Cambridge Architecture CA83

83 Cambridge Architecture

Summer/Autumn 2022

New ground

Surviving and thriving

Strategy and sustainability challenges in small practices

Greater than ever

Shining at the 2022 CFCI awards

Duke Ellington School of the Arts Architect: cox graae + spack architects / LBA Joint Venture Photo © Chris Ambridge

A R C HI C A D 2 5 B U I LT T O G ET HER W I T H O U R C O M MU N I T Y

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Contents

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22

Contents 4-5 News

CAA committee election results; Homerton College dining hall completion; and new appointments

6-9 Thriving not just surviving

A look at the challenges facing small architect practices in Cambridge

10-11 Rural dialogue

CDC shares the story behind its award-winning grand design in Bartlow

12-13 Questioning convention

Fitting in and standing out... the striking self-build family home on Bishops Road

15-19 Greater than ever

Building Safety Act 2022: Colin Jones explains its impact and purpose

22-23 The next generation

Project brings together architects and schoolchildren for a design workshop

Cambridge Architecture is a review produced by the Cambridge Association of Architects, the local branch of the Royal Institute of British Architects. The views in this magazine are those of individual contributors (named and unnamed), and not of the Association.

ISSN 1361-3375

24-25 Building towards the future

Any comments or for a copy of the magazine, contact editors@cambridgearchitects.org

A new Act and new safety regulator: how skills in the building industry are being improved

26-27 It’s not easy being green

How the new sustainability agenda helps to inform decisions in small practices

28-29 Changing times

A closer look at the impact on the ground of the shake-up in Building Regulations

The 2022 winners of the Greater Cambridge Design and Construction Awards

20-21 Drive for quality construction

Cambridge Architecture

EDITORS David Adams, Tom Foggin, Susie Lober ADVERTISEMENT SALES Marie Luise CritchleyWaring (advertising@cambridgearchitects.org) Published by CPL

www.cpl.co.uk

30-31 Work in progress

Spotlight on Chartered Practices in the area

The CAA thanks the following sponsors AC Architects Cambridge Ltd Archangel Architects Bassett Architects BB&C Architects Limited BCR Infinity Architects Borough Architects Caroe Architecture Ltd Cowper Griffith Architects EIKON Architecture and Design Emma Adams Architect

Fawcett and Haigh Freeland Rees Roberts Gary Johns Architects George Davidson Architect George Evennett Ltd Graham Handley Architects Ltd Haysom Ward Miller Karen Rainsford Architect Lanpro M Reynolds RIBA Mart Barrass Architect Ltd

MCW Architects N J Twitchett NP Architects Olivier Design Studio Penman Architects Peter Rawlings Architects Ltd R H Partnership Architects Ltd Richard Goy Architect Saunders Boston Studio TeePee The Architect Studio Ltd

Cover photos © Richard Fraser Bishops Road by Borough Architects, photographed by Richard Fraser.

Richard volunteers for the CAA and specialises in architectural photography. See more of his work at richardfraserphotography.co.uk

CA83 was made possible by generous donations from the Cambridge Forum for the Construction Industry and the RIBA East Local Initiative Fund

Technology Sponsor

Cambridge Architecture 3

News and events

News

Writing a welcome to Cambridge Architecture is never entirely straightforward and as the year rolls onward it is clear that 2022 will be no more predictable than the previous two years. The disaster in Ukraine has dominated our thoughts and actions, and together with Covid remains a significant factor to economic and social stability across the world.

It is heartening to see the collective response from the design and construction industry, with companies and individuals pushing themselves to make a positive difference, whether directly, by supporting positive causes, or indirectly, by reconsidering the origin and type of products we consume or specify.

In this issue, we consider the small practices that make up the bulk of the membership of the RIBA. Susie Lober discusses surviving and thriving in a volatile marketplace. Mark Richards of studio24 explores a new build house in Cambridge by Borough Architects; and the CFCI Awards are revealed in all their glory. Colin Jones, of Hewitsons HCR, continues his explanation of the upcoming Building Safety Act, and Ann Bassett collates the thoughts of the volunteers of the recent joint workshop at Chesterton Community College. David Adams looks at how practices incorporate sustainability into their business model and Heather Jones of 3C reveals more about the Building Regulations changes due in June.

2022 seems determined to be filled with constant change. Making sure we respond to it positively seems the only solution.

The editors

4 Cambridge Architecture

2022 CAA Committee elections The CAA held its AGM in February (virtually again) and is pleased to announce its committee for 2022-2023, including a new Chair – Anastasia Orphanidou of 5th Studio Architects.

Anastasia, pictured above, takes over from Mart Barrass, of Mart Barrass Architect Ltd.

The 2022 Committee consists of: Chair: Anastasia Orphanidou Secretary: Quratulain Hafeez (freelance) Treasurer: Kelly O’Doherty (BCR Infinity Architects)

Communications: Mark Richards (studio24 architects) – looking for a volunteer!

Data Champion: Quratulain Hafeez (freelance) Outreach: Ann Bassett (Bassett Architecture) Margherita Cesca (Lanpro) Events Coordinator: Maja Maliszewska (Owers Warwick Architects) Sustainability Champion: Alice Hamlin (Mole Architects) Byron Chan (rhp architects) Fundraising: Marie-Luise Critchley-Waring

Homerton College dining hall completed Feilden Fowles has completed a striking new dining hall for Homerton College, University of Cambridge. The new building for Cambridge’s youngest college forms an important cornerstone to the College campus, and creates a range of informal social spaces around its perimeter, while completing the historic northern range of buildings. The bright, airy and efficient hall will provide daily dining together with formal and commemorative dinners throughout the year, with capacity for 336. The architecture celebrates the integrity and inherent beauty of materials and craftsmanship as well as embracing new methods of construction and engineering technologies of today.

An apology The CAA offers its apologies to Richard Fraser of Richard Fraser Photography, for the error on the front cover of CA82. A work-inprogress image was mistakenly used instead of the final image supplied by Richard. The CAA is incredibly grateful to Richard for his understanding of the error and his continued and valuable generosity in donating his time and talents to the CAA’s work.

©JimStephenson

Welcome

© Richard Fraser Photography

News and events

Events: CFCI Chairman’s Garden Party Date and time: 12 July, 2022 5:30pm-8pm Location: Sidney Sussex College CAA Summer Event 2022 Date and time: 2 September, 2022 7pm-9pm Save the date (more details to follow).

CAA Chairs past and present In CA81, we requested any knowledge of previous CAA Chairs and history. Now, we’re proud to display the complete (as far as we know) list of current and former Chairs of the CAA, dating right back to the first Chair in 1929. The CAA has no doubt that there will be some names in there that will bring back memories.

Successful joint RTPI / RIBA tour of Eddington The CAA, on behalf of RIBA East, and RTPI East, jointly organised the Eddington Walking Tour, on 23 March.

The purpose was to bring architects and planners together and included presentations by Paul Milliner, head of planning at the University of Cambridge Estates Division; Kaori Ohsugi, director at Stanton Williams Architects and project architect

of the Keyworker Housing Lot 2; and Pieter Desnerck, the chair of the Eddington Residents’ Association. The tour gave a well-rounded insight into the development in terms of planning, architecture and living at this new community.

Thank you to all our speakers for making this event a success, and Richard Fraser for documenting the day.

