Planning consent granted for three major new houses in Jersey, designed by Robert Adam Architects
‘Three Classicists’ Exhibition, 6 - 29 May 2010 at the Royal Institute of British Architects, 66 Portland Place, London W1
Robert Adam Architects and GVA Grimley unveil John O’Groats Masterplan
Controversial response to YouGov survey results that people prefer traditionally designed buildings, as architects lash out at traditional architecture
YouGov survey published this week suggests people prefer traditionally designed buildings
Work starts on site at 32-33 New Bond Street for the new Richard Green gallery
Planning permission received for a replacement house in North Warwickshire
Robert Adam speaks at debate “A Right Royal Barracking” hosted by New London Architecture
Planning consent granted for three major new houses in Jersey, designed by Robert Adam Architects
Not just one but three major new houses have been given the go-ahead by the Jersey Planning Office on a landmark site in St Brelade, Jersey.
Robert Adam’s design for a coordinated group of three large classical houses in the Cod House tradition will replace the current undistinguished 20th Century buildings overlooking the Bay at ‘Windward’, St Brelade, Jersey.
Jersey businessman and site owner, Tom Scott, said; “These new houses will be of the highest architectural quality to satisfy the demands and opportunities of the site and to enhance the character of the Green Zone.”
Professor Robert Adam, Director at Robert Adam Architect said; “I am very pleased this project is going ahead. It has been a great chance to create fine classical houses in a superb location overlooking St Brelade’s Bay.”
The houses are all of a size appropriate to their surroundings.
Windward House and the other two properties on the site have been modified or built in an uncoordinated fashion and have become run down. This was a wasted opportunity for an important landmark site. The new development is a chance to create three major houses as proper group, considered together and maximising the amenity of each.
‘Three Classicists’ Exhibition, 6 - 29 May 2010 at the Royal Institute of British Architects, 66 Portland Place, London W1
Three young classical designers whose skills are matched by their exceptional drawing talent will present a ‘salon’ of their work at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). Gallery I will be transformed by intricate life size drawings of monumental friezes and columns, hanging alongside delicate sketches and painstaking presentation drawings of classical details and buildings.
The exhibits demonstrate a mastery of the traditional drawing techniques that some fear are being lost as young architects tend to concentrate on the use of computer design.
The Three Classicists, Ben Pentreath, George Saumarez Smith and Francis Terry, share a passion for classical architecture and for drawing, and although from competing practices they have all been close friends for years. Through their drawings this exhibition will explore the language of classical architecture, how they each choose to interpret it, and the skilled work of traditional draughtsmanship.
On display will be around twenty drawings by each designer, ranging from an art gallery in New Bond Street, London, decorative ornament drawings for the new theatre at Downing College, Cambridge and large housing schemes such as Poundbury in Dorset.
The exhibition will be accompanied by an illustrated catalogue with a foreword by HRH The Prince of Wales and essays by Ruth Guilding, art historian and curator, and Hank Dittmar, Chief Executive of the Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment. The catalogue will also include a range of short essays by the Three Classicists entitled ‘Nine Observations on Architecture’.
Click on the link to go to the RIBA website
Robert Adam Architects and GVA Grimley unveil John O’Groats Masterplan
A masterplan for the re-development of one of Scotland’s best known tourist destinations, John O’Groats has been unveiled by property consultants GVA Grimley Ltd on behalf of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Robert Adam Architects.
The masterplan, which was unveiled to the public on 9th September, has been shaped by the views of residents, businesses, tourists and public agencies and offers various design options. Each option features the creation of a destination focal point, possibly a sculpture or piece of artwork, drawing ‘end to enders’ to a main square near the harbour.
Nigel Gilkison, Associate for Robert Adam Architects commented: “The vision for John O'Groats seeks to create an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable community with a distinct local identity and a compact urban form. This approach will provide a safe, sheltered, secure and accessible community which is looking to the future, but well connected with its past.
The new masterplan provides an expanded tourist destination with a diverse mix of uses and facilities in a design which is flexible enough to allow it to evolve to meet the future needs and demands of the community. The arrangement of the masterplan is based on the urban precedent of the Scottish coastal village with a compact grouping of low scale buildings designed to sit comfortably within the landscape.”
Traditionally the landscape and the materials that can be won from the local landscape have shaped the patterns of building, helping to make places locally or regionally distinctive. In order to create an authentic identity to the regeneration of John O'Groats, new buildings within the masterplan will reference local vernacular building forms and use locally available, traditional building materials. This building typology with its robust, durable materials, thick walls and limited areas of glazing is particularly well suited to providing high thermal efficiency whilst delivering modern standards of accommodation.
