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Transforming a building which transforms lives…

Since our last post on the Salvation Army, the project has made great progress and exciting things have been happening. We are eager to share the next stage of our work, as the team here at LSA have been working hard with their design caps on. From exterior to interior, the design process is now well underway for the redesign of Friars’ Walk.

In our previous post, we highlighted the importance of the building’s history and how the Salvation Army has had a great impact on our society here in Exeter. Friars’ Walk is home to a thriving community, and we believe that the people at Salvation Army are taking the right steps towards the future of this building.

We knew from the outset that the interior spaces required a high-quality design strategy, and we intended each space to bring something new and different to the renovation of this building. This raised a range of considerations, from the function of each space down to the quality of finishes used. The style of design had to be sympathetic to the building’s past, but also needed to enhance and be conducive to modern life. The renovation is partly intended to act as a means of attracting people to use the building, and better appreciate all it has to offer. Opening up the interior spaces allows the building to be versatile, in keeping with its use as a site of varied activities. Below are some of our initial 3D views of the new interior spaces:

Chapel Space looking back on to Entrance Cafe
Chapel Space
Entrance Cafe
New Entrance Area
Basement Area
First Floor Area

First Floor area from double height space

The future is looking bright for Friars’ Walk. We feel privileged to be working with the Salvation Army, and hope that we can offer them something special which will keep their community thriving. This is only the start – so stay on the lookout for updates on what unfolds next!

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Living in living space

We are excited to announce that we have a new development at Living Space Architects. Our talented work force has increased by another member who will bring something extra to the team…you guessed it – interiors!

After 15 successful years of running LSA, our directors have decided to include interior design within the package we offer our wonderful clients. We have always had a passion for interiors, so employing a specialist and expanding into this world seemed like a natural step forward.

We hope to finish off our bespoke architecture with a bespoke interior, working with our clients to give them a space that truly suits their aspirations.

OUR INTERIORS  •      

Despite only recently appointing a designated interior designer, we have dabbled in interior design in the past, and we like to think we have done a pretty good job. Below are some details and inspiration from our recently-completed Southernhay extension project.

Location: Southernhay, Exeter

Building:  Grade II listed terrace townhouse

Proposal: A new first floor rear extension for domestic use

Interior Brief: The interior specifications asked for a urban, contemporary, soft, sleek space which would compliment the new extension. The space had to be homely as it would occupy 3 bedrooms, an open kitchen, a living room space and a few more exciting spaces.

Key Features: New aluminium-framed windows in existing extension | New single glazed timber sash windows | New roof terrace | New bin enclosure & cycle racks | New & adapted internal openings & partitions

INPSIRATION  •

URBAN | CONTEMPORARY | WOOD | SOFT | SCANDINAVIAN | SLEEK | CITY | RUSTIC | GEOMETRIC

THE FINISHED PRODUCT • 

Our photographs show snippets of Southernhay’s interior space. The inspiration images provided a good starting point for the design style, but it needed developing to ensure harmony within the building. The main staircase, which is primarily wooden, set the tone. From that, we decided to add more colour into the design – complimenting the wooden features but still showcasing the sleek, contemporary look.

GET THE LOOK •

Like this style? Below are our final key design components. The products are sourced from a range of suppliers, showcasing local independent shops and online brands.

• Sofa – Made.com £599

• Radio – Marley Speakers £179.99

• Bookcase – Cult Furniture £629

• Plant – BloomBox £18

• Leather Chair – Capital Dining Chairs £97

• Wooden Basket – Nkuku £59.95

• Champagne Glasses – Anthropologie £14

• Paint –  Farringdonball

• Throw – Zara £50

• Cushion – Lorna Ruby £39.95

• Lamp – The Forest & Co £93.60

• Print – Desinio

• Black Pendant – John Lewis £120

• Floor Lamp – Made.com £129 Cheaper Option Dunelm £75

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The latest from Living Space Architects – 29/3/19

The team have had a great couple of weeks. They have been kept very busy with lot’s of work in the pipeline!

Contemporary Barn Conversion in West Hill

We have been working on creating some fantastic images for a contemporary barn conversion in West Hill. In the image you can see we are trying to create a more open plan space, experimenting with different ways we can allow natural light into the space.

Kirsty applies for her Conservation Architect Status through RIBA!

Kirsty has been working extremely hard to apply for her official Conservation Architect status through RIBA.

Receiving “Conservation Architect” status means that RIBA accredits her to have an in- depth knowledge and experience of working with historic buildings.

Within this application Kirsty is submitting 4 papers reflecting the range of work areas a conservation architect undertakes, in which, she has used examples of some of her incredible work.