Saunders Boston appoints new directors Saunders Boston Architects based in Cambridge and Exeter announced the appointment of three new directors – Andrew Thompson, Adam Garner and Chris Wood – to its senior management team.

Andrew, who joined SBA in 1999, has been appointed operations director. He will support the existing management team in the overall functioning of SBA. New divisional director Adam, who joined in 2013, will lead the design and delivery of school projects.

Chris, who joined in 2014, has been appointed regional director. He will look to expand SBA’s offering in the South West, from the Exeter office.

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CDC Studio CDC Studio

ChadwickDryerClarke rebrand to CDC Studio ChadwickDryerClarke architects have announced the transition into CDC studio. “This reflects the evolution and development of our working model and represents the company’s move towards an inclusive design studio,” they said. “CDC studio will continue to focus on creative architectural solutions.

“The new website, by Polimekanos, will showcase our work, and CDC studio will move to our new studio space later in the year.”

CDC Studio

Year 1929-1930 1930-1931 1931-1932 1932-1934 1934-1936 1936-1937 1937-1939 1939-1941 1941-1943 1943-1945 1945-1947 1947-1949 1949-1951 1951-1953 1953-1954 1954-1955 1955-1956 1956-1957 1957-1959 1959-1961 1961-1963 1963-1966 1966-1967 1967-1968 1968-1970 1970-1972 1972-1974 1974-1975 1975-1976 1976-1977 1977-1979 1979-1981 1981-1983 1983-1985 1985-1987 1987-1989 1989-1991 1991-1993 1993-1995 1995-1997 1997-2000 2000-2003 2003-2006 2006-2008 2008-2011 2011-2013 2013-2015 2015-2020 2020-2020 2020-2022 2022-

Chair AP MacAlister JW Bland HH Dunn DT Fyfe NT Myers HC Hughes SE Urwin RD Robson J MacGregor DH Loukes HH Parker P Bicknell LJ Gomme WE Marston TH Corner WK Ferguson WL Lee CJ Bourne JJ Symes WR Hazlewood CGA Steele JTR Taylor GJ Bourne GC Logie GD Hamilton SG Miles PR Arthur DE Leader MA Undrill M Bulleid Ian Purdy Peter Hall M Jeffels Tim Eaton G Brunt Robert Thompson Colen Lumley R Wilson David Yandell V Sahai Jonathan Ellis-Miller Kenneth Mark Alex Reid Meredith Bowles Adam Peavoy Richard Owers February Phillips David Adams Rachael Branton Mart Barrass Anastasia Orphanidou

Cambridge Architecture 5

New Building Regulations take effect in June 2022 –

What is changing?

We at 3C Building Control work with the project team, providing a bespoke service, giving pre-app advice at early RIBA design stages through to site inspections and completion From 15 June 2022 the Building Regulations will change, Approved Documents Part F, Part L, Part O and Part S will come into force.

When building a new home: • There may be a limit on the number of windows due to over heating • Ventilation will be key to ensure the building fabric is maintained effectively and ensures the safe welfare of people in the building • Insulation requirements will be higher in a step change to 2025 When altering, extending, or refurbishing a home: • If you are replacing a heating system, it must be capable of being extended to include any new technology that is developed in the future • Insulation requirements will be higher • If you are extending a home or replacing windows it will need to have appropriate ventilation If you are building a new home, converting a building into a new home or undertaking major renovation to an existing apartment block: • You may have to install provisions for electric vehicle charging Contact details for 3C Building Control are below, if you would like to discuss the transitional requirements for commencing works on site please get in touch.

Visit www.3csharedservices.org or email buildingcontrol@3csharedservices.org © Hufton+Crow Photography: Gables House Cambridgeshire. LABC Best Individual New Home Winner Award 2021 Chadwick Dryer Clarke.

Small practices

Thriving not just surviving Cambridge has the highest density of architects outside London, and the vast majority of these practices are sole practitioners and micro practices.

Susie Lober spoke to some about the challenges of running a small practice WRITTEN BY: SUSIE LOBER

T

he latest RIBA Practice Benchmarking report for 2021 was upbeat.

‘Through the worst economic and societal shock in memory, practices have preserved their profitability. Although the twin pressures of Covid and Brexit continue to weigh down upon the supply side of construction [now added to by the war in Ukraine] the demand side is holding up.

A recovery in architects’ work has been led by private housing and is broadening.

Twenty-seven per cent of all revenue for chartered practices comes from private housing. For practices with less than 10 staff, the figure is more like 50 per cent.’

Cambridge continues to attract entrepreneurial architects setting up their own practices. Richard Penman was formerly a co-director of a London practice, but decided on a change of direction during the pandemic. He

chose Cambridge as a base for Penman Architects because he was attracted by ‘an international and progressive city with strong architectural heritage’.

Challenges

Simon Rickards, who also recently relocated to Cambridge and set up Paper Architecture, says: ‘As a small practice you have to have a lot of strings to your bow. Your time is split between marketing, management and delivery and you have to learn to transition quickly between these roles.’

Richard Owers, co-director of Owers Warwick, agrees: ‘As a small practice you have to be a generalist. You’ve got to fix the kettle as well as the computer. As you grow, you still need generalists. Then when you get to a certain size you need to start recruiting people who can do things better than you.’ (We’ll hear more from Owers on practice growth later.)

He adds: ‘It’s important to know your

“You have to have a lot of strings to your bow. Your time is split between marketing, management and delivery and you have to learn to transition quickly between these roles” limitations. Know what you’re good at and what you’re interested in.’ This is a point Penman is acutely aware of, too: ‘I’m being very careful about where I engage and who I engage with. Small residential

Cambridge Architecture 7

Small practices

“Don’t jump at every job that comes your way. It’s important to learn to say no. Do due diligence when taking on a new client and listen to your gut” jobs, for example, can take up a lot of time and energy.’

Support

Getting the right support is clearly key.

Everyone interviewed felt it was really important to have a good network of people you can rely on.

The Cambridge Architects Association offers peer support, as does the RIBA East Small and Emerging Practice Group and Part 3 study groups. For many though, the support is more informal.

Ashley Courtney, a sole practitioner who has specialised in church architecture for the past decade, has built up a network of architects that he consults with and one or two freelancers that he occasionally passes work to.

Mart Barrass, who has been running his own practice since 2011, recommends: ‘Make connections. Talk to lots of people. Not just architects.’ In Penman’s words: ‘Never be afraid to pick up the phone.’

You can of course buy in business advice. Owers advises: ‘Spend wisely but don’t be afraid to do it.’ Among the key professional services cited, a good accountant and tax advice was top of the list. Some also found the RIBA’s Specialist Practice Consultants useful for legal advice.

Cash flow

Cash flow is a challenge for so many businesses, not just architects. A good accountant can help ensure that you hit targets by putting yard sticks in place.

Being disciplined and keeping on top of invoicing clients is essential, Courtney advises. Through experience, Barrass has developed an itemised system for invoicing that results in far fewer queries. Processes don’t always need to be reinvented; there may already be appropriate tools out there. Penman advocates: ‘Be clear with clients about where you are in terms of contract and fees, especially when working with longterm client relationships.’

The rising cost of insurance and finding appropriate coverage has been a major issue since Grenfell. One sole practitioner cited a 600 per cent hike in professional indemnity insurance over four years.

