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Number of approach: 4

Eco-minimalism

Sustainability is at the heart of Architype’s culture, inspiring and informing everything we do. ‘EcoMinimalism’ is how we describe our approach: •design based on simple and fundamental principles that make the architecture to do all the hard work in saving energy and reducing environmental impact •sustainability integrated into design rather than as added eco-cliches We achieve dramatic reductions in energy consumption and carbon emissions by optimising the building shape, section and orientation to maximise the comfort, delight and benefit of daylight, solar gain and natural ventilation, whilst avoiding overheating. This is underpinned by high levels of insulation, high performance windows, excellent airtightness, elimination of thermal bridging, and carefully integrated services with simple intuitive controls. We minimise wider environmental impact and create healthy internal environments, by using natural materials, with low embodied energy, that are renewable, recycled, and manufactured in non-polluting processes, such as UK grown timber, recycled newspaper insulation, organic paints and stains, cork, rubber and linoleum. By integrating sustainability and avoiding unnecessary complexity in design and detailing, we create uplifting and beautiful sustainable buildings, that are practical, robust and affordable.

Design philosophy

In preference to a ‘house style’, Architype has a clear ‘design philosophy’ that expresses a shared understanding and approach to design and sustainability. We aim to achieve a unique and appropriate solution for each project, inspired by each site, brief and client. Guided by this philosophy, we approach design with intellectual rigour and passion, to produce buildings that are eminently practical and emotionally uplifting. We create inspiring and beautiful buildings of elegant simplicity, which are: •rooted in environmentally sustainable design – see EcoMinimalism •designed through a collaborative and inclusive process – see Consultation •based on simple, strong ideas •holistic and integrated in approach •expressive of their structural and services engineering •underpinned by robust technical thinking and rigorous analysis •bold and honest in the use and expression of materials •designed around the creative use of light and colour •comfortable, enjoyable and uplifting places in which to live, work and play

Consultation

We design with, rather than for, our clients. We are not interested in cosmetic or tokenistic consultation – instead we practice empowered participation which creatively harnesses everybody’s contribution and embeds ownership in to the building right from the start. We see our task as drawing out and developing people’s ideas and vision, raising their ambition as to what is possible, and exploring their concerns, experience and practical needs. This process enables us to discover and express the ethos of the client through design, and to deliver a building that works well at a practical level. We have developed a range of participatory techniques to enable and empower all participants to feel comfortable in being involved, to bring out their ideas and experience, and to enjoy the process of working with us to create their new building. The extent and effort which Architype gives to consultation is unique amongst architectural practices. This has been recognised by the RIBA who have featured our work in a film on ‘Inclusive Design’ (link at end of page). Here are some thoughts from our clients… “Working with Architype has been an excellent learning experience for all involved. It has been an effective working partnership from the outset, enabling us to be involved in every stage of the project. Architype has always understood and supported our vision and it is thrilling to see our dreams becoming reality" Alison Grennan, Headteacher, St. Luke’s Primary School "Architype worked with the children of the school to find out their views. Architype approached this work with enthusiasm and integrity. They made the activities really child focussed and revealed a lot about how our children feel about the school building and environment. Architype have always been approachable and available and have consulted thoroughly with our school and surrounding community. I would highly recommend them" Mrs Penny Cox, Headteacher, Holy Trinity CE Primary School "The Willows project has promoted learning at all levels and with all stakeholders. It has stimulated exciting discussions about shaping the future of teaching and learning and it has promoted creativity and strengthened communication and partnerships. The team approach led by Architype has promoted energy, enthusiasm and vision for our unique facility" Lorraine Dawney, Headteacher of Green Park School "I am so pleased with the way Architype have worked with and consulted the staff, parents and children here at Effra, and even the most vulnerable people feel happy and relaxed in the space" Kathy Power, head of the Community Centre at Effra Early Years Centre commenting one year after completion of the project “Architype has invigorated the community and allowed us all not only to own the final designs but ultimately own this uniquely exciting building” Pete Davies, Community at Heart, Barton Hill, Bristol “One of the major factors in pupils’ outstanding enjoyment of school is the excellent curriculum. Everything is done to ensure that it is exciting and relevant to pupils’ interests. The work done on education for sustainable development and the involvement of pupils in planning the new school building are exemplary”. Ofsted Inspection report: Staunton-on-Wye Endowed Primary School, 12 May 2009. Rated ‘Outstanding’

Research

Architype has been strongly committed to research and development for over 25 years. We have maintained our position at the cutting edge of sustainable design through constant and detailed research into sustainable materials and technologies; by creative engagement in new design thinking; and through exploration of new educational pedagogies in primary and secondary education. Our innovative approach to design has always been balanced by a long track record in the delivery of practical buildings that work. We are now consolidating our research in a ‘Knowledge Transfer Partnership’ with Oxford Brookes University, through which we are employing a research student based in our offices, to run a two year programme of post occupancy evaluation of our buildings. By recording consumption of energy and water, by monitoring temperature, humidity and C02 within our buildings, by comparing this to modelled and predicted performance, and by exploring user feedback on the experience of using our buildings, we aim to discover how well our buildings work and embed the findings into our practice in order to improve the performance of future buildings.

Number of Titles: 6

Education

Early Years

Public

Workplace

Housing

Health

Number of Captions: 1

PEOPLE Arts & Business British Airways Mencap Charity Princes Trust Sorrell Foundation

Number of press: 57

Architecture Today June2001 Site specific – Matzdorf House

The Guardian July 2001 Pulling down the fences – Stroud Cohousing

Eco Tech May 3003 National Memorial Arboretum

RIBA Journal September 2001 Taplow Court

Architects Journal January 2002 Small projects. Matzdorf House

BD January 2002 School bids for classrooms that teach

Southwark News October 2002 Model School’s New Vision. Eveline Lowe

AT Handbook July2003 Hexagon Housing Association Headquarters

BD April 2005 Britain’s First Cohousing Project

Architects Journal, Specifiers Choice March 2005 Effra Early Years Centre

Building for a Future Winter 2005 Happy Birthday Architype

Building for a Future Winter 2005 Sustaining our tower blocks

Specification February 2006 Contemporary Roofscapes

BD May 2006 Seashells Children and Family Centre

Eco Tech May 2006 Sanford Housing Co-op

Self Build and Design June 2006 Stroud Cohousing

BD June 2006 Barton Hill Children’s Campus

Architects Journal August 2006 Genesis

FX August 2006 Architype

Building Services Journal August 2006 Open House. Genesis Project

Building for a Future Autumn 2006 Genesis – the origin of a green building

BD December 2006 Roofing Solutions

Build January 2007 Cutting Edge Ecological Construction.

Gennaio January 2007 Genesis Green Conference Centre

Inspirational & Innovative Design January 2007 Revolutionary Green Conference Centre

Architektur & Technik February 2007 Genesis Project

OnOffice March 2007 The barn and the cowshed

The Independent June 2007 How green is your college? Genesis Project

Architektur & Technik September 2007 Chiltern Hills Visitor Centre

Building November 2007 Sustainability Awards

Skin – architektur und bau forum 2008 Upper Twyford Barn

Architecture Plus 2008 Eco friendly office

Eco Tech 2008 Chiltern Hills Visitor Centre

Domus February 2008 Where the wind blows

Modulo February 2008 Genesis Project

Archinnovations May 2008 Chiltern Hills Visitor Centre

Architecture Today October 2008 Refurbishment and Renovation

Architects Journal November 2008 RIBA Special Award winners

FX November 2008 Take Five – Flooring Focus

AJ Specification November 2008 Address Book

Sustain December 2008 Three roofs revisited

21st Century Schools December 2008 Holistic Schools

RIBA London Architecture Review 2009 Creative Media Training Centre, Southwark

Architects Journal January 2009 Post Occupancy, Architype’s Hereford Office

Architects Journal May 2009 Ledbury Library win

BD Online May 2009 Ledbury Library win

Plan May 2009 Avoid the eco-cliches

Footprint June 2009 Ashden Awards

Guardian Online June 2009 Ashden Awards

BD Online June 2009 Eco Headquarters win

BD Online June 2009 Ashden Awards

BD Online July 2009 Outdoor Classrooms at Architype’s Village School

CABE Publication February 2010 Creating Excellent Primary Schools

BD Education Supplement February 2010 Architype's Schools Programme

Architects Journal February 2010 Rethinking Biomass Boilers

Building December 2009 Green Guru winners announced

Building August 2009 St Luke's eco gospel

Number of news: 26

3. ST Kath

St Katherine’s Library win

Competition win to design the £2.9m St Katherine’s Library in Ledbury, Herefordshire. The competition - for an historic site with 13th century buildings - attracted entries by Feilden Clegg Bradley, Richard Murphy, Davies Sutton and Panter Hudspith. We intend the new library to be Ledbury’s first Passivhaus standard building. Architect Mark Barry and Architectural Assistant Paul Neep presented our designs to over 200 people in Ledbury during Heritage Weekend.

2. Ashden Award win

Ashden Award win

Architype won an Ashden Award for Sustainable Energy (Business) in June this year. We are the first architects to win an Ashden Award, acknowledged as the "world's leading energy awards". We are planning to use the prize money to begin a research project to monitor the ongoing performance of our completed buildings, so that we can improve the energy efficiency of our future buildings. As an Ashden winner we will also be involved in a whole variety of activities and events including discussions with national policy makers. http://www.ashdenawards.org/UK_finalists

1. Associate Ben Humphries speaks at Norwegian Con

Ben Humphries speaks at Norwegian Conference

Our Associate Ben Humphries was invited to speak at the NAL annual conference in September in Norway. NAL is the largest and the most important conference and meeting place for Norwegian architects, planners and decision makers. All 400 seats of the Drammen Theatre were filled. The conference theme was reuse, rehabilitation and transformation of existing buildings with special focus on energy efficient and sustainable solutions - Ben presented the Creative Media Centre and Upper Twyford Barn.

4. Eco Headquarters win

Eco Headquarters win

Architype won the two-stage competition to design a new eco-headquarters for Groundwork Hertfordshire and Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust. Competitors included Satellite; White Design; and Architecture PLB. Located in Bayfordbury, Hertfordshire, the new 1,150 sqm flagship building will provide office accommodation; conference facilities; spaces for hire; education facilities for schools, young people, adults and businesses.