Commenting on this masterplan, Carol Gunn of HIE said: “One of the aims we had in creating this masterplan was to look to the future of the community, but not to lose sight of its past. We have a masterplan that can allow us to retain a local identity but also respond to the various needs of the community, our visitors and potential investors.”
Richard Slipper, Director of Planning at GVA Grimley, commented: “We are positive about our final proposed masterplan which is shaped to maximise the tourist and visitor experience and to be supported by tourism and business interests; and also to provide for positive local impacts. Our brief concludes with a suggested phased plan and some initial ideas for implementation. We are optimistic about the next steps being able to look more closely at the capital costs, land assembly, local authority endorsement and other key moves, to progress the plan onwards.”
Four development phases have been identified, with phase one described as the ‘most critical’. It incorporates the restoration or replacement of the John O’Groats Hotel, a new harbour square, refurbishment of the Last House Museum and the restoration of coastal paths to Duncansby Head and to the John O’Groats Mill.
15th October 2009
Controversial response to YouGov survey results that people prefer traditionally designed buildings, as architects lash out at traditional architecture
The architectural profession has responded to the results of the recent YouGov survey to determine whether people prefer contemporary or traditional buildings and this has now become controversial.
As the results of a new YouGov survey reveal that more than three quarters of the public prefer traditional buildings to "contemporary" buildings, architects have lashed out at traditional architecture. Leading the professional attack is the new president of the Royal Institute of British Architects, Ruth Reed.
Click on the link to download a PDF of the survey results and responses
YouGov survey published in October 2009 suggests people prefer traditionally designed buildings over contemporary styles, when asked to select a design from 4 options
In a YouGov survey to determine whether the public prefers traditional or contemporary buildings, 77% of respondents who selected a design, from a choice of 4, chose traditional architecture over contemporary styles. Only 23% chose contemporary buildings. This is thought to be the first time that a survey has been conducted to find out the people's preference in relation to non-residential buildings.
Click on the link to download a PDF of the survey results and responses
Work starts on site at 32-33 New Bond Street for the new Richard Green gallery
At the heart of London’s West End a new gallery designed by George Saumarez Smith of Robert Adam Architects for Richard Green, one of the world’s leading fine art dealers, has started on site. The new building at 32-33 New Bond Street will replace the present buildings. The new gallery has been designed specifically for Richard Green Galleries’ twentieth century art.
The building has a single-storey, bronze framed shop front, two principal floors and a plainer attic storey in Portland stone, relating to the existing historic streetscape and retaining the memory of the former buildings on the site. The façade is an architectural framework for three bas-reliefs by the artist Alexander Stoddart.
Planning permission received for a replacement house in North Warwickshire
Planning permission has been received for a 17,000 sq ft house to replace an old run down property in North Warwickshire. The replacement house will take advantage of the breathtaking views and will be less visually intrusive in the landscape than the current house.
The design by Hugh Petter at Robert Adam Architects for a ‘butterfly’ plan house has the added advantage of maximising daylight and cross-ventilation, and meets the owners requirement of creating an inspirational home with strong connections between house and garden. The design is both traditional and progressive, and will feature integrated renewable energy and a wide range of sustainability measures.
Robert Adam speaks at debate “A Right Royal Barracking” hosted by New London Architecture
Robert Adam speaks at debate “A Right Royal Barracking” hosted by New London Architecture. The free breakfast talk asked “what lessons should be learnt from the recent furore surrounding the Chelsea Barracks development”. The other invited speakers were Ben Derbyshire, Managing Director at HTA and Rowan Moore, architecture critic at the Evening Standard. The audience included architects, developers, property investors and planners as well as members of the Chelsea Barracks Action Group and the real estate investment company Qatari Diar.
NLA asked the three speakers to discuss whether modernist architects are out of tune with public taste or are the nimbies of Chelsea? How representative are the protests (Royal or otherwise)? And how can you compare disparate architectural approaches?
The debate began with Robert Adam who expounded on the merit of traditional architecture as "a vital link between people, their culture and their identity", and highlighted the importance of style in relating us to a cultural past.
Ben Derbyshire was asked to discuss the issue of designing contemporary architecture which is acceptable to a site's neighbours and future occupiers. He concluded that design based around streets, with a variety of forms, space and architectural innovation, carried out in collaboration with architects and local people, is the way forward.
Lastly, Rowan Moore gave a thorough review of the area surrounding Chelsea Barracks, highlighting the complex mix of London's architectural 'context', and argued that an intervention on stylistic grounds doesn't get to the heart of what the site needs.
The Chelsea Barracks proposal, by Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners, was recently withdrawn from planning by the real estate investment company Qatari Diar, and the scheme is now being reassessed.
Click on the link for a transcript of Robert’s speech