A balancing act

Balancing the workload is hard, you are constantly juggling projects and are reliant on planning departments making decisions in expected timeframes. Shifting from a large to a smaller practice, you become aware of everything that was done for you. Taking time off as a sole

practitioner is really hard. One architect confessed that he hadn’t had a major holiday in 11 years. But the flip side is the freedom that comes from running your own business.

Recruitment

Finding the right technical support is especially challenging in the current climate. Everyone is busy. Small practices often rely on freelancers for support with technical drawings, building regulations, and renderings – which is far more flexible than employing staff. Deciding if and when you’re ready to employ staff is an angst-ridden issue. For many sole practitioners working from home, space can be a barrier to recruiting.

Growth

Often sole practitioners purposefully want to stay small, but for others there is ambition to grow.

One local practice that has successfully achieved this is Owers Warwick. Over the past 20 years, Richard Owers has started from scratch and run practices of four to 16 people. ‘Starting out it was hard to convince clients that we could deliver, we knew we could, but without the track record it wasn’t easy.

That changed through incremental growth and through spotting opportunities.’ Owers is now co-director of Owers Warwick (formerly NRAP), which he runs 50/50 with Richard Warwick. The practice has invested heavily in its office premises and is working hard to build a studio where people want to work.

Owers believes that it is important to ‘surround yourself with people you like

Manufacturers of the highest quality timber windows, doors, bespoke cabinet works and supplier of high performance aluminium doors and windows.

8 Cambridge Architecture

Small practices

that, actually, it’s about networking and communicating what you do – being someone people want to work with.’

Barrass agreed that it’s important to be selective in your work and who you work with. ‘Don’t jump at every job that comes your way. It’s important to learn to say no. Do due diligence when taking on a new client and listen to your gut.’

The process of rebranding and creating a new website helped Owers Warwick to focus on the type and scale of work it wanted to do. Owers says: ‘Even starting out it’s important to focus on your graphics and communication. If you invest in your website, professional photography and CGIs, it will help you along the way.’

Spaces for people working with – people that make you feel energised and excited about going to work.

‘When I set out, I used to think that if we did good work, that was enough.

More work would come. Now, I understand

While there will always be challenges, a small practice has opportunities and freedoms to explore new ideas and new ways of working. Penman, for example, has been heavily involved with manufacturers because acute shortages

of materials coupled with price rises mean clients are asking him to research different materials. He proposes: ‘It’s necessary for architects to find a different eco-system for building materials.’

Rickards is equally enthusiastic about the possibilities of an architecture practice based on his own principles to put ‘spaces for people before spaces for profit’. Whether you’re just setting out or are a well-established small practice, don’t lose sight of why you chose this route and grasp the opportunity to do things differently.

“As a small practice you have to be a generalist.

You’ve got to fix the kettle as well as the computer”

T: 01954 260 575 E: office@lawandlewis.co.uk www.lawandlewis.co.uk Cambridge Architecture 9

Building study

Rural dialogue A finalist in the British Homes Awards 2021 and winning a commendation for Craftsmanship at the Greater Cambridge Design and Construction Awards, The Gables in Bartlow, Cambridgeshire, was described by CFCI judges as ‘a very beautifully put together building’ and ‘incredibly well finished with crisp detailing’. Here, CDC studio shares the story

© Hufton+Crow

WRITTEN BY: CDC STUDIO

D

esigned to be our retired clients’ forever home, the new house is accessible, highly contemporary, low energy, sustainable and secure. The clients wanted it to be not too big for two, but big enough to accommodate village parties and wider family coming to stay. The house is knitted into the local community, and so, in order for the house to have low impact on the village setting and the immediate neighbours, it was essential that our design encapsulated the character of the village and the wider site. CDC Studio replicated the thatched barn with brick base and weatherboarding, incorporating into the new volumes local crafts and materials of flint, red brick, timber shutters and estate fencing, complementing this with the use of zinc to echo the agricultural aesthetic of the original land use.

Adopting a thoroughly modern approach, the larger part of the new house was set back to retain existing views of the thatched barn from the village road and kept deliberately low in height to accommodate the immediate neighbours’

Views to neighbouring house and the thatched roof

views. This resulted in the low-lying folding glazed volumes designed to accommodate the 200sqm space in the client brief.

Fully flexible

The site is landscaped to lead visitors towards the entrance and the clients’ front-facing study, while not being able to access the main house without an invitation.

A narrow, curved hallway draws you into the main house. The kitchen, dining and living spaces are open plan to allow for social gatherings. The kitchen sits under a column-free, steel rod hung mezzanine with acoustic damping that was rigorously engineered to avoid the reverberating noise.

This creates a sense of enclosure to the kitchen while allowing CDC to achieve the fully flexible family/party space requested beyond. The folding roofline shapes are crafted and lined in silver fir timber plus acoustic felt, affording a very warm and cosy feel to the high volume spaces. The long underside of the roofline is visible at full length of the building and delicately supported by a single steel post sitting on a concrete sheer wall. High-level glazing allows the roofline to be viewed through the house, connecting the open-plan space with

the hallway and study beyond. Internally, a bespoke dining room bench adds a sense of fun and colour using the clients’ family tartan as fabric to the seating area.

The character of the thatched barn is emphasised by embracing its full height to the ridge, offering modest but usable guest rooms wrapped in painted timber boarding.

These were identified for immediate family use, the height helping to overcome their narrow nature on plan, with integrated wardrobes, back panels and pegs for hanging make them hard working spaces.

A separate master suite spreads into the new space, offering dressing, bathroom and a private patio area that give the clients a place for quiet retreat when guests are staying.

Gin and tonic

The house boasts its own private ‘gin and tonic’ internal balcony. The mezzanine space creates a private second sitting area with a concealed timber stair nestled between concrete sheer walls to provide access. It is quiet yet connected to the main space, and commands views to the west with a fully opening rooflight to let the outdoors in.

A separate guest suite and shower room

Allen Pyke Associates

Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning based in Cambridge www.allenpyke.co.uk 07753864586 design@allenpyke.co.uk 10 Cambridge Architecture

© Hufton+Crow

© Hufton+Crow

Building study

Timber shutters provide agricultural character to bedroom windows, reducing their appearance from across the fields High-quality materials create a contemporary main living space

© CDC Studio

Massing and form were developed in collaboration with planning and heritage officers to respond to context

afford privacy to occupants and visitors alike.

Built primarily from timber frame with wood wool insulation and concrete sheer walls, the house incorporates air source heat pumps and photovoltaics and will be monitored for its energy use over the course of the year. The extended roofline and orientation gives solar shading to the solar-controlled west-facing glazing, with the careful positioning of rooflights to prevent overheating in the height of summer. Plus, water run-off is directed to a salvaged historical water trough that the clients will use to water the garden. The linear design is extended into the immediate landscape with water rills extending out like fingers into the wider area that, over time, the clients will begin to accentuate with their planting.

Our clients said: ‘CDC showed just the right combination of imagination and persistence, leading to an individual home that meets all our requirements and fits into its surroundings. Throughout the project, we have benefited from their attention to detail and their real interest in how we intend to live in our new house. Three months in and we are very house proud!’

