JANUARY 2012 – ‘PROJECT COMPLETIONS TO START THE NEW YEAR’
The early part of 2012 will see the completion of 2 further +3A projects. The Grenfell Club is a new community facility located in the heart of Redcar which aims to help develop social and communication skills of the members through a range of activities. The scheme is being constructed by Wilmott Dixon using the latest fast-track techniques and is due for completion in February.
The Green Incubator Project in South Shields is a £5M office building for SME’s in the renewables sector. It will provide a range of office and hybrid units and seeks to address some of the social challenges inherent in multi-occupancy buildings. A recent BREEAM interim assessment confirmed a score of 87.77% meaning that the building will achieve an ‘Outstanding’ rating and be one of the most sustainable office schemes in the UK.
DECEMBER 2011 –‘FLURRY OF NEW PROJECTS’
December is often a rather sleepy time in the construction industry so we have been delighted with a series of new instructions this month. Many of these are schemes which we have helped our clients to convert from theory into reality but importantly a number are from new clients through word-of-mouth referrals. New projects range from bespoke, domestic-scale projects to eco-masterplans and major, mixed-use regeneration projects located throughout the North East and North West. With a bit of luck 2012 will not be as bad as the economists would have us believe!
NOVEMBER 2011 –‘PADDOCK COMPLETES’
We are great believers in the importance of small projects for the different challenges they set us as designers and the opportunities they provide for emerging architects at +3A. One such example completed this month and showcases the fine detailing and craft that bespoke, domestic projects demand.
The Paddock project provides much-needed new living space for the occupants and is part of a wider re-organisation of the house both externally. The property now works more intuitively and establishes a strong connection with the beautiful, 1-acre garden (re-designed by our landscape architect friends at OOBE).
OCTOBER 2011 – ‘LAUNCH OF 1 HARTON QUAY’
This month saw the launch of BT’s new headquarters office development in South Shields – now known as 1 Harton Quay. The development will be home to over 500 employees, many of them new to BT and importantly recruited from the local workforce. It is our first, completed major project and we are proud of the way we have retained the original vision and delivered the scheme through one of the most challenging economic climates in generations. The occupier, BT seem quite happy too..
‘The design promises to fulfil all the key requirements of the client brief with the delivery of an iconic, yet practical building. We are delighted that the design pays subtle design homage to the proud and illustrious industrial past of South Shields and the River Tyne.‘
SEPTEMBER 2011: NEW STAGE READY TO GO AT YARD
Creative business office complex Hoults Yard has launched the second phase of its latest initiative after successfully letting phase one in record time. Both phases of Teapot Studios have been designed by +3A and reflect positively on an ongoing, creative relationship between client Charlie Hoult and the +3A team. Keep your eyes open for future phases in the coming months......
AUGUST 2011: GRENFELL IS GO
Construction work has started on the new +3A-designed community facility in Redcar. The Club provides recreation and leisure facilities for the local community in Redcar and the surrounding area. The design team and main contractor (Wilmott Dixon Construction) have developed a fast-track, timber-framed solution which will enable the entire development to be completed in under 6 months.
JULY 2011: GREEN SHOOTS
The Green Incubator project in South Shields has started on site and is due for completion in April 2012. The 35,000 sqft development is being constructed by Robertson North East and will provide 48 start-up units for businesses in the renewable sector. This is a sector in which the North East is seeking to gain a competitive advantage and we hope that the Green Incubator development will play a part in supporting a number of fledgling businesses in South Tyneside.
This project has also seen the further development of our in-house graphic, way-finding and branding services. Our designs for this aspect of the project have seamlessly built on the principle architectural concepts to create a truly holistic design that will be consistent from the macro to micro scale.
JUNE 2011: 'HEADSPACE 2011'
The staff of +3A enjoyed a well-earned day away from the office at our annual ‘Headspace’ event. This year’s event was held in the Writer’s Room at the Live Theatre on the Quayside and gave us all a chance to reflect on the year gone, to plan for the one’s ahead and to gaze into a metaphorical crystal ball about where the world of architecture is heading.
The day is a blend of the serious and not so serious with the latter characterised by a sprinkling of staff presentations answering profound questions such as ‘If +3A were a meal, what would it be and which member of staff would be each ingredient?’ Cheesy toppings were a feature of many responses!!
MAY 2011: 'AFFORDIA' - DELIVERABLE, VIABLE, HIGH QUALITY, ARCHITECT-DESIGNED, CONTEMPORARY HOUSING
Working for Galliford Try and alongside Studio Egret West and Pod, +3 Architecture have recently been shortlisted to develop a masterplan for a large housing development in South Shields. Trinity South is one of the 5 neighbourhoods that make up the South Shields Riverside Regeneration Masterplan which was published in 2007 and has since been instrumental in establishing the framework for the new BT Headquarters at Harton Staithes and the Green Incubator Building adjacent to Trinity South (both of which have been designed by +3A). The masterplan will deliver 261 high-quality, contemporary, architect-designed, mixed-tenure houses on a 5.3 hectare site at a density of 47 dwellings/hectare
APRIL 2011: CARE AND JOY IN THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY
Following on from the success of the Redcar Leisure and Community Heart project +3 Architecture have recently been commissioned to design a new community centre on an existing ‘gap’ site in Redcar town centre.
The Grenfell Club provides recreation and leisure facilities for the local community in Redcar and the surrounding area. The centre is run by volunteers and aims to help develop social and communication skills of the members through a range of activities. The existing 1970’s Grenfell building was outdated and the opportunity arose for the club to relocate to a new purpose built centre.
MARCH 2011: STUDIO FIT-OUT FOR GROWING BUSINESS - ADDED-VALUE ON A LIMITED BUDGET
Following 3 years of continuous growth +3 Architecture needed to develop their exiting studio to meet the needs of a larger workforce and a more intensive use of their existing office space. It was also an opportunity to further express their developing brand and to build on the architectural language of the initial fit-out works (including the eye-catching ‘bubble-wrap’ meeting room).
The new studio has already had a positive impact on staff and visitors alike, providing a series of dedicated, formal and informal spaces alongside the more flexible, open-plan studio. The project also demonstrates that a great deal can be achieved even on the most modest of budgets.
FEBRUARY 2011: 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY'
+3 Architecture is celebrating turning 3 this month! Established in February 2008 the practice has enjoyed 3 years of continuous growth and profitability and doubled in size from 5 to 10 members of staff last year. This is entirely due to the skill and endeavours of the +3A team and thanks to a number of clients who have shown great faith in our abilities to deliver great design and impeccable service.
We celebrated with a special birthday cake made by our very own in-house mistress baker – Rachel Campbell. Enjoy the cake-eating with us by clicking on the ‘cake-a-mation’ video below!!
Most importantly, we have an enormously talented and dedicated team of people who are passionate about what we do and have a great time doing it. We have been uncompromising in ensuring that we recruit not only the most talented individuals but also those who share our way of doing things and who like working as part of a team to deliver success for our clients.