Bristol 2016 Healthy City Week
gcp are running two events as part of Healthy City Week, exploring the relationship between healthy workplaces, homes and communities. See our events page for more details and to book your place.
Part of #HealthyBristol
Material supplier Saint-Gobain and creator of the Multi Comfort concept have teamed up with Grand Designs to host a competition for aspiring self-builders by offering a £50k grant to the winner of a competition to design the ideal Multi Comfort home.
A prerequisite of the competition is all entrants must appoint a PassivHaus-competent architect to design the dwelling. Colin Powell, architect and director at gcp Chartered Architects is a certified PassivHaus designer and is keen to take support your Grand Design aspiration.
The competition is open for entries from 15th August 2016 to 15th October 2016.
https://www.multicomfort.co.uk/multi-comfort-projects/grand-designs-self-build-competition/
Colin, Jeremy, Tom, Sarah, Jonathan, Jon, James, Gareth & Michael
Today gcp took advantage of the sunshine and headed off to BRE's innovation park in Watford. Lovely day to see some #lowenergy and modern methods of construction.
Time now for a spot of lunch before we head back to #Bristol
Three projects we've been involved with will feature on the Bristol Doors Open Day @BristolDOD programme this year. Bristol Water @BristolWater, Trinity @TrinityBristol and Filwood Green @FilwoodGreen all made the list.
Bristol Water and Filwood Green are both ticketed events, so please book early to avoid disappointment. No tickets needed for Trinity. Let us know what you think by tweeting @gcparchitects and @BristolDOD.
John Baker, partner at PBA Associates provides a rounded review of the scheme three years on since completion and finds it a worthy winner South West RTPI 2015 Planning Excellence Best Scheme on the Ground.
The mixed use scheme next to the M32 motorway now has all ground floor commercial work space units fully let that further contribute to the vibrancy of this urban meeting place.
The J3 scheme has transformed an unloved and unsafe corner of Bristol in to an active and accessible crossing point for the M32. J3 has become a catalyst for further development work in the area and bring forward ideas about regeneration in the vicinity of the motorway.
The J3 scheme builds on an earlier Master Planning study gcp undertook to bring forward development opportunities along Stapleton Road in Easton which runs parallel to the M32.
If you don’t have a full log on licence read the full article by John Baker of PBA Associates here
View from the site
The sun is setting and the scaffolding has been struck on our listed building redevelopment in Clevedon. The specification was for a high performance baumit lime render system that avoids the time and environment constraints of traditional lime render. This specification was agreed with the North Somerset Conservation Officer and allowed the project to get to a water tight stage with windows fitted earlier in the programme than would normally be expected.
Cambrian House with Baumit rendering just completed
gcp are really proud of our ongoing commitments to Quality Assurance and Environmental Management.
Following on from our successful integration of ISO14001 to our system, we have now completed transition training to ISO9001:2015.
We are looking forward to the new challenges and the opportunities for change and improvement this new standard will bring.
We will be undertaking a Customer Satisfaction Survey over the next few months to infrom this process and shall report back on the findings.
Twinnell House, the high rise tower block refurbishment gcp have been working on for Mears and Bristol City Council, has been shortlisted in the INCA Awards 2016.
This builds on past success for gcp, sps Envirowall and Woodman Brothers - this team won The Insulated Cladding Awards (INCA) in 2014 on the highly commended Junction 3.
Twinnell House, a stones throw from INCA 2014 winner J3, is nominated for Best in External Wall Insulation, Domestic Refurbishment, High Rise. The winners will be announced in a London Gala Dinner in October.
Acorn appoint gcp for construction stage at Ottery St Mary
Read MoreMendip Affordable Housing Day
Wells Town Hall 21st July 14.00-19.00
gcp will have a stand at this event organised by Mendip District Council presenting our experience and knowledge particularly in the area of sustainable and low energy design. We will be on hand to answer questions show some of our current projects in the area.
Cllr Woollcombe-Adams portfolio holder for Health and Wellbeing, said: "This is a great opportunity for people to come along and meet with a range of experts and find out more about a number of elements of affordable housing in one place. It will be a chance to get all those questions answered that people are not sure about.”
gcp are currently supporting an international project aimed at reducing occupational injuries and illnesses in the construction industry, led by researchers from the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol).
Click here to read the full press release from UWE Bristol.
It is estimated that the global construction sector accounts for 100,000 fatalities annually and about 30 to 40 per cent of all fatal occupational injuries. Injuries and new cases of ill health in construction costs society more than £1.1 billion a year in the UK.
The innovative project will focus on improving health and safety through design, which contributes significantly to accidents occurring both during construction works and afterwards.
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The project, funded by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, is being undertaken by an international research team of academics and practitioners from the Health and Safety Executive, Heathrow Airport, Mott MacDonald, Bam Construction Limited, ISG, Nick Bell Risk Consultancy, GCP Architects, Safety in Design, Loughborough University and East Carolina University. The project commences in October and will run for two years.
Architects image of Cambrian House, Clevedon
Cambrian House on Wellington Terrace, Clevedon, is being fully refurbished using a combination of traditional materials and the latest technology to create a modern home for the 21st century.
The house has an integrated but separate fully fitted guest suite at lower ground floor. It boasts four generous reception rooms, a new kitchen diner, three bedrooms (master on suite) at ground and first floors and a large attic bedroom.
This Grade II listed Georgian house with its striking modern extension overlooks Clevedon Pier and Severn Estuary. Currently on site with occupation for Christmas 2016.
Always nice to see our name in print!
Working alongside Hastoe Housing and Halsall Construction on 25 new properties located close to Minehead on the Bristol Channel. 20 houses will be built to full PassivHaus requirements and the other 5 will offer excellent energy performance.
gcp are delighted that the recently completed scheme to extend and refurbish Bristol Water’s 1960’s Headquarters Building at Bedminster Down has won an RICS Award.
At the ceremony on 18 May 2016 the building was highly commended in the Commercial Buildings Category.
gcp is currently involved in a feasibility on a very similar project in central Bristol where a scheme double the size of the building to accommodate 650 staff is being considered.
To discuss your office refurbishment project, please contact Jeremy Pilling.
Bristol Water HQ Deli
Life and Stairwell at Bristol Water HQ
Just last night Bristol Water Headquarters was Highly Commended in the Commercial category of the RICS awards 2016.
This award honours an outstanding commercial property development whether retail, office, leisure, industrial or mixed use.
It furthers gcp's accolades at this event - J3 was winner in the Regeneration category last year.
2016 RICS Award
gcp new website launch
“gcp’s knowledge, advice and problem-solving processes have been key in supporting Knightstone’s drive to develop high quality, affordable and sustainable low energy buildings that aid the mitigation of fuel poverty and reduce lifecycle maintenance.”
Reception area at Bristol Water HQ
We are really excited to announce that gcp's extension and refurbishment of the iconic Bristol Water Headquarters building has been nominated for a British Council for Offices Regional Award!
The winner will be announced later this week at the Regional Awards Ceremony.
“We have changed the way we work and are more flexible in how we use our space, much tidier than we used to be and the building seems to have gained the respect of our people as somewhere to enjoy working.”
Wellbeing in the workplace is now a hot topic for employers with recent reports showing it is becoming a main board issue with the FD's taking an active interest. The British Council of Offices South West England and South Wales region are visiting the newly refurbished Bristol Water HQ, a project designed and managed by gcp. For more information on how to book go to BCO events.