Jono meets Porritt

Jonathan Hines provokes debate about Zero Carbon buildings

Jonathan Hines spoke at an RIBA / Ashden Awards debate chaired by Jonathan Porritt on 23rd October, The subject was “If I were the Government Minister responsible for zero carbon new buildings the key things that I would do to ensure that we are able to meet our targets would be ……". Jonathan gave a provocative speech arguing that zero carbon buildings are the wrong way to achieve national carbon reductions, and proposed an alternative strategy based on radical energy reductions.

St Lukes opening

St Luke's Primary opens

St Luke’s Primary school in Wolverhampton, was formally opened on 23rd October, in a service of celebration led by vicar of St Luke’s church and the Bishop of Wolverhampton.This was followed by the mass release of 400 biodegradable rainbow coloured balloons by the children, and an exciting afternoon carnival.

KTP

Post occupancy research commenced

Architype’s has established a ‘Knowledge Transfer Partnership’ (KTP) with Oxford Brookes University, which commenced on 1st October 2009. We have employed a research associate, Lisa Pasquale, and she will be undertaking a two year research programme of post occupancy monitoring of our buildings.This will include monitoring of energy and water consumption, temperature, humidity and CO2 performance, and user perception feedback. It will enable us to embed the knowledge gained in our practice to improve the design and performance of future buildings.

first breeam primary school

Britain's first BREEAM Excellent Primary School

St Luke’s CE Primary school, designed by Architype, is the first primary school in Britain to be formally accredited as BREEAM ‘Excellent’. This Excellent rating was achieved with Architype’s approach of integrating sustainability into the design from day one, and by a carefully co-ordinated effort by the design and contractor team. St Luke’s is highly insulated timber construction, with careful attention given to form and orientation to maximize and control solar gain, and optimise natural daylighting.

hospice win

St Michael's Hospice win

Architype has been chosen as the architect for a major new development at St Michael’s Hospice in Hereford, following a rigorous selection process which included a mini design competition and two interviews. The £8million project includes the design of a new-build 20 bed in-patients wing, and the refurbishment of the existing hospice building to provide expanded out-patients and new integrated support services.

hugh myd opening

Hugh Myddelton School opens

Hugh Myddelton Primary School in Islington was formally opened on the 6th of October, by the new Headteacher and former pupil Yusuf Islam (aka Cat Stevens). Architype showed Julian Sofear, the original architect, around the new school, and he approved our design!

streatham opening

Streatham URC opens

The new Streatham United Reform Church nursery and community space formally opened on Wednesday 21st of October. Architype refurbished and added a new extension to this Grade ll listed church to provide a nursery and additional spaces for community use. The centre was opened by church minister Revd Richard Goldring, Revd Peter Southcombe and the Moderator of URC Southern Synod. A congregation member thanked our design team for “a wonderful nursery and lovely new spaces for our church”.

rainbow school win

Rainbow School win

Architype has won a project for The Rainbow Charity to create a centre of excellence that will improve and advance the education and health of children with autism and related communication disorders. The current school is located in an existing Victorian villa in Wandsworth. The Rainbow Charity wishes to expand and create a larger school for an additional 48 children and young people from 11-19. We are proposing expressive and tactile new extensions for this specialist project, including a new teaching block and art studio.

25 years

Architype celebrates 25 year anniversary!

This year we are celebrating our 25th anniversary. We have grown from 4 people in the beginning, to 32 staff across two offices - our super eco barn renovation in rural Herefordshire, and our Victorian warehouse in the urban heart of London. We are still absolutely driven by our original commitment to social and environmental sustainability. From these founding principles we have developed into one of the UKs leading ecological architects. Directors Bob Hayes and Jonathan Hines continue to lead us into the future...

St Lukes at ABC of BSF

The ABC of BSF

MADE, the regional architecture centre in the Midlands, is holding a conference and tour on 13 November, entitled “Arts, Buildings, & Culture of Building Schools for the Future”. The day is themed around arts and cultural activity, engagement, and design quality in the built environment. It includes a visit entitled ‘Showcasing design and engagement’ to Architype’s recently completed primary school, St Luke’s in Wolverhampton, where Jonathan Hines will introduce the design, and pupils will lead buildings tours.

st lukes in eco tech

Major feature in EcoTech on St Luke's School

Renowned architectural critic and writer, Richard Weston, writes in the latest edition of EcoTech on how our St Luke's Primary School relies on energy performance rather than eco-gimics.

green guru

Jonathan Hines is announced 'Green Guru'!

Following the online vote, Jonathan Hines has been selected as Building Magazine's 'Green Guru'! Votes were invited for the architect who is currently most influencial in sustainable architecture.

hitherfield opening

Hitherfield Nursery and Children's Centre opens

Architype's new Hitherfield Nursery and Children's Centre was formally opened on Friday the 4th of December, by Lambeth Council's Head of Property Services. The children did a dance routine and sang along with the staff choir to entertain the crowd!

singleton centre win

singleton centre wins awards

Architype's Singleton Environment Centre has won two awards for Innovative Design and Sustainable Design at the Ashford Building Design & Construction Awards. The centre was praised for its seemless integration into the landscape and local ecology; providing a educational and enjoyable atmosphere; and its flexible design with cutting edge sustainable technology at its core.

St Luke's civic trust

St Luke's Primary School wins Civic Trust Award

St Luke's Primary School has won a prestigious Civic Trust Award. Assessors said "the level of community involvement in the design process is admirable and this led to a design which responds directly to and expresses the ethos and character of this impressive school".

Sunnyhill opening

Sunnyhill Children's Centre opens

Sunnyhill Children's Centre was formally opened on the 25th March, with a morning of celebrations including a samba band and children's activities. John Parr, Headteacher of Sunnyhill School, Phyllis Dunipace, Director of Children and Young People's Services in Lambeth, and Keith Hill MP all gave great speeches, and the event ended with a balloon launch.

Gordon visits hitherfield

Gordon Brown visits Hitherfield Children's Centre

To celebrate reaching the target of 3,500 Sure Start Centres, Gordon Brown visited Hitherfield Children's Centre in Lambeth - Architype's 33rd Children's Centre.

st lukes riba win

St Luke's Primary School wins RIBA Award

It has just been announced that St Luke's Primary School has won a RIBA Award - one of only two buildings to win in the West Midlands region.

redriff opening

Mayflower Children's Centre opens

The Mayflower Children's Centre opened today, 20th May, with a day packed with children's dances, a huge paella, and giant walking puppet. Headteacher Mickey Kelly and Simon Hughes MP gave speeches. Simon Hughes unveiled the new sign and cut the ribbon. The building contains a creche, SureStart Centre, and is located on the Rotherhithe Peninsula.

madrid exhibition

Architype in Madrid

'Towards Another Architecture: 24 Sustainable Projects' (Hacia Otras Arquitecturas: 24 Proyectos Sostenibles) has just opened at the Fundacion Canal, Madrid. Curated by Spanish Architect Luis de Garrido, the exhibition includes projects by Foster + Partners, Ken Yeang, Rogers Stirk Harbour, and Architype - our Genesis Project and St Luke's Primary School. The show runs until July 25th.

bcse win

St Luke's School wins at BCSE

Amongst stiff competition St Luke’s Primary School last night scooped the BCSE Sustainable School of the Year Award. On the same night St Luke’s also won Project of the Year under £10m and Environmental Project of the Year at the Quality in Construction Awards.

sorrell schools award

Architype nominated for the RIBA Sorrell Foundation Schools Award

St Luke's Primary School has just been shortlisted for the RIBA Sorrell Foundation Schools Award along with four other prestigious nominees. The Sorrell Schools Award is awarded to the architects of the best RIBA Award-winning school with the aim of raising the standards of design in all new school buildings.

Number of people: 35

Bob Hayes

Director

Bob is founding director of Architype and leads the London office. His early background in social housing, involvement with Walter Segal and self-build gives him a socially oriented approach to architecture. Bob’s experience ranges through master-planning, new build and refurbished schools, a major programme of children’s centres, visitor’s centres and social housing. Bob is a RIBA member and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. He is a CABE Enabler in the schools’ team and is enabling within the government’s BSF programme. He was on the enabling team working with local authorities on their Sure Start programmes. When time allows he enjoys gardening, sailing and fixing things. He is a keen exponent of Joseph Pilates, and, sometimes contrarily, the pleasures of food and drink - both as cook and consumer!

Ben Humphries

Associate

Ben Humphries, BA BArch RIBA FRSA. Ben joined Architype in 2000. He was made the London Associate in 2008. Ben has been project architect on many education and community projects. These include the transformation of a late 19th Century library in Southwark into a contemporary Creative Media Training Centre, and numerous Children's Centres. Ben lectures at universities on environmental selection of materials and has given talks on Architype’s sustainable approach at conferences in the UK, Canada and Norway. He writes articles on sustainability and education, published in Architect’s Journal, Sustain and 21st Century Schools. Outside Architype, Ben’s loves include his family, fine food and grooving to massive slabs of funk.

Jon Ackroyd

Architect

Jon joined Architype in 2008 shortly after qualifying in December 2007. He is currently Project Architect for an extension to the Gower Montessori Primary School, and worked extensively on the detailed design of Croydon Playcare Centre. At his previous practice he was the Project Architect for Tweeddale Children’s Centre, and The Malthouse Studios, a refurbishment of a 19th Century 2000sqm creative arts studio. Jon has a special interest in community engagement and has run a complex range of consultation projects including several abroad. More recently he has worked within the practice with others to develop the use of new technology and 3d modeling techniques to improve the design of sustainable buildings.

Richard Asbury

Architect

Richard studied Architecture at The University of Edinburgh and worked for various practices before he found his eco-mojo working for Architype in 2004. Richard is involved in job-running, design team leadership and project delivery. He is leading the team on a 1.5FE school in Newbury, creating a new identity for a previously failing school. Adventure Architecture and community development (as well as itchy feet and a tolerant employer) has led Richard to get involved in overseas projects. He has advised charities on architecture and construction and worked in Byelorussia, Honduras, Kenya and Zimbabwe. As a volunteer architectural adviser to Southwark Habitat for Humanity Richard also designed and helped construct 5 self-build housing units for low-income families.