Smith and Wallwork Ltd 50 St Andrews Street, Cambridge, CB2 3AH www.smithandwallwork.com 01223 750 249 contact@smithandwallwork.com Cambridge Architecture 11

Building study

Questioning convention Being presented with the opportunity of creating your own home could have been a daunting prospect, but for this house on Bishops Road, it was an opportunity to reimagine how to live in a house, and to have an external appearance that reflects the style of the owners but respects the scale of the neighbourhood

© Richard Fraser Photography

WRITTEN BY: MARK RICHARDS

Excellence in Engineering 12 Cambridge Architecture

T

he zeitgeist of post-war housing design and its ability to enable 20th century living ambitions within traditional housing styles started a national obsession that continues to the present day.

"The houses on the street all looked so different until we built our house," say Chava and Elon with a smile, as we discuss the design of their replacement dwelling and its relationship to the street.

Opinions of passersby will undoubtedly be divided regarding the new property on Bishops Road, Cambridge. It asserts its regular form, clad in timber at the first floor surmounted on a brick base aligned to the notional building line, without upsetting planning norms. A projecting brick window and juxtaposed recessed entrance are the only elements that give a gentle nod to the nostalgia of the neighbourhood.

The need for client and architect to question convention reveals a light-filled, lighthearted interior that focuses on family space. Its outward connection to the south-facing garden is immediately apparent as you enter the open-plan ground floor. The absence of entrance formalities and an enclosed stair is refreshing and welcoming. The top-lit stair has been used to articulate the plan arrangement and organise the near-cubic, two-storey volume, while accommodating clever storage and future-proofing habitable space. Upstairs conventions continue to be disregarded with each room accessed via sliding pocket doors. Ceiling heights are also generous enabling children’s rooms to accommodate platform beds and maximise area. An acoustically insulated first-floor utility space reflects practical necessities, while other details such as the open timber balustrade, shallow-coffered ceilings, and pops of colour offer relief and scale to the simple layout.

Borough Architects and their client have clearly focused on what is important.

Material choices are of good quality without resorting to pastiche and were implemented with care by the builder. The modest building is timber framed, insulated to a good quality and has employed zinc for weather detailing and roof finishes – hidden from view via a parapet. Internally, mechanical ventilation and heat recovery with openable triple-glazed windows, coupled with gas heating and hot water, has created a passive interior environment that has reduced winter heating demand.

Building study

© Mark Richards

The architect's view:

There is a myriad of reasons why the self-build route was the right solution for the owners: the growth in popularity of the self-build movement, the need for better housing, lack of Government funding into addressing retrofit, VAT on upgrading existing building stock and a woeful local authority list of available brownfield sites.

When faced with this, why would anyone write off the idea of a replacement dwelling self-build as an option?

Having now lived in the property for two years, that initial honeymoon feeling of moving into a new home doesn’t appear to have left them, which is probably testament to their convictions and trust in their small practice architect.

The light-filled interior focuses on family space

The site was occupied by a detached bungalow that was built with an interlocking concrete block construction. The clients bought the house hoping to keep the ground floor and convert the roof into a habitable space. But supporting the additional load onto the existing structure was found to be too complicated owing to the nature of the precast blocks. However, the clients wished to keep the layouts already developed with the memory of the old house, now with more freedom to adjust it to their needs and high sustainability standards.

The appearance of the new house is a reflection on the complexity of its context – both immediate and Cambridge-wide: the street has a mix of 1930s interwar suburban semi-detached houses, post-WWII Fletton brick villas and 1970s blocks of flats. To the south lies the recent development of Glebe Farm, modern mass-produced housing in Cambridge Gault brick.

The client’s choice of timber cladding was inspired partly by a local landmark – Laslett House on Clarkson Road by the late Trevor Dannatt (who recently passed away at the age of 101) and part by the ambition to reduce the building’s embodied carbon.

While the ground floor was constructed as a brick plinth to resemble the neighbouring houses, the first floor was clad in vertical Siberian larch boards that express the internal timber frame, and slowly age to silvery hues.

How do we see the future homes of Cambridge? How do we decide on form or style? Here the client took an innovative approach and bold decisions, rather than conform with market standards and the urban cut-and-paste culture to create their own home.

Architect: Client: Structure: Contractor: Construction cost: Project start: Completed:

Ze’ev Feigis – Borough Architects Private Grant Consulting Structural Engineers Ltd Kevin White Building and Developments, Haverhill £370,000 2016 2019

© Borough Architects

View of the open-plan downstairs space The upstairs floorplan shows clever use of space

bremner partnership www.bremnerpartnership.com stuartb@bremnerpartnership.com Tel: 01223 257778 | Mob: 07711 412583

Quantity surveying Project management Consultancy

Cambridge Architecture 13

© Emma Fletcher / CFCI

Greater Cambridge Design and Construction Awards

Greater than ever The Greater Cambridge Shared Planning Service and the Cambridge Forum for the Construction Industry announced the 2022 winners of the Greater Cambridge Design and Construction Awards at a ceremony in March this year, hosted by the CFCI at Jesus College, Cambridge.

For the first time, submissions were welcomed from the whole of the Greater Cambridge area – the City and South Cambridgeshire District – including new buildings and conservation, alterations, or extensions to existing buildings.

With a return to in-person jury visits this year, shortlisted projects were inspected by the judges to allow them to examine the buildings in greater detail and experience the spaces first hand.

The judging criteria for the awards included the context and the brief for the

building; the design solution adopted; the quality and difficulty of the construction; and craftsmanship displayed in the building. Accessibility and the creation of an inclusive environment were also key considerations.

Each scheme was expected to address environmental concerns including energy performance and, where possible, to contribute to the natural environment on the building and in the landscape around the building.

Alongside building awards, the Greater Cambridge Design and Construction Awards also celebrate contributions by individuals who have demonstrated excellence in their field.

The ‘people’ categories recognise apprentices, young professionals, and site managers who have found solutions, collaborated, and shown commitment to improving the construction industry.

PEOPLE AWARDS Apprentice of the Year

Winner: James Burke, assistant project manager – Bidwells Commendation: Sergi Parera, apprentice surveyor – 3C Building Control Shared Service

Young Professional of the Year

Winner: Sam Alexander, mechanical estimator – Munro Building Services Commendation: David Digby, development manager – Cambridge Investment Partnership

Site Manager of the Year

Winner: Simon Redgrave, senior site manager – Cambridge Investment Partnership Commendation: Adam Hunt, senior site manager – Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure

Cambridge Architecture 15

© Nick Kane

Greater Cambridge Design and Construction Awards

WINNER Magdalene College New Library Best new building (over £2m construction cost) Craftsmanship Client – Magdalene College Main contractor – Cocksedge Architect – Níall McLaughlin Architects Structural engineer – Smith and Wallwork M&E and acoustics – Max Fordham Project manager – Savills Quantity surveyor – Gleeds Building control and fire engineer – MLM Internal joinery – Wedd Joinery Limited

© Paul Raftery

Judges’ comments “The New Library stands at the edge of the Magdalene Fellows’ Garden, creating a new desire line and pulling a lesser-used part of the college grounds into its heart.

The building is stunning; its handmade red bricks carefully chosen to echo the ancient bricks in the two oldest courts, elegant chimneys performing the modern function of air rather than smoke egress; and the finely crafted wood-and-brick, light-filled interior providing a large and delightful variety of spaces. The brief was to challenge while also fitting in, and we congratulate the College on achieving this goal.”

