We believe that the key to designing and delivering any project successfully, regardless of its size or nature, is the ability to listen and to understand the client’s needs and nuances.
This enables us to develop a bespoke brief tailored to suit each and every project, and to hand pick a robust team of experts that are needed to design and deliver the expected outcome.
We understand the importance of various professionals from different backgrounds working together from a project’s inception to completion to achieve a holistic outcome. This is why we are passionate about using the Enquiry by Design process.
We do not follow a design ‘style’ but are led by sustainable design principles, and the context of places. This approach results in the creation of truly sustainable places and buildings, which are long lasting and increase in value over time.
We understand the importance of creating community capital in each of our projects, whether it is in a single building, a public space or a large urban development.
Community capital comprises the social, natural, financial and built capital of a building or place, and sustainability is achieved when these capitals are balanced.
We gather local knowledge through a sustainable community capital ‘filter’ and form the vision, plans and supportive strategies for development proposals on the basis of this information.
The Community Capital Wheel - community capital is a benefit to not only the end users of a building or place, but also to funders and developers who, as a result, realise higher long term values
Architecture and Interior Design
Very often our clients come to us with ideas and concepts for how they envisage their future buildings and interiors. We work closely with our clients’ in a non-prescriptive manner (i.e. we do not impose a ‘signature’ style) to help them visualize their ideas, develop comprehensive briefs and finally turn these into detailed designs.
Our team has experience in most sectors, including residential, commercial, public, leisure and masterplanning.
Our projects range in scale, from large commercial buildings such as hotels and exhibition centres and offices, to small residential and commercial units.
Our Architectural and Interior Design services include:
- Full architectural design
- Programming
- Feasibility studies
- Construction documents and construction administration services
- BIM
- Space planning
- Interior finishes, furniture and signage selection and specification
- 3D modelling and visualisation
- Building and negotiation assistance
Urban Design
We are passionate about creating sustainable places and spaces which help people live well at a local level, while addressing global challenges such as climate change, population increase and rising fuel prices.
Our urban design services include regional growth strategies, masterplans and strategies for settlement regeneration, new towns, urban and rural extensions, neighbourhood plans, public realm design, architecture, design codes and architectural pattern books.
Our Urban Design services include:
- National and regional growth strategies
- Masterplans and supportive strategies for:
- Settlement regeneration
- New towns
- Urban and rural extensions
- Neighbourhood plans
- Public realm design
- Design codes and architectural pattern books
- Viability assessments and development cost analysis for urban models and masterplans
- Assessments to identify opportunities to increase land values
Planning
Planning permission is crucial to realising a site’s and project’s full potential and value. The planning process can be complex and involve a number of different stakeholders. Our planners have an expert knowledge of the planning system, and understand the need to build good stakeholder relationships, from local authority officers, end users and others with an interest in the project, in order to achieve the desired outcomes in a proactive and positive manner.
Our team always keeps abreast with changing policies and planning processes at national, regional and local scales. This is crucial in achieving our clients’ objectives, which can range from obtaining planning permission for commercial clients, to policy writing for local authorities.
We deal with both large and small scale projects, from large urban extensions to small residential and commercial units.
Our Planning services include:
- Preparation and project management of planning applications and environmental impact assessments
- Preparation of planning strategy and tactics
- Planning appeals and expert witness services
- Policy writing for local authorities
- Community and stakeholder engagement using the enquiry by design process
Programme and Project Management
We work with our clients to determine their strategic options and prepare programmes from a number of interrelated projects to manage risk, time, cost and quality. We have strong, experienced leaders who retain complete control and transparency across the process and are dedicated in driving value throughout the programme.
We offer project management services throughout the life cycle of any project, and our approach is value driven when setting the project objectives. We establish our clients’ project brief, timeline and budget, understand their governance and reporting needs, assemble project teams tailored to suit each specific project, and manage changes and issues that arise during the project life cycle.
Our Programme and Project Management services include:
Identifying Strategic Options
Defining and articulating business and project objectives before identifying the most effective means to deliver. We provide a full spectrum of project management services, from the preparation of business cases and the development of organisational frameworks, to straightforward procurement, design, construction delivery and operation.
Define
We design a rigorous programme, including team roles and responsibilities, identifying efficiencies and savings, risk and opportunities.
Execute
We mobilise quickly, working harmoniously within your organisation’s culture.
Activate and manage
We aim to close programmes to the satisfaction of all stakeholders, demonstrating real value in both quantitative and qualitative terms.