Jonathan Hines

Director

Jonathan became a director of Architype in 1989, and later established the West office in 1996. Jonathan’s life-long focus has been on achieving sustainability through design. He has led the team for many of Architype’s pioneering buildings including the Genesis Project, Architype’s Hereford office, and St Luke’s Primary School. Jonathan’s wife is an ex-headteacher now local authority education advisor. His son is studying music in the US and his daughter, languages at Cambridge. He regularly lectures at universities, and is a member of the Design Review Panel of the Design Commission for Wales. Jonathan relaxes by listening to Beethoven, singing with the Hereford Choral Society, taming his wild organic garden, looking after chickens, and cooking vegetarian food - his risotto is renowned!

Mark Lumley

Associate

Since completing his diploma at the Bartlett, Mark has worked on a range of projects in the education, health and community sectors. Mark’s belief is that good architecture is achieved through consultation, the application of excellent design skills, and the use of natural materials and sustainable strategies. This is what Architype does! Mark has worked with a range of artists and filmmakers to enhance the consultation process. Mark joined Architype in 2005 and became Associate in 2008. He ran The Willows, and has subsequently worked on BSF feasibility studies; master planning a Steiner School Campus; and Staunton Primary School. Mark is a parent of a 9 and a 12 year old - both children are having their schools rebuilt or refurbished.

Wendy Bishop

Architect

Wendy studied at Cambridge University and University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, winning the RIBA President’s Medals Dissertation Certificate for her research. Following a baptism of fire during her Part 1 year-out working in Jakarta during Asia’s economic crisis, Wendy has since stayed in the UK, joining Architype in 2001. Wendy has built up much education design knowledge working on many schools and early years projects. She was project architect on the Alderwood Children’s Centre, Rectory Grove City Learning Centre, and the St Quintin Centre. Wendy oversaw the recent refurbishment of Architype’s London office, and is the in-house IT fixer. Between planning trans-continental rail journeys, Wendy and partner Alex are working their way through the Time Out Book of Country Walks.

Jane Brenan

Finance Manager

Jane has worked at organising the finances of a range of organisations across the charitable and alternative sector in London; many of which have developed inspiring ways to provide better resources for their local (or intellectual) communities. Jane works for Architype because she supports its vision of a more sustainably constructed built environment and its belief that the end-users of their buildings have a valuable input into the design process. Jane has a PhD in Medieval Archaeology, and previously produced monthly newsletters on medieval and baroque music. She currently spends some of her free time working as a community mediator enabling victims of crime to talk to the offender and facilitating meetings between neighbours to resolve disputes.

Christian Dimbleby

Arch Assistant

Christian completed a combined architecture and building services degree at the University of Nottingham, specialising in environmental design. Christian joined Architype in 2004 and has worked on numerous education projects, including Stockwell Children’s Centre and Streatham URC Children’s Centre, both in Lambeth. In 2004 Christian and a team of friends were awarded the ‘RIBA East Midlands Special Project Award 2004’ for an exhibition stand for Canal Engineering. For his Part 2 Diploma at London Metropolitan University, he was awarded the Derek Osborne Memorial prize 2008 (best all round work), and has exhibited internationally at the Shenzhen & Hong Kong Biennale 2007. Christian is active in community work, and is part of the leadership of a local Baptist church in north London.

Eleni Germanou

Office Manager

Before working at Architype Eleni worked at Hotel Properties Limited. She decided to move to Architype as she wanted to work in a more creative office.Since joining Architype in 2004 Eleni has been responsible for providing administration and financial support. In 2007 she became Architype’s Office Manager in London. This involves the smooth running of the office. She is responsible for planning, organisation and controlling the administrative side of the business. She also works closely with the Project Architects and CDM Co-ordinator in providing Health & Safety Manuals for each project and frequently liaises with our West office.She is always willing to help and does not limit herself to her job role.

Alison Hand

Business Development

Alison completed a BA in Fine Art at Cardiff University, and an MA in Painting at the Royal College of Art. She joined Architype in 2004, following a passion for architecture into the architect’s office. She has a particular interest in Architype’s background in self-build architecture. Alison works part time with Architype, managing and writing bids and publicity material. She headed the development of the website. Outside Architype she is a practising artist, and is represented by Beers Lambert Contemporary Art - www.beerslambert.com. She is a board director of Art Gene, an Art and Regeneration organisation based in Barrow-in-Furness. She is mad about European Modernism, cities, travel, and anything to do with Spain.

Catherine Harrington

Architect

Catherine joined Architype in 1999, and was an Associate between 2001 and 2008. She has been the Lead Designer / Project Architect for the Chiltern Hills Gateway Visitor Centre, Groundwork / Wildlife Trust Office Headquarters and Education Centre in Hertfordshire, both competition winning schemes. and the National Memorial Arboretum, She initiated the practice’s work in Early Years with the Effra Children Centre in Lambeth and led the London office’s BSF studies of secondary schools in Wolverhampton. Catherine lectures regularly, and is a design tutor in the Masters Sustainable Architecture programme at the Architectural Association. She is a Client Design Advisor for Birmingham County Council for schools in the BSF programme.

Ian Hayton

Architect

Ian studied architecture at the Glasgow School of Art where he chose to focus on environmental design and user interaction. A move to London meant he could join Architype, in 2006, where these themes continue.Architype’s culture is one that develops designs rigorously from first principles. Through working on a series of smaller education projects, both in design and on-site, Ian has gained a range of practical knowledge of construction techniques, documentation and detailing. Amongst his other current responsibilities, Ian is the lead architect for Redriff Childrens’ Centre. Outside work, Ian has a fascination with things that tell the time and also how cities grow and change over time. All very time related.

Robin Hillier

Architect

Robin has over 15 years experience designing environmentally friendly buildings in a community self build context. As project architect for the Diggers self build scheme he became convinced that simplicity, both of the building form, and the construction process, were crucial for a truly low environmental impact. The project won a RIBA design award. Robin was project architect for several other group self build schemes, including the Hedgehog Housing Co-op - as featured on Grand Designs. He has now established himself as the 'grumpy old man' of the practice, and is still willing to object to almost anything simply in order to pass an opinion - although he has not yet been known to object to Wendy's biscuits.

Neil Jarvis

Architect

Neil has specialist experience in ecological architecture and joined Architype in 2008 to pursue this. He is passionate about the role that architecture plays in the context of city - region. Neil was project architect for Victory Primary School, and part of the design team for Holy Trinity Primary School, and a new Eco-headquarters for Groundwork & Wildlife Trust. Prior to joining Architype, Neil worked at Gaia Architects and Tim Foster Architects on a performing arts centre, and a refurbishment of the Theatre Royal Norwich. Neil won the Ibstock Brick Prize; Best Performance, RIBA Part 1, Leeds Met University 2001 and the Ross Jamieson Award; Best Performance, RIBA Part 3, Bartlett School of Architecture, 2007.

Oliver Lowrie

Arch Assistant

Oliver originally joined Architype in 2006 after studying Architecture at Sheffield University. He completed his Part II at Oxford Brookes in 2010 and returned to the company to pursue his interest in socially and environmentally sustainable design. Oliver has worked on Hugh Myddelton Primary School, Bessemer Grange Children’s Centre, and is now part of the team working on a series of primary schools in Croydon. Outside Architype, he has been working on the design of a biodigesting toilet for a Ghanaian School. The scheme uses waste from the toilet to create methane, which powers facilities in the school. Oliver designed the project with fellow Architypee, Gareth, and supervised the project on site in Kumasi. When not thinking about architecture, Oliver would most like to be cycling.

Yordanka Naydenova

Finance

Before joining Architype, Yordanka worked in a busy accountancy firm. She decided to move to Architype in 2006 after she had her son. She found here a great bunch of people: smart, enthusiastic and good friends.As finance assistant, Yordanka works closely with the Director and the Finance Manager, assisting them in the running of the financial side of the business. She offers full support to everybody in Architype and the all-important tea in the afternoon break.

Gareth Selby

Architect

Gareth completed a joint engineering and architecture degree at Nottingham University in 2007, qualifying as an Architect in 2008. Gareth’s passion for socially aware and sustainable design has led to his involvement in the Ghana-based charity Mat-to-Fore, designing school buildings and biogas toilets. In line with Appropriate Technology principles local materials have been used such as a bamboo structure and local pozzolanas to replace cement content. The latest addition is the biogas toilet that processes human waste into methane, for power,and fertiliser for the crops. Outside architecture, Gareth has a passion for the outdoors, youth work and God - preferably all three combined. Gareth can be seen riding around London on his bike looking (unsuccessfully!) for muddy hills.

James Todd

Architect

Before joining Architype in 2000, James developed low-energy construction techniques at the Centre for Alternative Technology. At Architype, James applies his passion for sustainable technologies to numerous projects. He was on the design teams that won the Seashells Centre, and Genesis Project design competitions. James has worked on a number of sensitive refurbishment projects including the Creative Media Training Centre in Southwark and the new community hub at URC in Streatham. He is currently project architect on the Holy Trinity Primary School expansion project and at Fortune Green Play Centre, where the concept of ‘natural play’ is being explored in relation to both landscape and architecture. When not working, James can be found honing his jazz piano technique.

Mark Barry

Architect

Mark graduated from Birmingham School of Architecture in 2001 where he chose to focus on environmental and contextual design. Since joining Architype in 2007, he has further developed his skills in sustainable design with particular focus on the Passivhaus approach, having designed a housing scheme, and the new St Katherine’s Library to this standard. Mark is also currently running a conversion scheme for a complex of barns in Somerset and the major alteration and extension to St Michael’s Hospice, Hereford. Mark has in-depth practical building knowledge and restored his C17th timber framed cottage. He enjoys growing his own fruit and vegetables at the home he shares with his wife Claire, their two daughters, 8 chickens, 7 ducks and 2 cats.