WINNER University of Cambridge Civil Engineering Building Best new building (over £2m construction cost) The David Mackay award for engineering and sustainability Client – University of Cambridge Main contractor – SDC Builders Architect – Grimshaw Landscape design – Turkington Martin Façade engineer – Montrésor Partnership Fire engineer – Hoare Lea Structural and civil engineer – Smith and Wallwork MEP services/environmental – Max Fordham Project manager and QS – AECOM Contractor delivery team: Executive architect – R H Partnership Architects MEP Services – K J Tait Structural, civil and fire engineering – Ramboll

16 Cambridge Architecture

Judges’ comments “This project has been some years in the making, and during its genesis, Cambridge University made the welcome decision to no longer use fossil fuels as a heat source.

The building exemplifies what happens when the skills and research expertise of the occupants shape the design and construction of a building – from inception to delivery. The result is a magnificent building that is very low energy, and has been designed to be extended in the medium-term future and dismantled for reuse in the distant future. A beacon of engineering excellence to inspire those that study and work within it.”

© Gary Britton Photography

Greater Cambridge Design and Construction Awards

WINNER Project Atria Heart & Lung Research Institute Building, Addenbrooke’s Hospital Best new building (over £2m construction cost) Client – University of Cambridge Main contractor – SDC Builders Architect – Fairhursts Design Group Project manager / QS – AECOM MEP consultant – ARUP Structural and civil engineer – Curtins Contractor delivery team: Executive architect – R H Partnership Architects MEP subcontractor – Munro Building Services MEP design – K J Tait Structural and civil engineer – Ramboll Fire consultant – Hoare Lea HTM compliance – Ingleton Wood © Nick Guttridge

Judges’ comments “This building was a revelation. The level of thought and preparation for its future occupants inspired us. The team worked closely with Papworth Hospital and the University to create a series of beautiful spaces, with the ability to evolve and adapt to new requirements. The building is innovative, light-filled and offers generous views in all directions. It is an elegant and clever model of a research-enabled future, and one we enjoyed seeing. We make special mention of its Project Manager, Tom Fenner, whose passion for the project inspired us.”

WINNER The Works, Pampisford Conservation, alteration, or extension (over £2m construction cost) Client – The Howard Group Main contractor – Morgan Sindall Architect – NBBJ Project manager – 3PM Structural engineer – Conisbee M&E engineer – David Bedwell & Partners Planning consultant – Shrimplin Brown Fire engineer and approved inspector – Build Insight Health and safety adviser – MSAFE BREEAM assessor – Ensphere Contractor delivery team: Technical architect – R H Partnership Architects M&E engineer – Briggs & Forrester Judges’ comments “Formerly a 1970s car maintenance shed, The Works has been adapted creatively and brilliantly to become a thoroughly modern multiple-occupancy business space.

Retaining the existing concrete structure which defined the workshop space was a strong move, reportedly saving tonnes of embodied carbon by using the framework already on site. Organised around a wide central ‘Street’ accommodating shared facilities, The Works just works. It provides flexible and useful spaces for life sciences research and development and is in the process of creating a community of expertise which shows every likelihood of flourishing.”

Cambridge Architecture 17

Greater Cambridge Design and Construction Awards

WINNER The Brewhouse, Peterhouse Conservation, alteration, or extension (under £2m construction cost) Craftsmanship

© Giles Quarme Architects

Client – Master and Fellows of Peterhouse Main contractor – Vince Thorby: Thorwood Construction Architect – Giles Quarme Architects Structural engineer – SFK Consulting Quantity surveyor – Sawyer and Fisher Mechanical engineer – Trevor Cushion Electrical engineer – James Preedy

HIGHLY COMMENDED PROJECTS Downing Place United Reformed Church

© David Valinsky

Judges’ comments “The Brewhouse has seen many uses and adaptations over the centuries and will now provide a stunning performance space among the ancient beams at first floor level, and offices and services below. The craftsmanship is superb, with fine attention to detail. As much as possible of the original brick and timber structure has been retained, and new insertions made sensitively. Insulation has been added sympathetically and the building uses a remote air source heat pump. The longevity of the energy strategy matches that of the building improvements, and we are confident this building will flourish.”

Conservation, alteration, or extension (over £2m construction cost) surveyor and CDM adviser – Andrew Firebrace Partnership Quantity surveyor – Bremner Partnership M&E engineer – David Bedwell & Partners

© Tom & Lina Photography Ltd

Client – Downing Place United Reformed Church Main contractor – Coulson Building Group Architect – Archangel Architects Structural engineer, party wall

Trinity Hall WongAvery Music Gallery New building (over £2m construction cost) Craftsmanship Client – Trinity Hall College Main contractor – Barnes Construction Architect – Níall McLaughlin Architects Structural engineer – Smith and Wallwork

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18 Cambridge Architecture

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Dedicated professionals

Quantity surveyor – Gleeds Archaeologist – LP Archaeology Landscape architect – Kim Wilkie Acoustic engineer – Gillieron Scott Acoustic Design M&E and acoustic consultant – Max Fordham

Greater Cambridge Design and Construction Awards

Conservation, alteration, or extension (under £2m construction cost)

Craftsmanship

Client – Cambridgeshire County Council Main contractor – Bakers of Danbury Architect – Donald Insall Associates Structural cngineer – RPS Group M&E cngineer – Cambridgeshire County Council Stonemason – Hibbitt & Sons Masonry Ltd Brickwork – Suffolk Brick and Stone Consolidation – Matthew Beesley

Akeman Street Housing New building (over £2m construction cost)

© Hufton+Crow

Private client Main contractor – Patrick B Doyle Architect – CDC Studio Structural engineer – Michael Hadi Associates Services engineer – Hoare Lea Cost consultant – Henry Riley LLP Party wall consultant – AFP

Northstowe Education Campus

© Donald Insall Associates

© Matthew Smith

The Gables, Bartlow

Former Mill Road Library, Cambridge

© Frank Shaw Architects

COMMENDED PROJECTS

Client – Cambridge Investment Partnership Main Contractor – Hill Residential Architect – Mole Architects Executive Architect – Rock Townsend Consultants – GBS Fire Stopping Brickwork – JJ Building Services

New building (over £2m construction cost)

Monkey Roost, Stapleford

King’s College Garden Hostel

Conservation, alteration, or extension (under £2m construction cost)

Conservation, alteration, or extension (over £2m construction cost)

Private client Contractor – Adams and Newman Architect – Owers Warwick Architects

Client – The Provost and Fellows of King’s College Main contractor – Barnes Construction Architect – Owers Warwick Architects M&E contractor – Monroe Services Ltd Quantity surveyor, project manager and principal designer – Faithful+Gould Structural engineer – Smith and Wallwork M&E and acoustics – Max Fordham Fire engineer – Trenton Fire Building dontrol – Salus Planning consultant – Turley

Client – Cambridgeshire County Council Main Contractor – Kier Construction Eastern & Midlands Architect – Frank Shaw Architects

© David Valinsky

© Matthew Smith

Quantity surveyor – Sheriff Tiplady Structural engineer – Gawn Associates

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Legal

The drive for quality construction WRITTEN BY: COLIN JONES, PARTNER, CONSTRUCTION & ENGINEERING TEAM, HCR HEWITSONS LLP

In the last edition of Cambridge Architecture, we started examining how the Building Safety Bill directly impacts architects. As of April 2022, the Bill has been enacted as the Building Safety Act 2022.

