of some of our most thought-provoking plans that consider the feasibly practical to the playful and poetic.
Our shortlisted masterplan transforms the area to the north of Burlington Gardens into a unique cultural quarter. The proposal integrates art, craft and commerce to create a bold and memorable visitor attraction – furthermore establishing the RA as a leading institution in the creative arts.
Our response to Wandsworth Councils open competition is a bold and playful design which provides London with an iconic new attraction. Our proposal uses an innovative helical structure which carefully integrates both commuter cyclists and visiting pedestrians whilst addressing a difficult short embankment. Powered by the river itself, a striking curtain of water pours from the bridge and elegantly blends the structure into the Thames.
We were invited to take part in an international competition to design a new five-star hotel and serviced apartment complex next to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kotor Old Town. Our design draws inspiration from the medieval street pattern, the Venetian and Byzantine influenced stone architecture and the large cruise liners that swamp the surrounding buildings with their high-gloss modernity.
This preliminary option for a four-star hotel on the outskirts of Lerwick is designed to cater for oil executives visiting the nearby oil and gas fields. The ground-hugging design is orientated to minimise effects of cold northerly winds and maximise sunlight, making use of local stone and hard-wearing finished to withstand the extreme climate.
Working with Evoasis to develop their EVSTAT building typology we have designed various stations to serve the fast emerging electric vehicle market. Our designs can fully charge an electric vehicle in under 20 minutes whilst providing club-class relaxation areas that impart essential business services for on-the-go lifestyles, retail and vehicle rental spaces and other conveniences. We are proud to be leading the development of this technology to create off-grid buildings, sustainable developments and cleaner cities of the future.
As part of our preliminary proposals for the Grade II Listed heritage site we explored a number of residential building typologies. One considered approach takes reference from the eclectic mix of heritage buildings and Manor House and translates into a small collection of modern pitch roof gable houses with patterned brick, oak frames and large glass panels or feature dormer windows. The unique character of these buildings is a fitting and elegant response to the significant elements of the mature parkland.
We worked closely with Barratt London to develop proposals for this gateway development at the interface between Fulham and Wandsworth to create a highly desirable residential address within a destination riverfront location. Our design breaks the building's mass into elegant vertical forms that blend seamlessly into the rhythm of the riverside skyline.
Whilst working with SEGRO on Winnersh IQ we designed a new community of modern flexible offices in Farnborough. Our masterplan rejects the traditional office park model of individual plots in favour of creating a collegiate campus more in keeping with the aspirations for collaborative working of the high-tech business community. The campus celebrates the site's heritage, focussing on a stunning cast-iron structure of an old airship assembly hangar.
A proposed park which accommodates many educational, research and entertainment functions celebrating Kuwait's past, present and future culture. The design includes botanical and sensory gardens, aviaries, a scientific research centre and exhibition spaces dedicated to our understanding of natural resources and their applications in medicine. A cultural theatre along with cinema and restaurant facilities complete the visitor experience.
Our scheme design for the Co-operative Group transforms a dormant brownfield site into a prime residential address, comprising a mix of town houses, apartments and a student hostel for Angelia Ruskin University. After consultation with Cambridge Council and the local community we designed a high density, low rise scheme with a highly visible communal garden.
This mixed-use masterplan in Croydon Town Centre encompasses in excess of 1,200 residential, retail, workplace and leisure units, with our recently completed state-of-the-art Civic office building at its heart. The creation of a newly revitalised network of streets, including improved linkages to East Croydon Railway Station as well as the established retail quarter, will provide the town with a vibrant and well-connected public realm.
We were commissioned to design the key residential and public buildings of a new waterfront development in Doha. Our vision is a diverse masterplan that contributes to the dynamic cosmopolitan district and provides a new public realm with green, sustainable infrastructure.
The Kuwait Ministry of Foreign Affairs invited us to submit designs for a new embassy building that reflects their national identity. We developed a series of interlocking linear forms linked by internal atria. The open space this creates is intended to convey a sense of friendship and transparency, strengthening diplomatic ties with the hosting authorities. Patterned stain glass and travertine marble reflects Kuwait's cultural heritage whilst the use of terracotta acknowledges the building's Roman location.
We obtained planning permission for this masterplan redevelopment. Our grandstand design caters for up to 20,000 people over 5 levels, allowing the maximum number of spectators to overlook the finishing line.
Our vision for this mixed-use scheme was to create a new vibrant urban quarter and setting for some of the most distinguished 19th Century civic buildings in West London. The masterplan incorporates residential, retail and commercial office space alongside healthcare and community facilities and enhanced links to the Town Hall that complement and extend the existing character of Ealing. This landmark development would extend and improve the existing urban framework by creating 3 new town squares with pedestrian links across the site and through the town.