Elrond Burrell

Architect

Elrond is a Kiwi who came to the UK in 1998 and ended up staying! He brought with him a keen environmental awareness, experience in timber frame construction and a hack-sack. In the UK he gained a wide range of experience before joining Architype to work on The Willows project. He enjoys the challenges and opportunities of large, complex projects - particularly in the education sector - and working with clients, consultants and contractors over the course of projects. Elrond meditates regularly, occasionally going away on retreats in the Welsh hills, and finds great benefit in this clarity of mind. Living in rural Herefordshire reminds him a little of home with the green countryside and wonderful views of the Black Mountains.

Amelia Eiriksson

Arch Assistant

Amelia graduated from the University of Nottingham’s “Sustainable Unit” Studio in 2008. She is in her second year out with Architype. Amelia has worked predominantly on school projects, and competition bids for social care buildings and housing. Her main project is Steiner School in Stourbridge which involved master planning the site, landscaping and design of the Kindergarten. Amelia’s experience in socially and ecologically sustainable methods made her appeal to the firm, as well as her environmentally friendly attitude to life. She previously travelled to Cuba to experience a self-sufficient society, and is keen to see other comparable examples and cultures. Amelia cycles to work several times a week (when its not raining, or too dark!) and is a vegan.

Lee Fordham

Architect

Lee has 5 years experience as a qualified architect practicing in the UK, New Zealand and Australia. With previous practices he worked on a number of ecological and low energy school projects. With Architype he worked on the Minster Secondary School design competition, and The Willows. Lee excels in dealing with complex technical projects and the site issues that arise. Lee is a keen surfer and when he is not working you will find him on a Welsh beach waiting for the perfect swell. His other interests include cycling and running and generally keeping amazingly fit. He has proudly represented his County at crown green bowling!

Charles Grylls

Architect

Charles studied at Hull School of Architecture where he received commendation for work researching Photovoltaic Technology. He summer worked in Tasmania designing and building pole frame houses. Since joining Architype in 2003 he has worked on projects including Swansea University student accommodation, Stroud Co Housing Scheme, and the Green Shop in Stroud that is now being monitored as one of the lowest energy offices in the UK. He is Project Architect for Pont Aur extra care scheme. Outside Architype, Charles is acting chair of the Herefordshire Society of Architects. He is coach of Architype football and tennis clubs, and founder member of the Hacky Society. He also holds the office record for eating Cadburys cream eggs.

Jenny Kerrigan

Arch Assistant

Jenny joined Architype in 2007, after studying at Oxford Brookes. Her Diploma projects investigated sustainable communities; contemporary application of vernacular building traditions; and community involvement in regeneration. She is currently involved in the redevelopment of St Michael’s Hospice, Hereford. Other projects include St Luke’s Primary School and Blakenhall Neighbourhood Centre in Wolverhampton. Jenny particularly enjoys the consultation process, and the practice’s holistic approach to both social and environmental sustainability. Spare time is rarely spare! She is involved in Church activities, plays clarinet in the local concert band, enjoys being outdoors and anything art/craft related. She has recently started learning to sail as a volunteer on holidays for teenagers in Norfolk.

Julie MacLean

Admin Assistant

Julie joined Architype on a temporary contract to cover maternity leave and is still here over two years later. With the title of Administration Assistant, her tasks include answering the phone, making tea and lunch, helping to prepare bid documents, issuing drawings, to name just a few. Julie doesn't restrict herself to her job role and is always willing to help with any task that may arise. Outside of the office, among other things, Julie likes to bake and brings many cakes and desserts into the office. She has been blamed for the expanding waistline of the architects.

Tom Mason

Architect

Throughout his architectural education at the University of Brighton, Tom was self employed designing and building small scale extensions and loft conversions, including helping out on the first earthship in the UK at Stamner Park. After joining Architype in 2004, Tom led the design and detailing on Barton Hill Children’s Campus in Bristol. He is currently running Staunton-on-Wye Primary School in rural Herefordshire. Tom is interested in all types of sustainable construction, particularly Passivhaus. His experience at Architype includes housing projects, BSF feasibilities and competition entries. When not playing with his camera, Tom can be found convincing his friends to ski-train to the Alps for a spot of snowboarding or making birch ply furniture for his 1974 vw campervan!

George Mikurcik

Architect

In his home country of Slovakia, George graduated from the Universtity of Bratislava in 2002. Following his move to UK, George worked for a smaller practice, gaining experience of the construction industry. He fully qualified in 2006, and joined Architype. George has enjoyed being the Project architect for St Luke's – Britain’s first BREEAM Excellent primary school in Wolverhampton, and is currently leading the team for the Blakenhall Neighbourhood Centre on the adjacent site. George has a particular interest in passivhaus design, methods of construction and sustainability. When not working, George likes building things (recently built a clay oven), making his own sausages, mountain biking or taking snaps. He is looking forward to a proper winter with lots of snow.

Paul Neep

Architect

Paul graduated from the Welsh School of Architecture at Cardiff University in 2005, and worked in Cardiff and Birmingham before joining Architype in 2008. He has experience in a wide range of building types including residential, education, office and public architecture. Paul is currently working on St Katherine’s Library, and The Willows in Wolverhampton. In his spare time Paul plays rugby and undertakes voluntary work for a local charity. He has also designed a new school for a village in Kenya as part of further charity work that has provided an interesting insight into planning, building regulations, and health & safety policies within the developing world.

Ade Scholefield

Arch Assistant

Ade graduated from the Welsh School of Architecture in 2004 after a year-out working with Fielden Clegg Bradley and summer work placements with Architype and Simmonds Mills Architects. Ade was engaged to design and construct a rammed earth extension to a modern house in Malvern. Ade joined Architype fully in 2006, working on St. Lukes Primary School. A current member of the AECB, Ade has a passion for sustainable and environmentally conscious design that is socially responsive forming a holistic methodology. Recent activities include design and build of a timber frame artist studio, release of a CD album and collaboration in various musical projects, and looking forward to the next trip out to the Outer Hebrides.

Hazel Vansittart

Office Manager

Hazel’s eight years with the company shows she enjoys working with Architype! She is Architype’s Office Manager in the West, and arriving at the beautiful office is an uplifting experience for her every morning. She has two main passions outside of Architype. One is running two weekly evening weight loss sessions. It is immensely satisfying to witness the transformation after a few weeks in people that arrived in despair. The other is dancing - traditional Egyptian Belly Dance. Hazel visits her family in North Wales and Cornwall, where she is originally from, whenever she can, and loves to travel further whenever possible. Spain is a favourite, and she has visited France, Italy and Tobago, which was an amazing experience.

Nathan Avard

Architect

Nathan gained his architecture degree from the Kent Institute of Art and Design in 1996. He joined Architype in 2000 and worked on a variety of projects including running the Springhill Cohousing project. In 2008 Nathan left Architype to refine his passion for timber, gaining a joinery qualification and teaching on green wood work courses; erecting green oak buildings; producing timber furniture; and working as a carpenter. He now combines traditional timber craft with design work at the forefront of timber frame best practice. Nathan rejoined Architype in 2010 to work on two schools in Wolverhampton – both aiming to achieve Passivhaus. Recently Nathan’s keen interest in climbing and cycling have been sidelined as he has been busy renovating his 17th century town house.

Lisa Pasquale

KTP Researcher

Lisa is Architype's sustainable design development manager, as part of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Oxford Brookes University. Her research bridges between the both offices, the University, consultants and clients, and aims to improve the real-world performance of Architype’s buildings. She holds a BArch from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and an MSc in Sustainable Environmental Design from the Architectural Association in London. Previously, she’s practiced as an architectural designer in London, Boston and Shanghai, and taught design studios at the Boston Architectural College. When not in the office, she’s often found on her bike or in a kayak.

Kathryn Nickson

Arch Assistant

Kathryn Nickson studied for her undergraduate degree and Masters at the Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University. During her year in practice she became particularly passionate about school design, working on a number of education projects. She pursued this passion during her Master's where she focused on designing for Special Education Needs. She has a particular interest in how school design, specifically material use, can affect children's attitudes to sustainability and consumer culture. Since graduating in 2009, she has designed and built a tree-house office - almost exclusively of reclaimed materials - for a private client in France. Kathryn enjoys running, cycling and being outdoors. As a food lover and a keen cook, she is looking forward to getting involved in the Architype vegetable garden.

Helen Warren

Architectural Assistant

Helen graduated from Oxford Brookes University in 2009 with an undergraduate degree in Interior Architecture. Her final year dissertation research explored the conservation and presentation of Monastic ruins. Design projects included the regeneration of a Victorian viaduct in London’s Borough Market, and an exhibition design for the Garden History Museum in Lambeth. She is particularly interested in vernacular building methods, traditional craftsmanship and natural materials, and is currently involved in the Bushbury and Oakmeadow primary school projects in Wolverhampton. Her free time is spent playing the piano, watching films or exploring the countryside with her new dog Harry.

Number of project: 42

St Luke’s C of E Primary School

Value: £6m; client: Wolverhampton City Council; complete: 2009

This is Britain’s first BREEAM Excellent Primary School. Completed in 2009, the flagship project is a new 2 form entry school (420 places) and a 30 place Nursery, with community facilities and extended use. The interior of the all-timber building is warm, colourful, and textural, with light-filled classrooms opening to outdoor play areas. Classrooms are arranged around vibrant ‘hub activity spaces’ which work better with the school's teaching ethos than group rooms, and eliminate corridors. The shared hub spaces - including library and reading zone, food technology and sensory spaces - are next to each other to promote creative interaction. Cosy places such as the timber ‘greenhouse’, and moveable curved ply bookcases, extend the range of learning opportunities and help acoustically. Key sustainable features include: • 2 storey prefabricated timber construction using 300mm thick I-beam walls and 400mm thick I-Ibeam roofs to reduce cold bridging, insulated with Warmcell recycled newspaper, in an airtight, moisture permeable fabric • untreated UK grown Douglas Fir timber wall cladding, and a Cedar shingle roof • triple glazed windows • biomass heating system, and a BMS controlled passive ventilation system with night time cooling • natural organic paints and stains and floor finishes • high levels of natural light, controlled natural ventilation and a healthy internal environment

Hugh Myddelton Primary School

Value: £2.25m; client: London Borough of Islington: complete: 2009

Architype has recently completed the extensive remodelling and refurbishment of Hugh Myddelton Primary School. Architype has recently completed the extensive remodelling and refurbishment of Hugh Myddelton Primary School. Architype’s extensive consultation and analysis of the existing 1968 building included working with the original architect Julian Sofaer. Our key objectives were to combine the existing off-site nursery into the main school; to resolve the complex circulation problems caused by having a central hall; to deal with the many level changes; and to refurbish existing classrooms. Adding a first floor cantilevered extension provided additional accommodation. A glazed slot was carved through the building creating a ramped circulation route to connect all areas to the heart of the school. Existing classrooms were refurbished to provide new nursery and foundation stage accommodation, and external areas were re designed to maximise play space. Gold timber contrasting with cobalt blue render creates a vibrant new entrance and lively street facade.