The new Act amends the Architects Act 1997 to require a new continuous training expectation for the profession and disciplinary sanctions for architects who fall below competence standards. But what else will the new law cover?

The impetus for the Act was the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017 in which 72 residents lost their lives. Fire engulfed the 24-storey block of flats in west London, unhindered by the non-Building Regulations’ compliant external cladding system. Along with the revelations about the causes of the fire at Grenfell Tower, came the discovery that the external cladding at another 473 tall residential buildings was also unlikely to be Building Regulations-compliant.

As a consequence, there is an emphasis in the new legislation on the safety requirements for the design, construction and ongoing management of ‘higher risk’ residential buildings (over 18m). However, the Act is about much more than that.

The early conclusions of the Grenfell Tower inquiry was that the UK’s entire system for the management of building safety is not fit for purpose. The investigations revealed that in addition to cladding issues, many other building safety defects were present in many other types of buildings. The Act, therefore, aims to address a range of quality concerns relating to all forms of construction.

As well as regulatory reforms, an entire construction industry culture change is seen as required to ensure consistent acceptable levels of construction quality. A new Building Safety Regulator is to be established. The regulator will enforce a more stringent regime for ‘higher risk’ residential buildings, but also oversee the safety and performance of all buildings.

There will be a new registration system for building inspectors, a requirement to provide relevant information for use by occupants about their building’s safety system – the ‘golden thread of information’ – and a new accreditation structure for all construction materials used in UK.

Commons

Lords

© David Adams

The Building Safety Bill gained Royal Assent in April 2022 and became the Building Safety Act 2022.

Colin Jones, Partner at HCR Hewitsons LLP, explains more about the Act’s impact and purpose Final stages

“At its heart, the new Building Safety Act aims to transform safety, quality and competency across the construction sector, at all levels” The Act intends to widen the application of the Defective Premises Act (DPA) 1972.

Under the DPA, homeowners can pursue legal claims for compensation if their home is not ‘fit for habitation’. Potential defendants include the designers as well as the builders of houses.

The time period for bringing a claim under the DPA is extended from six to 15 years for claims that arose after the Act became law, and from six to 30 years retrospectively for claims that had already accrued.

Compensation claims will also be permitted

under section 38 of the Building Act 1984 where an individual has suffered harm because building work has not met Building Regulations standards. The 1984 Act applies where there has been a breach of regulations in respect of any building, not just domestic.

At its heart, the new Building Safety Act aims to transform safety, quality and competency across the construction sector, at all levels. This will, however, come with a significant impact on liability risks for all involved in the design and construction of buildings.

Cambridge Architecture 21

© Dr Irit Katz

Xxxxx xxxxx xxxxx xxxx xxxx xxxxx xxxxxxx

Photographing within the models helped students – and architects – visualise the results

© Dr Irit Katz

© Adam Peavoy

Design challenge workshop

Concentration is everything – Adam Peavoy and student Blanka Valcsicsak (far right) helping pupils with model making

The next generation How could we bring young teens closer to the world of design and architecture? In what way could we better connect Cambridge’s local communities and university students? The Cambridge Association of Architects (CAA) joined the University of Cambridge’s Department of Architecture, and the staff at Chesterton Community College to help answer these questions

CAMBRIDGE’S DESIGN WORKSHOP WAS ORGANISED AND CARRIED OUT BY: ZOE CHAMBERLAIN AND SOPHIE HAWKINS OF CHESTERTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE; DR IRIT KATZ OF CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY; AND ZE’EV FEIGIS, ANASTASIA ORPHANIDOU, MARGHERITA CESCA, ADAM PEAVOY, ROWAN LOGAN, SUSIE LOBER AND ANN BASSETT OF THE CAA

22 Cambridge Architecture

A

rchitects from around Cambridge, students and academics, joined secondary school teachers in March for a design workshop at Chesterton Community College.

The workshop consisted of a number of design-related challenges culminating in a model of a pavilion designed to enhance an under-used area of the school grounds. A cohort of some 60 pupils from Year 7 worked enthusiastically in groups of four or five on each project.

The programme was designed and

Student Camille De Waele demonstrates model making techniques to pupils

Design challenge workshop

Change trigger

Collaborative process

The university students immensely enjoyed the workshop, particularly the valuable chance it gave them to work with children on the principal stages of a design process while becoming aware of the complexities and joys in such a collaborative activity.

They were amazed by the children’s imaginative and creative capacity, while understanding the importance of allowing meaningful space for such abilities to be expressed and developed.

The students noticed the importance of the social structure of the groups they were working with, identifying the challenges in enabling all children to participate equally.

The workshop has also allowed students to engage with communities living in Cambridge, both schoolchildren and CAA architects, reducing the distance between ‘town’ and ‘gown’ while enabling everyone to learn from each other.

Elegance of shape and form created from simple materials

Importantly, the CAA members present provided the Year 2 students with examples of how they could contribute to their future communities, beyond their standard working day. This experience was invaluable in encouraging students to become socially involved architects and aspire for design activism in their future communities and professional life, with the pupils enjoying the guidance of architects and of young students, who, like them, have also engaged in a new experience and studied new skills.

The day was thought to be a great success, with the students, pupils, and architects all gaining valuable insight. The CAA intends to repeat the workshops in the coming years and hopes to roll them out to other schools in Cambridgeshire, possibly with a real building project. © Susie Lober

alternative forms of spatial production based on democratic processes.

The workshop provided an opportunity for students to collaborate with the CAA and Chesterton pupils, a process in which they have learned, through a hands-on experience, possible ways to engage others in a design activity that they have prepared. The workshop provided a firsttime experience of the challenges and opportunities of guiding and working with others in developing design ideas.

Notes, sketches and different materials brought the concepts to life

© Rowan Logan

led by University of Cambridge Year 2 architecture students.

The CAA relishes the chance to engage with the public in any meaningful way, both to enrich the understanding of local communities in architecture and design, but also to flex our own abilities in multidisciplinary design and teaching. To work with school-age pupils is all the more rewarding, not only because of their energy and imagination but also because their uninhibited expression of thought and way of looking at things is often less burdened than our own.

This was the fourth workshop at Chesterton and the first collaboration between the CAA and the Department of Architecture.

When the workshop was first conceived and organised in 2017, its overarching objective was to promote and help develop skills usually associated with design courses, through the lens of architecture and its practice. Similar exercises in spatial reasoning, designing, and particularly in making are often well outside many school-subject curricula. Yet, an architect’s (or designer’s) skill set – be it graphical and verbal representation of ideas, spatial understanding, developing and responding to briefs, conceptual thinking or simple hands-on making – is widely applicable and transferable to a multitude of professions and necessary life skills. Promoting and developing these skills can have an impact on not just those pupils-architects participating in the workshop but on everyone’s understanding of the value of good design.

This year’s workshop was conducted as part of Year 2 course ‘Acting through Architecture’, which aims to introduce students to architecture and architects as catalysts that could potentially trigger socially orientated spatial and urban change.

The course discusses the historical and theoretical aspects of design activism and related approaches such as ‘tactical urbanism’, ‘grassroots architecture’, and ‘participatory design’. It examines their constant change from the responses to the modernist architecture of the welfare state to current contexts of neoliberal urbanism worldwide. By aiming to reformulate socio-spatial structures, such as questioning the gap between ‘the designer’ and ‘the user’, and by seeing architecture as key for generating positive social changes, these approaches offer

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Building control

Building towards the future 2022 promises to be the year that everything – or at least, rather a lot – changed. A new Act, four new Approved Documents, and a new safety regulator all mean that building control officers have their work cut out.

