Practice

Our design ethos has always considered urban renewal and environmental sustainability, exemplified by our earlier projects such as The Tobacco Factory, Paintworks and several commissions with Urban Splash. These projects all became models of regeneration, creating vibrant mixed-use developments within many kinds of existing buildings.

Today, in response to the climate challenge, our sustainability goals are more focussed. We have a certified passivhaus designer in-house and use digital tools to model operational and embodied carbon in our work. The sustainability team are currently volunteering with CIBSE/LETI to input our expertise for the latest publication of their retrofit guidance.

We have pledged our allegiance to Architects Declare, highlighting the need to conserve resources in the creation and use of buildings and transition to a low-carbon society. We are also under the certification of ISO 14001 QA standard, which enhances the management of our internal carbon footprint and ensures compliance with all relevant environmental legislation.

As a local company we look for opportunities to input into our local community in a positive way.  Within our work we consider social impacts, to create benefits that align with local needs, local economic and ecological systems, and support or augment local infrastructure. After completion we encourage the monitoring of those impacts to ensure schemes become part of the local community and remain that way.

Outside of project work, members of our staff regularly give their time and expertise as university tutors, with local planning groups, the NPN, and as design review panel members with Design West. We have supported local educational settings, career events, and we organise work shadow placements from local schools.

The team also contributes its time to research projects, recently this has included work on producing guidance for sustainable retrofits as part of the LETI network.

Our staff volunteer at doors open days as guides and presenters, as well as give our time with local charities and organisations. Within the office, we prioritise the use of local service providers and locally sourced sustainable supplies, which is also supported as part of ISO 14001 policy.