The Willows

Value: £17m; client: Wolverhampton City Council; 1st phase complete: 2009; 2nd phase complete 2011

Architype are leading the design team on this £17m development, bringing together a special school for 4-19 year olds, and a mainstream primary school. We organised the special school into key stages clusters of three classrooms - structured (ASD), focused (SLD) and sensory (PMLD). The SEN classrooms exude a calm atmosphere, with fixings for hoists seemlessly integrated into the architecture, avoiding non-integrated later additions. The Willows is located in an area of UK highest 10% deprivation - we have transformed the school’s determination to create a happy, safe place for these children into a welcoming, light-filled, easily navigable building. A simple coherent plan allows easy circulation around the building, with shared facilities located in a central linear zone.

Children’s Centres

Architect and Lead Consultant, RIBA stages and contracts - various

Architype has been working with Greenwich, Lambeth, and Southwark councils since 2004 to design and implement an ambitious programme of 33 Children’s Centres across the boroughs, encompassing schemes for refurbishment, extension, and new build projects. Stockwell CC – pictured - is the ninth Children Centre in Lambeth to be completed as part of this programme. A new two-storey centre wraps around the original Victorian buildings, and provides nursery space, a creche, training, and office accommodation. The contemporary insertion within the existing architecture creates a vibrant new entrance. Light cascades through the staircase and glazed first floor panels to illuminate the ground floor entrance. Coloured ‘windows’ punctuate the nursery and creche spaces, animating and casting light into the rooms.A partially glazed lobby area links the ground floor of the original building, which accommodates the 0-2 year olds’ play area, to a newly created play area for 3-4 year olds. Both this area and the crche open out into a south-facing garden, sheltered by a colourful canopy. A large roof light creates a bright, airy first floor landing from which to access training, meeting and office spaces including the refurbished first floor room of the original Victorian cookhouse. The building is timber closed panel construction with rendered external walls. The ecological specification includes Warmcell insulation, underfloor heating, and natural light and passive ventilation systems. Flat roofs and canopies are planted with mixed sedums, adding to local biodiversity.

Creative Media Training Centre

Value: £5.5m; client: Elephant and Castle Regeneration, Southwark Council; complete: 2007

Architype’s ambitious sustainable refurbishment brings back to life a derelict Victorian Library, opened in 1894, transforming it into a dramatic media and community training centre. The building is one of the first flagship construction projects to be completed as part of the wider Elephant and Castle regeneration programme. Working closely with Southwark Council, we developed a mixed-use brief to reconfigure the historic structure into a highly accessible facility, with the overarching aim to create an iconic sustainable scheme. Architype’s design approach preserves the essential character of the building, whilst incorporating a series of crisp, contemporary architectural extensions. These include a new 3rd floor pavilion, new circulation core, a dramatic full height atrium and a curved timber clad pod - the Wrapper - facing on to Union Street. The basement area extends to provide start-up studio spaces; a series of new media and theatre workshop spaces are inserted into an existing void; a third floor pavilion extends upwards on top of the existing building shell. The new steel structure for the wrapper media spaces and exposed concrete core were built up through and adjacent to the existing building. Dynamic bridges span the two structures at differing places on each floor. The scheme has been designed to a rigorous environmental agenda and incorporates a largely passive strategy. The building uses natural stack ventilation, with the atrium space providing wind driven and stack effect extract ventilation to the training rooms, through BMS controlled Passivent grilles located on the facade under new high performance sash windows. The atrium and rooflights provide excellent daylight into the heart of the building. A very low carbon heating system uses a KWB wood pellet boiler in the basement, underfloor heating and solar panels for hot water are incorporated, and it is predicted the building will achieve approximately a 60% reduction in Carbon emissions over an equivalent fossil fuelled, fully air conditioned building. The concrete is 50% GGBS, in lieu of the very high embodied energy Portland cement, saving over 40 tonnes of C02, and the timber is entirely FSC or PEFC, including all plywoods in the project. The building had over 400 visitors at Open House 2008, and featured in the London Festival of Architecture 2008.

Upper Twyford Barn, Hereford

Value: £450k; client: Duchy of Cornwall; / Architype; complete: 2006

Architype has transformed a derelict barn complex in Herefordshire owned by the Duchy of Cornwall into stunning contemporary offices for the practice’s Hereford office. The original barn was almost totally derelict when Architype first visited the remaining standing walls - hundreds of years old. We began to carefully restore it, adding a timber ‘box’, and transforming the ruin into a light-filled working studio. The aesthetic is warm and expressive, and the original threshing space is glazed from floor to ceiling, framing the beautiful views. The design was undertaken with maximum attention to sustainability. It exemplifies our ‘eco-minimalist’ approach - focusing on careful analysis to develop effective solutions and achieve long term sustainability; avoiding unnecessary techno-fixes. Key features include: - Use of ‘breathing” timber construction - to enable the use of untreated timber in a technically safe construction - Use of carefully sourced sustainable materials – including UK grown timber (chestnut from within 1 mile of the site), lime mortar, recycled newspaper insulation, reclaimed Welsh slates, and re-use of materials from the existing buildings. All paints, stains and floor finishes are organic. - Careful orientation for daylight and solar gain - Use of thermal mass and night time cooling - Using high levels of insulation and airtightness - Biomass boiler for heating and hot water - Adoption of state of the art water efficiency measures and airflush toilet system - Innovative low energy purpose made light fittings Winner of the RIBA Sustainable Building of the Year Award 2007

Stroud Co-housing

Value: £4.5m; client: Community Housing Association; complete: 2004

Stroud Co-housing is the first new build co-housing scheme in the UK. Based on the Danish model, co-housing is a form of collaborative housing that creates agency and a real sense of community. The scheme consists of private houses with a shared common house at the centre. Communal facilities include a dining room and kitchen, meeting room and shared gardens, laundry and workshops, and children’s playrooms. Cars and parking are kept to the edge of the site, leaving the majority of the area pedestrian only and safe for children. The project uses an ecological timber frame construction and was awarded a Government grant for the installation and monitoring of Photovoltaic panels. Finalist in the ODPM ‘Sustainable Communities Award’ 2006

Holy Trinity Primary School

Value: £4.3m; client: London Borough of Richmond; complete: 2010

Architype is currently expanding this primary school from one form entry up to two form entry, increasing capacity from 210 to 420 pupils. Architype won the project through the OJEU process and subsequent competitive interview. Our concept for the new school respects the character and ethos of the existing school – maximising the use of the existing buildings where appropriate - and provides new buildings that enhance the environment for teaching, are visually attractive, robust and easy to maintain. A new inviting entrance to the school will lead through to a suite of class bases and group spaces that open out into the landscape. Circulation will be rationalized and improved, and the hall will be developed as the central heart of the school around which a lively internal circulation ‘street’accesses learning and social activity spaces. The building will be highly sustainable, maximising natural daylight and ventilation, and aiming to achieve BREEAM ‘Excellent’.

Barton Hill Children’s Campus

Value: £4.5m; client: Bristol City Council; complete: 2007

This major new education facility comprises a new primary school together with a new Children’s Centre and community hub. The project was designed through an extensive process of consultation with children, teachers, governors and parents, together with the local community and a regeneration company. The design creates a positive presence on the street frontage, with open and welcoming foyer spaces and external courtyards. The building form encloses sheltered secure playgrounds and outdoor learning areas, set amongst the existing trees. Designed to a demanding environmental agenda, the building has excellent natural daylighting, passive ventilation, and very high levels of insulation. The school children worked with artists to create stunning glazing installations, and the results can be seen at:

The Gower School

Value: £750k; client: The Gower School; complete: 2008

This new project in Islington is the first Montessori Primary School in London, and accommodates approximately 90 children between the ages of 5 and 11. Located within converted historic workshop buildings, the new scheme is a warm, intimate environment with four flexible teaching spaces that encourage the independence and experiential learning ethos of Montessori. Architype has since been appointed to design a further storey on the building, incorporating two classrooms, a new playdeck, and works to the existing first floor to create access routes. “It’s good in every way; natural light and calm colours create the perfect spaces for learning and play” Emma Gowers, Principal, The Gower School

Staunton Primary School

Value: £1.8m; client; Staunton-on-Wye Endowed Primary School; complete: 2010

Architype is designing a new school and pre-school for Staunton-on-Wye Endowed Primary School in west Herefordshire. Staunton-on-Wye Endowed Primary is a Voluntary Aided School with 70 pupils in 3 classes, and a community run pre-school. The new three class school for 90 pupils with an adjoining pre-school facility providing 26 places is located on an existing field within the village, enabling the school to move out of their existing 3 storey Victorian building which is in poor condition and unsuitable for modern education. The design is being developed through a creative consultation process that has involved staff, governors and parents, and has engaged every child in the school in a series of indoor and outdoor workshops. The school is very proud of its green credentials and is committed to creating a new school that is not only user friendly and sustainable but can also be used as a learning tool for the children. The children have analysed the site searching for bugs, studying flora and fauna, testing the soil, setting out the building and doing acoustic testing. They have also developed their own ideas for the building, classroom designs and landscape ideas. As an existing eco-school, there is a strong desire for a highly sustainable building. In addition to creating a super-insulated building with careful orientation, good daylighting and natural ventilation, the design team are exploring a number of other measures including biomass and a ground source heat pump. "One of the major factors in pupils’ outstanding enjoyment of school is the excellent curriculum. Everything is done to ensure that it is exciting and relevant to pupils’ interests. There are so many extras built into the curriculum that it would be difficult for a pupil not to find something of interest. For example, the work done on education for sustainable development and the involvement of pupils in planning the new school building are exemplary” Ofsted Inspection report: Staunton-on-Wye Endowed Primary School, 12 May 2009. Rated ‘Outstanding’