The CAA asked Nick Kendall, learning and development specialist at LABC, to explain how skills are being improved

Following the Grenfell tragedy, Dame Judith Hackitt asked a simple question of the construction industry: ‘Are you competent?’

The answer at the time for many in the industry was (whether they knew it or not) clearly and unfortunately, ‘no’.

LABC has always recognised the part learning plays in achieving competence and for many years has provided a variety of training aimed at both internal and external audiences.

You might expect that the English word ‘training’ would come from transport, but it doesn’t. It’s actually connected to fashion. There the train is the section of the garment that follows behind a dress and is still prominent with wedding dresses today. I like this concept – the train follows the wearer and likewise a trainee follows the trainer. In this analogy, the trainer is also going somewhere and by providing training they are on a journey together.

But learning stuff doesn’t make you competent – however exciting and well-informed the journey was. Competence has to be proved – and that means validation of knowledge, skills and experience.

LABC launched a Complex Building Fire Safety validation of competence in 2018, recognising competency was increasingly important to prove. Last year, it created an arms-length community interest company – the Building Safety Competence Foundation working towards UKAS accreditation to ISO/IEC 17024 (requirements for bodies operating certification of persons) to provide impartial competence assessments for building control surveyors in the public and private sector.

But it goes further: with the new Building Safety Act requiring all building surveyors to be registered, competence requirements will soon cover all types of building work that local authorities do; from domestic extensions to complex buildings. The construction industry is also focusing on sustainability and traceable, responsibly sourced materials, with the desire for those products to perform as described.

The LABC network has already taken the

“Competence has to be proved – and that means validation of knowledge, skills and experience”

initiative with hundreds of surveyors signed up for its CIOB-registered diplomas and University of Wolverhampton degree in building control followed by competency checks over the next few years. This is in advance of the new Building Safety Regulators’ own system (although LABC has their blessing).

But LABC is not alone. RIBA is also focused on improving knowledge and systems. Its 2018 review of the Fire Safety work plan and the more recent RIBA Fire Safety Compliance Tracker will guide architects on how to factor fire safety into new projects. This will also lead to new learning,

knowledge, and competence testing, including through the RIBA’s current Health and Life Safety test (required for 2022), and later the Climate Literacy and Ethical Practice tests proposed (and in development).

The members of both RIBA and LABC are on that same journey of learning and competence, adapting to the new world in which we find ourselves. It’s vital that we seize the moment and take full advantage of the opportunity presented to us, to work together and lead on learning and competency for the benefit of the projects we work on and the people who use them.

Cambridge Architecture 25

© Paul Bradbury, iStock

WRITTEN BY: NICK KENDALL, LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST, LABC

Small practices

It’s not easy being green The CAA asks local small practices how sustainability targets help to inform designs and practice ethos, even in challenging times

© Emma Adams Architect

WRITTEN BY: EMMA ADAMS, LUCIE OLIVIER, MARK RICHARDS, DAVID ADAMS

R

unning a small practice is a difficult business, involving architects in complex issues that are often deeply personal to the owner or client.

Adding a further design agenda in the form of sustainability might seem impossible, as well as the time required to either gain accreditation or take part in CPD sessions.

Several practices declined to contribute, for the simple reason that they were too busy. This brings to light other issues – namely that practices need help from the RIBA if they are to make best use of their time, money and resources, and provide good value to clients, including: ● Access

to high-quality explanatory materials to help explain to clients why sustainability is important in order to save time producing documents in house ● Available

CPD that is better focused on the needs of ‘micro’ practices working in this sector (49 per cent of the RIBA benchmarked practices have one to five staff and 32 per cent of all fee revenue comes from housing) ● Better

access to new and important guidance documents and standards without expensive subscriptions ● M&E

consultants that work on individual residential refurbishments who can advise on the relevant benefits and interactions of lowcarbon heating and local generation. Our local structural engineers work within this domestic market, but there is a dearth of M&E consultants to call on, and we find ourselves donning an M&E hat and relying on suppliers/installers for design and expertise.

Emma Adams Architect

Practising with soul in 2022

Recently completed outbuilding conversion, Cottenham

26 Cambridge Architecture

Unlike for others, Covid came and went(?) without a huge impact on our working practices (we were always in a home studio). After the initial three-month hiatus, the market for our single source of work – private housing – has more than bounced back. But 2022 is producing bigger and more existential challenges. Inflationary pressures have just started to impact decisions and fuel price rises have finally brought environmentally reluctant clients on board, keen to understand more about affordable choices, to reduce reliance on oil or gas and to generate electricity locally. Persuading clients to ‘insulate, insulate, insulate’ is now fully embedded in the process and, as the upcoming changes to Part L in June come into play, this will be business as usual – as long as it can be afforded.

Looking further forward, we would like to see less waste in the whole process; more upgrading and retrofitting; shifting priorities further to introduce more recycling of building materials/kitchens etc; and getting involved in more community initiatives to help local householders make practical and affordable heating and insulation choices.

All of this, while trying to design beautiful and comfortable places to live, and to nurture and maintain Listed buildings. We also need to hold on to the joy of designing and making.

Small practices

Lucie Olivier, Olivier Design Studio

© studio24 architects

I believe that the decision to improve your home rather than move is fundamentally a more sustainable choice. It helps to densify our cities, reduce travel and is the most efficient use of materials.

The approach to sustainability at Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (RSHP), where I worked for more than 10 years, and at Olivier Design Studio (ODS), my new practice, could not be more different.

Sustainability at RSHP often meant asking high-level questions such as: which building orientation would be best? Can we use off-site manufacture? How can we reduce car usage? Is this building flexible enough to accommodate a variety of possible long-term uses?

At ODS, a practice focused on small residential projects, the questions I find myself asking are: can we swap out this material for a more sustainable option? Can we improve the window or insulation specification? Often this costs more money but it can also impact the space, for example by increasing the wall thicknesses.

For me, it’s about making sure the client is aware of these options and helping them make sustainable choices while balancing their priorities, which could be cost, sustainability or space.

I’m still getting used to this shift in scale but I’m so excited to be starting something new.

Study model for a garden room design using a CNC cut LVL diagrid structure

© Olivier Design Studio

Expanding horizons

Residential extension concept study

Mark Richards, studio24 architects

The challenges of sustainable solutions for small projects Building upon shared client values within a sustainable ethos, use and economy of materials and construction has enabled studio24 architects to deliver award-winning, small-site development and residential buildings. On small projects, it’s an acute challenge to source and retain specified materials with small quantities. Materials that might embody the design ethos or provide a robust detail solution, can subsequently become a challenge for your builder to find specialist installers when you come to implement the design.

Achieving sustainable solutions for small projects is a growing issue when clients’ budgets become strained and can dissolve ideas of achieving longer-term benefits. One of our main responsibilities as architects is to build qualitative buildings at all scales, so focusing on simple design ideas that can be executed well is always at the forefront in early stages. Regardless, current fluctuations in pricing and availability of good builders are an equal challenge.

With a growing emphasis on certification, insurance, specification, validation and installed performance, the focus for us in small practice architecture, and as custodians of our clients’ design, has to be clear communication throughout the project work stages. This is also key if we’re to avoid project delays and remain a viable business.