One of the projects Kirsty has written about is the extensive refurbishment and alteration project of what was originally a medieval hall longhouse in Dartmoor. The refurbishment and extension of the property won the Conservation Award in 2017 from The Devon Historic Buildings Trust!

3D scanning at a site visit in Langport

Although thy had a chilly start to the morning, Freya and Stuart came back with some awesome 3D scans from a site visit in Langport.

The inside of the property
Caught on the scanner!
And again!
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Our Community Projects

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Site visit to our Stoke Poges build

It’s always exciting to see a project that you have created coming together.

That’s exactly how we felt on our latest trip to Stoke Poges, to visit the site of our innovative new build with a contemporary design and similar feel to a German Huf Haus.

The greyness of the day didn’t attract from the immensity of the building as it has begun to take shape, complementing the plot with its innovative structure and creative design.

With the main structure built, and character of the interior being established, we are well on our way to completing the project in time for our May target.

So, what makes this project so unique? 

Even at first glance it is clear that this property doesn’t fall in line with convention. Its dramatic pitched roof, high ceilings, glass exterior and timber structure give it a different feel to the brick houses that Britain has grown so accustomed to. Its open-plan design and use of windows and glass allow it to capture sunlight and create a bright and modern place to live.

What inspired the design?

Our client came to us with a brief of creating a house with a similar feel to the award-winning German Huf Haus design. Big open spaces and natural light appealed to them, however they wanted the house to have a little more privacy and a more ‘homely’ feel than the original German design. We therefore designed a house with some Huf Haus characteristics, such as the pitched roof, high ceiling, terraces and large glass windows to capture natural light, while maintaining some more British features of a home and tailoring the property to suit our clients preferences, such as supplementing a brick wall on the outside ground floor.

What other features does the house have?

We decided to use innovative construction for the new building, settling on Structural Insulated Panels (SIP) from Kingspan TEK. These are made of wood, but their invisible structure gave us freedom with the interior design. Furthermore, their prefabrication meant that construction time was less and there was limited on-site waste. The panels also have high energy efficiency, allowing for a thinner construction than usual insulation.

What comes next?

Although our Stoke Poges build has begun to take shape and acquire character, there are still things to be done before our May deadline. Currently, underfloor heating and electrics are being fitted and then decorating and finishes for the property will commence. We can’t wait to follow the progress of this contemporary and modern design, and are looking forward to seeing the finished product!

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The importance of energy efficient housing

Before a new house is built, it has to go through a ‘detailing’ process.

This is one of the more technical stages of the design process, where the intricacies of the construction are assessed and the property receives an energy rating based on its efficiency and performance.

A house that uses energy efficiently is not only less costly, but it is also better for the environment. As an architecture company committed to sustainability, Living Space Architects strives to meet the highest accredited energy standards with all of its designs.

This isn’t always a walk in the park- accredited details often don’t match innovative building designs, so the thermal calculation process can become more complicated, involving a more in-depth analyses of the property specifications.

Living Space Architects are currently facing this barrier with the a new build located in Devon. Although the house is designed to be low-energy, its innovative design is not in tune with the accredited details, and so we have set about making changes and alterations to ensure we are able to meet these highest standards.

There are a number of changes and alterations that can be made to new designs to improve their energy rating and enhance their efficiency. Below are some of the ways that we intend to do this with the new build in question:

  1. Change the specification of the air-source heat pump
  2. Modify the insulation product
  3. Change the ventilation system to a heat-recovery system
  4. Work with air-tight detailing

Energy performance is assessed using SAP 2012 methodology, and is rated in terms of the energy use per square meter of floor area, energy efficiency based on fuel costs and environmental impact based on carbon dioxide emissions. In the analysis of the property, an ‘Energy Efficiency Rating’ and ‘Environmental Impact Rating’ are provided. Both ratings use a grading system, which spans from A (very energy efficient, very environmentally friendly) to G (not energy efficient, not environmentally friendly).

One (albeit expensive) way to ensure that a new build is meeting accredited energy standards is to complete a PSI calculation on every detail. This gives a more accurate indicator of energy performance and is effective when dealing with innovative designs that might not fit neatly within established guidelines.

Undertaking this part of the process might seem extensive, but it is a vital part of building any new property and one that Living Space Architects takes very seriously as sustainability is such a core part of the company. We are looking forward to adapting this latest build to make it as energy efficient as possible, so that the final product will not only be a contemporary, modern and stylish design, but will have strong materials in place to ensure it fulfils its low-energy requirements and is the perfect home.

 

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