City Learning Centre

Value: £300k; client: London Borough of Kensington & Chelsea; complete: 2002

Following Architype’s consultancy to the DfEE - which culminated in The City Learning Centres Design Guide - Architype was commissioned to undertake this complex refurbishment project which transforms an existing library hall into an innovative City Learning Centre. The centre is a joint venture between the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea and the Royal Borough of Westminster, and provides state of the art computer facilities for schools across the two boroughs. Architype worked closely with two specialist lighting consultants and a furniture designer to create a series of exciting and stimulating spaces including a discovery room, an interactive learning hall and a dramatic digital editing pod. “Users have responded incredibly well to the building, which needed to go beyond being a modern classroom. Architype have successfully taken an existing building and a tight budget and worked with us to create a fantastically stimulating and modern learning environment” Neil Huntingford, Education Services and Facilities Manager

Genesis Project

value; £2.5m; Client: Somerset College of Arts and Technology; complete: 2006

Architype’s Genesis Centre at Somerset College of Arts and Technology is a revolutionary approach to teaching and evaluating cutting-edge thinking in ecological construction. It provides a world-class education resource for Somerset College, the construction industry and organisations engaged in sustainable practice. The scheme comprises an elegant central pavilion which gives access into five smaller, separate pavilions, each demonstrating and exploring different sustainable construction materials and methods including cob walls, rammed earth walls, straw bales, and clay blocks. The building is an ongoing experiment - evaluation of the methods and materials will continue throughout its life. The Centre also demonstrates the benefits of sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS), designed to regulate and filter the flow of water into our rivers and urban drainage networks. A biomass boiler runs on waste shavings and sawdust collected from the college’s workshops to provide fuel to run the building’s underfloor heating. Further energy needs are met from solar and photovoltaic panel arrays positioned on the main pavilion roof. “Architype’s visionary interpretation of our requirement for a building which would serve a platform for the delivery of knowledge and skills associated with sustainable construction has exceeded even our highest expectations. Their design and use of an array of sustainable materials and concepts into this iconic and contemporary building is capturing the interest of the sustainable construction industry; is inspiring other designers; and is engendering the motivation that will ensure sustainable construction increasingly becomes mainstream” Ian Moore, Genesis Operations Director

Wolverhampton Secondary BSF

Value: £60m; complete 2008

Architype assisted Wolverhampton City Council in the development of their secondary school BSF. We developed proposals for 6 secondary schools, and worked in depth on two schools within the programme to the more detailed sample stage. We worked closely with the schools to develop ideas and strategies to implement their vision of educational transformation. At every stage we engaged all the stakeholders in careful consultation. This ensured that the school community fully participated in decisions about both the overall strategic direction and the detailed building proposals. Architype’s schemes were the most highly rated of those in the BSF programme. Architype is also acting as CDA on the BSF Programme for Birmingham City Council.

Brookhill Sure Start

Value: £1.9m; client: Greenwich Borough Council; complete: 2008

Architype’s Brookhill Centre in Greenwich - part of the Children’s Centre programme - is designed to deliver a range of community, children and family services. It serves a highly diverse local community in a disadvantaged area, and provides integrated care and education for young children, information for parents and children, access to health services, family support and parental outreach, links to JobCentre Plus and a base for childminders. The accommodation includes a nursery with 49 places offering full day care from 3 months up to 5 years old; a large flexible community hall; an incredibly popular community cafe; flexible training, creche and group rooms; a shared kitchen serving both the nursery and Children’s Centre. External & internal colours are bright, vibrant and welcoming to create an uplifting atmosphere. The building is constructed from timber cassette panels and clad in a mixture of render and larch cladding. Roofs are non-PVC single ply membrane with sedum blankets. Internal finishes include natural flooring and natural paints. Low-energy and user-friendly systems include underfloor heating, low energy lighting, and low volume flush WCs. Brookhill has been awarded a Civic Trust Award Mention, March 2009. “We needed a flexible building because of its many uses. Architype has created an inspirational and functional building that allows us to be creative about the use of space so the rooms can be used for multi- purposes.” Council Spokesperson

Effra Early Years Centre

Value: £1.6m; client: London Borough of Lambeth; complete: 2006;

Architype’s Effra Centre combines a nursery and community centre within a tight urban site. The scheme is a creative overlap of facilities including childcare, a creche, and training and meeting facilities which are used by parents and the community. A single storey building enhanced by thoughtfully designed gardens is entered through a reception tower shared by the nursery and community centre. The flexible nursery includes a children’s kitchen, bespoke designed children’s WCs, and a sensory room. Moveable nursery furniture within an open plan layout enables the space to be defined for a diverse range of events and overlapping activities. The centre is a vibrant buzz of social activity, providing facilities surpassing the expectations of Excellence Centres, Children’s Centres, and Early Years provision. Effra has been a popular feature in Open House since it was completed.

Sunnyhill Children’s Centre

Value: £2m; client: Lambeth Borough Council; complete: 2009

Sunnyhill Children’s Centre is a dynamic, inspiring building providing education for children aged 0-5 along with healthcare, and community facilities. Located on a sloping site, adjacent to the original listed primary school, the Centre’s shifting geometry creates two spaces of different character to the north and south. A children’s walkway follows the southern boundary of the scheme, raised above the level of an existing playing field. To the north, trees, grass and a nature garden become a secure children’s play area, the building form creating a visual and physical enclosure. A timber clad canopy floats above the main entrance, and individual classrooms have coloured glazed entrances. On the roof, timber clad daylight and ventilation funnels echo the existing school’s chimneystacks. Natural healthy materials are specified throughout, including timber structure, lime renders, natural rubber floorings, recycled work surfaces and natural paints. Children’s seating is located on top of the ground source heat pump piles, and an energy counter display shows how much energy is consumed by the building and the amount of carbon emitted. A soft landscaped roof tilts towards the children’s play area.

Croydon Playcare

Value: £2.1m; client: Croydon Borough Council; complete: 2009

This recently opened Children’s Centre in Croydon accommodates 0-16 yr olds in the one scheme. In addition to full daycare, the centre includes after school care and a holiday club. Architype organised art workshops for the children to explore ideas for their new Playcare Centre. These ideas were further developed and subsequently incorporated into our final design. Children and staff worked also with a local artist to make a fantastic model of the whole site.

Seashells Centre

Value: £1.9m; client: Swale Borough Council, Sure Start Sheerness; complete: 2005

Architype’s competition winning building has transformed the face of early yearseducation, social services and community support through its informal arrangement of‘all facilities under one roof’ interspersed with social spaces. This ‘one stop shop’ model enables children and families to have easy access to vital education, health and social services. We have expressed this key concept through an arrangement of vibrantly coloured pavilions around a relaxed, sunny courtyard. This ethos of education for all underpins our design and we have created an unsegregated and informal environment where security is subtle, and families can drop in for mentoring and support – facilities positioned so that parents pass en route to the nursery. The centre is fantastically light and airy, creating an uplifting atmosphere and thecovered ‘outdoor’ courtyard enables easy circulation, devoid of corridors. Our sustainability approach includes a clayblock construction and a design that maximises high levels of daylighting and natural ventilation along with healthy, non-toxic and robust materials.

St Quintin Family Centre

Value: £2.2m; client: London Borough of Kensington and Chelsea; complete: 2009

The core service to be provided from this Centre will be after school care, holiday and weekend care. The Centre can also be used as a safe meeting and socialising point for children with disabilities aged 16 and over. A nursery within the Centre will offer full-time childcare for children from birth to 5 years, with provision for children with special needs, subsidised sessions for children and places for working parents. The Centre will also provide a venue for family support and outreach services for parents, as well as child and family health services, links with schools and with the Job Centre. The project uses low embodied energy and renewable, recycled or recyclable materials to reduce the overall carbon footprint of the building. A low embodied energy timber structure is used for the majority of the new roof and extensions. The building has been designed to be naturally ventilated, and to maximise natural light, with high performance double-glazed timber/aluminium composite windows.

St Katherine's Library

Value: £2m; client: Herefordshire Council; complete......

Architype has just won the competition to design a new £2.9 million library and refurbish an existing Grade II* listed building in Ledbury, Herefordshire. The site dates from the 13th Century and currently houses the Grade I listed St Katherine’s Hall and Chapel; the Grade II* listed Master’s House; the Almshouse and a timber frame barn - both listed at Grade II. We moved the location of the new building to create a generous pubic space. Ledbury is a lively place, but there is no square where people can meet, hold events, markets and performances - we seized the opportunity to create a vibrant new civic heart. Landscaped gardens around the square will create a modern reinterpretation of mediaeval courtyard garden, with herbs, water and Herefordshire fruit trees. Medieval timber specialists will work with Architype on the refurbishment element of the scheme, which will restore the 15th century Master’s House. The library will be built using Herefordshire grown oak and Douglas fir timber. On the ground floor there will be exhibition space, cafe, children’s library, reception and information area. The first floor will house the media library, and quieter activities - ICT stations, work study, local history. A dramatic double height space containing an exhibition wall and staircase will link the two floors. The building will be highly sustainable, and will: •use healthy natural materials, including Herefordshire timber, Welsh slate roof, organic paints and stains, natural linoleum •be insulated to German ‘Passivhaus’ levels, reducing energy and carbon emissions from heating by 80%, compared to UK standards •utilise heat recovery ventilation system to save energy and maintain constant good quality fresh air •achieve high levels of controlled daylight and be orientated to enable photovoltaic and solar thermal panels, to achieve Ledbury’s first “zero carbon building”

Chiltern Hills Gateway Centre

Value: £2.5m; client: The National Trust and Bedfordshire County Council; complete: 2006

Architype’s Chiltern Hills Centre was commissioned by Bedfordshire County Council in partnership with The National Trust, and provides vastly improved facilities for visitors to the magnificent landscape of Dunstable Downs. The centre is located at Bedfordshire’s highest point, in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The scheme is designed as a welcoming building, architecturally stunning with a rigorous sustainable agenda. It combines the interpretation of the landscape with a rich mix of leisure activities, catering for over 400,000 people who visit each year. Paths and routes to the centre have been carefully planned to balance the visitor experience with the need to protect the sensitive landscape. The building’s orientation provides a visitor area sheltered from the extremely windy conditions on one side, allowing the energetic sporting activities such as paragliding to continue safely on the other side. The building acts as a public viewing deck with a glazed front and a wide terrace overlooking the kite flying areas. Architype designed a visually striking ‘Windcatcher’ that helps ventilate the building by drawing air into an earth tube, which then flows into the building, the temperature modulated from summer to winter due to the latent temperature of the earth.