We are pleased to have been involved in the award winning Magdalene College Library project Contact our Cambridge office at carl.maidment@gleeds.com or +44 (0)7718 804401 Spring Summer edition of Cambridge Architecture Gazette_v4_CFO.indd 1

12/05/2022 18:11

Cambridge Architecture 27

Building Regulations

Changing times Building Regulations are being shaken up, not just by the Building Safety Act, but by a raft of regulatory updates coming into force on 15 June 2022, including updates to Part F, Part L, Part O and Part S. Cambridge Architecture caught up with Heather Jones at 3C Building Control to find out more WRITTEN BY: HEATHER JONES

Building Regulations are minimum technical standards set by the government that regulate the construction, extension, and alteration of most buildings. Current Building Regulations change in England on 15 June 2022, and will apply to both residential and non-residential buildings, as well as home renovations and extensions.

Changes comprise uplifts to Approved Document F (Ventilation) and Part L (Conservation of Fuel and Power) along with the introduction of a new Approved Document O (Overheating) and Approved Document S (Infrastructure for Charging Electric Vehicles).

The key aims are to: ● Reduce

emissions in residential buildings ● Prevent

overheating in new builds ● Reduce

emissions in non-commercial buildings ● Improve

ventilation.

The purpose of these changes is to improve air quality and safety by preventing the spread of airborne viruses, mould, and air pollution.

Part L introduces a higher requirement for air tightness, and this means properties will need to ensure they are adequately ventilated, such as installing trickle vents on windows. The u-value requirements for windows, doors, walls, and roofs will be higher to increase energy efficiency, and there will be a higher standard for wet-space heating systems introducing a new maximum flow temperature of 55ºC. Finally, performance of buildings will be measured using primary energy targets.

Housing is a major contributor to carbon emissions and therefore the focus of DLUHC (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities) is to bring in changes as part of a longer-term plan to reach net zero carbon emissions.

●

Top tips

Next steps

When building a new home: ● There

may be a limit on the number of windows because of overheating ● Ventilation

will be key to ensure the building fabric is maintained effectively and ensures the safe welfare of people in the building

Insulation requirements will be higher in a step change to 2025.

When altering, extending, or refurbishing a home: ● If you are replacing a heating system, it must be capable of being extended to include any new technology that is developed in the future ● Insulation

requirements will be higher ● If you are extending a home or replacing any windows it will need to have appropriate ventilation.

If you are building a new home, converting a building into a new home or undertaking major renovation to an existing apartment block ● You

may have to install provisions for electric vehicle charging.

If you are planning building work, seeking expert technical advice in the early stages of your project is essential. A qualified building control surveyor can assess your proposed scheme and recommend improvements to make energy efficiencies part of this work.

Cambridge Architecture 29

© BCR Infinity Architects

Work in progress Chesterford Research Park BCR Infinity Architects

© studio24 architects

© Archangel Architects

A planning application is currently being submitted for a new multi-let R&D laboratory at Chesterford Research Park. The building’s design responds to its context and is a carefully considered development of the park’s current language, enhanced to meet the owner's new sustainability targets.

The building’s central atrium links the arboretum to the surrounding landscape and community. This central shared space will offer a welcoming environment for work and collaboration.

The building will be fully electric using the park’s solar farm, rooftop PVs and air source heat pumps. Efficient structure, thoughtful materiality, daylighting strategies, sustainable drainage, and biodiversity-enhancing plantings are all being used.

Duck End Barns

Design-led habitable space

Archangel Architects

studio24 architects

Archangel Architects have secured planning permission for a new Passivhaus five-bedroom home in South Cambridgeshire. Minimising the impact on the environment and the rural setting is central to the design.

Located in a former farmyard, the black timber roof and walls read as one of the agricultural buildings on the site. The layout has been developed in a C-shaped footprint that creates a new, well-protected courtyard.

Outwards-facing openings are minimised, to keep the building fairly opaque to public and neighbouring views. The design explores the use of natural and non-toxic materials to promote health and wellbeing for the residents.

This two-storey house extension in Waterbeach has recently been submitted for planning approval. It is one of a few projects studio24 is working on with clients who are looking to address an increasing need for design-led habitable space that include: individual study or workspace to facilitate home working, better and more sustainable space to meet family needs, or to create and engage with the outdoors. In addition, the studio’s designs for two new houses for multi-generational living in Essex near completion, and there are planned project starts hitting site later this year – its 10th anniversary year!

30 Cambridge Architecture

Spotlight on projects by Chartered Practices

Hope Street Yard NP Architects and thermally insulated. A new-build element, with a 30-year-old planning consent, is now being completed.

Materials reflect a semi-industrial aesthetic with corrugated metal roofs and Crittall-style windows. External spaces will include soft landscaping and outdoor seating to help create a vibrant space when it reopens later this year.

© The 3DLonnge

© Bassett Architects

© NP Architects

Construction work is progressing on the renovation of Hope Street Yard under the new owners Camel Projects.

Located off Mill Road, the area has long been home to small craft workshops, furniture and cycle repairs and artist studios.

The existing spaces, many no more than lock-up garages, will be modernised

Low-carbon extension Bassett Architects

Mart Barrass Architect (LTD.)

© Snell David Ltd. Architects

MBA (Ltd.) has won planning approval for the refurbishment, remodelling and extension of a two-up two-down Victorian terrace in a Cambridge conservation area to create a party house.

The ground-floor plan is arranged around a metallic-clad service pod (inspired by an art deco cocktail cabinet) and contains the kitchen, utility and bathroom. A structural glass stair brings daylight into the heart of the building.

Full-height, slimline glazed doors connect the new single-storey rear extension (with LCD dance floor) to the rear courtyard to create an indoor/outdoor room, while a mirror wall visually expands the narrow 3.8m-wide plan.

Bassett Architects are working on a single-storey extension to a bungalow in a Cambridgeshire village. It will remove a conservatory and almost double the size of the remaining bungalow with a super-insulated contemporary addition.

Two low-pitched pyramidal roof forms are used to add interest internally and to respect the scale of the existing house and its surroundings. The bungalow’s envelope will be fully upgraded and a number of low-carbon and sustainable energy solutions are being included. The project is with the local authority for planning approval. © CDC Studio

Party house

Newmarket Road CDC Studio

Contemporary country house Snell David Ltd. Architects Snell David is making good progress on site with the construction of a large contemporary country house. The property replaces an existing 1960s dwelling to provide a sustainable family home, comprising indoor swimming pool, gym and cantilevered master bedroom offering views of the surrounding countryside.

The building uses timber-frame construction, a combination of air source heat pumps, solar PV arrays and home battery power storage, green roofs and rain water harvesting for a long-lasting and sustainable solution.

On Newmarket Road, CDC Studio is working on a new residential block. The overarching design concept articulates the massing to maximise dwelling size for nine apartments, while reducing the building’s mass on the sensitive northern elevations.

On the southern elevation, the building’s form is angled away from the road, creating an entrance threshold and space for planting, benefiting the public street-scape.

An internal courtyard allows daylight to penetrate deep into the spaces.

Winter gardens positioned at the western corners capture daylight and provide amenity space. Circulation space is condensed and positioned along the blank eastern elevation that abuts the neighbouring building. A planning application is imminent.

Cambridge Architecture 31

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