Singleton Environment Centre

Value: £1.1m; client: Ashford Borough Council; complete: 2008

Our new Singleton Environment Visitor Centre is a dynamic and sustainable building, and a resource for learning about all aspects of nature conservation and biodiversity issues. It is dedicated to increasing awareness of and protecting the surrounding community woodland. The building is designed to act as a “suntracker”, whereby its precise orientation means the sun’s rays can be collected for passive heating in winter, whilst direct rays can be kept out in summer. Thermal mass is stored in the locally sourced clay tile floor and the wall of masonry blocks made from earth collected on the site. Further key sustainable features include use of low impact roundpole and timber frame construction and a Biomass (woodfuel pellet) heating system. We worked with interpretation designers and an artist on this scheme to produce a masterplan that creatively interprets the building and site. The interpretation scheme highlights the work and commitment of the Community Woodland volunteers and includes a dipping pond for insect and aquatic plant collection; a building materials display area; a screen and speaker playing short films about the building process and the local area; and a wildlife spotting camera.

National Memorial Arboretum

Value: £1.3m; client: National Memorial Arboretum; complete: 2001

Architype’s National Memorial Arboretum is a complex of buildings, including a Visitor Centre, a multi-use hall and restaurant, shop and office space, and a Chapel of Peace, bound together by a pergola and encompassing a large courtyard garden. The scheme is constructed of timber from sustainable UK sources. The buildings are connected by peaceful cloisters and border a court with gardens. This court leads out into the Arboretum itself which has avenues, planting and landscape features reflecting on themes of remembrance and reconciliation. Architype chose all materials using rigorous environmental criteria: softwood sourced from the UK including douglas fir tree trunk columns, timber glulam structure, and green oak cladding; sheep’s wool insulation; natural paints and stains; ceramic floor tiles made from recycled stone dust; triple glazed Scandinavian sourced timber doors and windows; and a recyclable mill finished aluminium barrel vaulted roof.

Taplow Court

Value: £2.25m; client: SGI-UK; complete: 2001

This scheme involved the development of a masterplan and the design of new facilities for the Grade II Listed headquarters of SGI-UK, a lay Buddhist Organisation. The siting was a particular challenge as the project was within Green Belt land, partly in a Conservation Area involving Grade II Listed buildings and an Historic Park, with the grounds listed as an Area of Attractive Landscape. We undertook an extensive consultation exercise actively involving all 5000 members of SGI-UK, English Heritage, the Garden History Society and Archaeological consultants, to understand and develop the building’s relationship to the landscape. The first phase of this development provided a 500 seat butsuma, or chanting hall, which can also be used for performances and conferences, together with seminar rooms, ancilliary accommodation, exhibition spaces and a shop. Later phases of the development provided residential course study bedrooms for 80 people, a small visitors’ centre, estate management facilities and full implementation of the landscape scheme. We designed the buildings to be inspiring, uplifting, and demonstrative of SGI-UK’s beliefs. They incorporate a range of sustainable materials, construction methods and energy efficient design features including FSC accredited green oak cladding and cedar shingle roof, sheep’s wool and hemp insulation, passive ventilation strategy, rainwater recycling, and adiabatic cooling and use of thermal mass.

Pioneering Timber Construction

London Wildlife Trust Education Centre & Centre for Understanding the Environment, Horniman Museum

Architype’s Centre for Understanding the Environment at the Horniman Museum in South London was built as an expressive, highly visual demonstration of ecological building. The design incorporates a natural passive ventilation system routed through large section hollow prefabricated timber beams and columns, integrating structure and services. The building collects rainwater, recycles its own greywater through reed beds, generates electricity through photo-voltaic cells, heats water through solar collectors, and utilizes the reed bed water for auditorium cooling. The centre won a ‘Green Building of the Year’ award in 1997 Value: £450k; client: The Horniman Museum; complete: 1995 Our award winning and much loved centre for the London Wildlife Trust creates an idyllic garden within a residential street. The building itself was the first in the UK to employ a ‘breathing’ construction using recycled newspaper insulation. The orientation of the building is designed to maximise solar gain in autumn, winter and spring. In summer, natural through-ventilation is created and solar shade maximised. Non-toxic paints, stains and floor finishes are used throughout. Community Enterprise Times Environment Award, 1992 Green Building of the Year Awards Commendation, 1993 Value: £56k; client: London Wildlife Trust; complete: 1992

Modular Village Halls

Architype has worked with Community First to test the feasibility of creating and marketing a modular based community building design system. The brief is to maximise the potential for active community engagement; achieve the highest level of environmental and running cost sustainability; and to be capable of being used across the UK in a variety of sizes and configurations to meet the widest range of needs. We developed and tested 'Mod-e-Com', a modular build system that is able to be built with volunteer and trainee labour input, in a variety of sizes and configurations with a range of claddings to suit each community. The system is designed to the highest level of 'passivhaus' energy performance, with projected running costs 70-80% lower than conventional UK construction. The concept was given an overwhelmingly positive response by potential community building committees and community building advisors. We are now working with Community First to seek full funding to take the project up to a pilot build stage.

Groundwork Eco Headquarters

Architype has won an invited competition to design a new sustainable headquarters building and education centre for Groundwork Hertfordshire and Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust. The winning scheme was chosen amidst strong competition from Satellite, White Design, Architecture PLB, BBM Sustainable Design and MAE LLP Architects. Located in Bayfordbury, Hertfordshire, the new 1,150 sqm flagship building will provide office accommodation; conference facilities; spaces for hire; education facilities for schools, young people, adults and businesses. A new interpretation area will link seamlessly with the internal classroom facility, incorporating demonstration food growing plots, a wildlife walk, greenhouse growing facilities and an outdoor classroom. Both organisations also aim to use the building and gardens to showcase brownfield regeneration and sustainable building techniques. We are aiming for a BREEAM rating of ‘Excellent’ and specific aspirations include: •The creation of as near a carbon neutral building as possible. Adopting Passivhaus principles, the building will use passive solar design, low electricity/water use, passive heating/cooling systems and provide excellent qualities of natural daylighting and natural ventilation •The use of low energy and low environmental impact construction methods and materials •Super efficient energy and heating and ventilation / cooling systems including a biomass boiler, earth tubes and provision for future solar and wind installations •A fully integrated sustainable water management system designed to minimise consumption including re-use of grey water and rainwater, water harvesting, water meters and water butts

Lambeth ACCORD

Disability Hub, RIBA Competition

Architype reached the final four of this prestigious RIBA design competition to develop a concept for the complete refurbishment of Lambeth ACCORD’s building – a Brutalist classic - in Brixton. Working from the complex and ambitious brief, we developed a vision incorporating the highest standards of accessibility, energy conservation and on-site electricity generation. Our design provided a fantastic conference venue alongside office space tailored to meet the needs of Lambeth ACCORD’s various organizations, who needed to remain in situ during the refurbishment. Our scheme transforms the existing building into a contemporary series of spaces, with a reorganized entrance, taking away a steep ramp and creating a street level access into the building. On entering, a bright and airy double-height foyer opens up. The design of the atrium allowed all major circulation and levels to be visible from every level of the building. Our eco-minimalist approach suggested that improvements to the building envelope - including thermal insulation, triple-glazed windows and airtightness - should be prioritised to minimise energy consumption. We proposed that photovoltaic technology would be best suited to this application, and designed the scheme to provide suitable window-less south-facing walls as well as roof planes. The most dramatic of these PV installations would be over the top of the existing high-rise block where it would be a visible demonstration of the sustainable credentials of the building. Green roofs were proposed on the existing footprint of the building.

Hexagon Headquarters

Value: £1.8m; client: Hexagon Housing; Association; complete: 2002

Architype designed attractive and contemporary office headquarters for the Hexagon Housing Association on a prominent site in South London. We created a high quality, healthy working environment with high levels of insulation, triple glazed windows with flexible solar control, organic paints, and natural fibre carpets throughout the office spaces. The building is ventilated using an innovative Termodeck system which provides conditions equivalent to air conditioning at approximately half the cost. In winter, air is drawn through the hollow cores of pre-cast concrete floor planks that act as a heat sink and provide radiant heating. In summer, cool air is drawn through the slab at night to provide cooling during the day.

ECOS Housing

Architype are currently working on the design of two projects for Ecos Homes, a developer of ecological housing for sale, in Somerset. The approach is to respect the local vernacular and materials of the village, balanced with a contemporary feel. This has been well received by the planners and conservation officers. The houses are being designed to achieve the exacting ecological standards of German Passivhaus - with high levels of insulation, reduced coldbridging, high standard of airtightness, and careful analysis of orientation and solar control.

Pioneering self build schemes

Hedgehog Self Build, Brighton and Diggers Self Build, Brighton

Hedgehog Housing is a co-operative of ten self-built timber frame houses, designed and built by members of the self build group and Architype. The houses have grass roofs to soften their visual impact and balconies to maximise the stunning south facing views towards the sea. The simple timber frame method was pioneered by architect Walter Segal in the early 1980s, and was since developed and updated by Architype. It is particularly suitable for people without previous building experience and is detailed to require as little cutting as possible, keeping the construction process largely ‘on-site’. The houses are built to an ecological specification and energy bills are low due to the solar gains from the extensive southerly glazing and ‘Warmcel’ insulation (recycled paper). British grown larch and douglas fir was used for cladding, verandahs and decking. The houses are finished with non-petrochemical paints, stains and waxes. Contract value: £500,000; completion: 1996; client: South London Family Housing Association & CHISEL Diggers brings back to life a steeply sloping derelict site on the outskirts of Brighton with 9 self-build houses. Architype designed the scheme in full partnership with the self-builders, and the houses utilise the natural advantages of the site - split levels and south facing frontages. The scheme was the first in the UK with grass roofs and is designed to a highly ecological specification incorporating gas condensing boilers and thermal heat stores, passive solar conservatories, and super-insulated shells with recycled newspaper insulation. The houses achieve high National Home Energy Ratings of 9.8 out of 10, with heating costs below £50 per year. Winner of the 1997 DOE/RIBA/NHBC Housing Design Award

Matzdorf House

Value: £130k; client: David Matzdorf; complete: 2000

This innovative two bedroom house is a sustainable solution to urban living, and is situated in a contrasting neighbourhood of grand Victorian villas. The house occupies a very tight site of a former car-breaking yard, 15m by 12m deep. Although built up to the boundaries of the adjoining gardens, the curved roof minimizes overshadowing and is planted with bulbs, ornamental grasses, and succulents. Embodied energy is half that of conventional construction due to the use of recycled and largely natural materials, including a raised timber structure, recycled newspaper insulation, linoleum flooring and organic paints and stains. Large sliding doors face the exotically planted garden, and a long curved rooflight and glass-block panels flood the house with light. Matzdorf House features in Open House every year.

Student Housing

Value: £5.4m; client: Tai Cartrefi & Swansea University; complete: 2004

Architype worked within a PFI consortium to design 272 new student rooms on the main campus of Swansea University. Arranged in three blocks within a very tight site, each room has en-suite bathroom facilities and each group of eight rooms share a kitchen / dining room. The project is one of the first six storey timber frame constructions in the UK and Architype worked closely with TRADA in developing the detailed design. The scheme incorporates a passive ventilation strategy and high levels of daylighting. FSC timber is used throughout, and new pedestrian routes run through the campus.

St Michael’s Hospice

Architype has been appointed to design an exciting new development for St Michael's Hospice in Hereford, involving a major new building and the refurbishment of existing buildings. At Architype we feel it is critical to develop and agree the project vision and strategy, before putting architectural ‘pen to paper’ to develop design solutions. We are currently undertaking a major consultation exercise with the Hospice staff and trustees, patients and families, to develop the project brief. Whilst we are drawing on people’s current experience, this process also encourages people not to be limited by the current organisational structure and facilities of St Michael’s, or by preconceived ideas of the new project. Instead we have encouraged people to explore ‘ideal’ scenarios and possibilities, to try to define the qualitative architectural character they would like the buildings to express. Designs are currently being developed towards a planning application in January 2010.

Pont Aur Extra Care Scheme

Value Approx: £1.3m; client: Gwalia Housing Association, Swansea;

This project is being designed in close consultation with the RNIB and Alzheimer’s Association to ensure the needs of the residents. The project has been earmarked as a model scheme for this type of development in Powys. The two storey 800sqm accommodation block with communal and ancillary spaces is about to be submitted for planning. The building is designed towards achieving passivhaus standards, with an all timber frame and Douglas fir cladding to accommodation and communal areas, and brick cladding to ancillary link block. An innovative double stud timber balloon frame system is incorporated to minimise cold bridging and achieve high levels of air tightness. Flats have been orientated around a large winter garden, and communal spaces have framed views of mountains to the south. Within the flats, the living areas are designed to be light and airy open plan spaces with opening corner windows.

Guy’s Hospital Tower

Architype was commissioned to provide a series of sketch ideas exploring innovative ways to re-envision Guy’s Tower as a ‘living, breathing’ building, better suited to its purpose as a landmark for health in the 21st century. Guy’s Tower is an important landmark building and its iconic profile can be seen across London. It is a fine example of classic Brutalist tower design so any alterations to its appearance would be sensitively considered, and the Tower’s entrance and circulation spaces in particular should be improved in order to create an accessible, welcoming public presence. Our report ultimately showed how its profile and role within the city could be improved dramatically through exciting yet appropriate contemporary interventions. We conducted rigorous environmental analysis of the building, and explored a variety of options to reduce its high-energy consumption. Some of these initiatives included: •better use of natural daylighting, and incorporation of low energy light fittings throughout • upgrading, replacing or overcladding existing facades to provide improved energy efficiency • use of renewable energy technologies to reduce energy use and costs • incorporation of ‘sky gardens’ and cleverly planted areas to provide much needed break-out, waiting, and relaxation spaces

Early Health Centres

Royal Docks Medical Practice; Lister Health Centre; Brentford Primary Care and Respite Unit, London

The Brentford Centre comprises a respite unit for elderly patients, and a large primary healthcare centre with two GP practice; a treatment and minor surgery suite; a community dentist; extensive clinic facilities; and offices for local community services. Within a tight budget and on a restricted site the design is as non-institutional as possible, with light and air brought into the circulation spaces through large rooflights. Value: £2m; complete: 1996; client: Hounslow and Spelthorne Community Mental Health Trust The Lister Health Centre in Peckham was developed in close consultation with the user groups. The scheme provides a flexible civic space which allows for changing requirements, yet delineates between the distinct user groups, which include 4 independent GP practices; speech therapy and a child psychology department. Value: £3.4m; complete: 2002; client: Peckham Partnership The Royal Docks Medical Centre comprises a GP Training practice; office space for a local social services team; clinical rooms for visiting consultants and a psychiatrist; and a dental surgery. The scheme was generated through the initiative of the GP currently on the site, with an aim to improve local services and provide a focus for local community. Value: £1.4m; complete: 1996; client: city and east London FHSA

Sustainable Distribution Centre

This unusual project is to provide a 8000m2 chilled, storage facility, which is visually sympathetic to the surrounding landscape, and designed to be as environmentally friendly as possible. Architype worked with Oakland International to develop a vision for the project which: •is part of a wider site development project which will develop further as a ‘food park’ attracting food manufacturers and demonstrate sustainable business within a dedicated education facility •provide a flexible facility to accommodate Oakland’s planned growth between 2010 and 2013 •demolish the five existing buildings and replace with one sustainable depot •create a building that can be used as a showcase Our concept design integrates the building into the Worcestershire green belt by creating a ‘fold’ in the landscape, replacing the existing sub-standard agricultural sheds with a grass-roof supported by a repetitive single-span glu-lam arch and rigid insulation panels. Further smaller, satellite 'folds' are earth-bunds functioning as screens to the HGV circulation and docking bays.

The Greenshop

Value £750k; client: The Greenshop Group; complete: 2008

The Greenshop offices were opened in April 2008 by Jonathan Porritt CBE. The building brings together the five businesses of the Greenshop Group. The ground floor includes a new open plan shop/demonstration area linking with the old green shop, and new office spaces. The timber frame construction is designed to be as low energy as possible. Much attention was given to robust simple detailing to reduce cold bridging and ensuring the main structural envelope was as airtight as possible. Floor materials include recycled rubber, bamboo and FSC timber. Walls are of locally sourced Douglas fir cladding and lime render panels. Roofing materials include green and brown roofs and Lindab recycled steel. Heating is supplied through solar thermal systems, and a log burner linked to underfloor heating. Low energy lighting runs throughout, low flush and air flush WC systems. Insulation materials include Warmcell recycled newspaper to external walls and roof cassettes, and sheeps wool to internal walls.

Minster College

Value: £20m; date: 2008; Architype were employed by the Contractor in this design competition

Our design for this new secondary school was intended to stimulate educational transformation with: •a spacious and welcoming entrance •a simple and legible organisational plan planned around the numbers and flow of pupils •clearly zoned faculties, each logically located, with its own sense of place, identity and facilities •agile teaching spaces capable of adaption and change over time •the key social space - the dining hall, and the key support space - the library, both located at the heart of the school •integrated community facilities The building itself was designed to: •be constructed from a range of easy to maintain robust materials •maximise levels of natural daylight and ventilation, for comfort and efficiency •have a simple and effective services system, which is easy to look after and simple to control •be highly sustainable, achieving a 60% CO2 reduction and BREEAM ‘Excellent’ •be a tool for the students to understand the effect that sustainable buildings can have on the environment

Bessemer Grange Primary School

Value: £2.4m; client: Southwark Council; complete: September 2010

At Bessemer Grange Primary School in Dulwich, Architype has created a new Children’s Centre; relocated the Foundation Stage facilities; re-vamped the play areas and completely refurbished the inside. The new building creates a dynamic new frontage to the school. Brightly coloured gates direct visitors to the new Children’s Centre entrance. The Children’s Centre is flooded with natural light providing a warm and inviting environment. A butterfly roof covered in a wild flower blanket green roof, and soft landscaping enhances the bio-diversity of the area. The structure of the new extension is a low embodied energy cross laminated timber structure (KLH). The building is externally insulated with natural wood fibre insulation, and is naturally ventilated. Solar panels supplement a highly efficient condensing gas boiler combined with underfloor heating, Jane McDonald, the head teacher, says the work was very exciting for everyone: “The school is buzzing with the possibilities. We have needed extra space for so long and the extension, topped off by the butterfly roof, will make such a difference to the learning experience for our children.”

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We are at the forefront of sustainable design, specialising in cutting edge environmental thinking, with expert knowledge in the green specification of materials and construction techniques. Our expertise in environmental and social architecture has been developed over 20 years of innovation, practical experience and rigorous research. Talented designers, experienced contract administrators, and effective managers work together collaboratively in a vibrant atmosphere designed to encourage lateral thinking and promote creativity. This collaborative approach is extended throughout the design process. We create positive and dynamic working relationships with our clients and fellow consultants. We listen and encourage user and community participation to ensure inclusivity and a sense of ownership. Our work is primarily in the social sector encompassing education, community, cultural, housing and health buildings, with particular expertise in Early Years, and Progressive Learning Environments. Current projects range in size from £1m to £18 million. We currently employ 37 people, and operate throughout the UK from two offices, located in London and the west of England.