Townscape design quality secures consent

City Architecture Office have secured planning consent for an apartment building in South Woodford, London Borough of Redbridge.

By communicating the townscape merit of a new façade & additional mass to the local authority planning team we were able to double the expected development potential of the building. 

The consent for eleven residential apartments refurbishes & extends an existing building in a residential area of South Woodford. The building has been under family ownership for twenty years.

Initial planning concerns over loss of amenity & highways access were also overcome, producing a consent for new good quality homes on a previously underdeveloped site.

A new housing site in Sevenoaks, Kent

We have just completed our first planning submission for a new housing development near Sevenoaks in Kent. Whilst the site is within both Metropolitan Green belt and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, our first discussion with the local authority has been  positive towards a sensitive development for new housing.

The 1.5 acre site offers wide ranging views across the Thames estuary &  is within easy reach of central London. We are working closely with the client & local authority to secure the next steps towards development.

A new Mews of family homes in Hackney

CITY ARCHITECTURE OFFICE have gained planning consent for a mews development in the Victoria Park conservation area, London Borough of Hackney.

Our design team worked closely with the planning & conservation officers to develop a contextual response, overcoming objections & creating five new good quality family homes on a brownfield site.

The row of three storey houses will form part of a mews with each house south facing and benefiting from a rooftop terrace.

The development will be car-free with a generous communal entrance lane for all residents.

City Architecture Office have now secured planning for six residential projects in hackney over the last five years.

The site is to be developed by Northill Properties.

SALINE SOCIAL HOUSING STARTS ON SITE

We are very excited that work has started on site for 55 new affordable housing units in Saline, Fife.  City Architecture Office is working with Kingdom Housing Association & Campion Homes to deliver the first new homes in late 2018.  All homes are super-insulated with low running costs and have provision for renewables. 

City Architecture Office have worked closely with the local community & clients at Saline over a long timeframe.

We originally conducted a housing needs consultation with Saline & Steelend Community Council and local residents, becoming a key priority in the community action plan (CAP).  Although it was outwith the settlement boundary, we identified a preferred site which is roughly two hectares.   Fife Council then accepted the site to be brought into the local plan for social housing use.

A masterplan was designed with an attractive ‘village green’ as the focal point, with dwellings orientated to maximise solar gain and views.  We secured planning approval and went onto develop the technical design with Kingdom Housing Association & Campion homes overcoming significant infrastructure issues.

It is great to see such a positive project move one step closer to completion.

Caerlee Mill housing - planning submission

Our latest residential project with the award winning Whiteburn projects is the redevelopment of the former Caerlee Mill in Innerleithen.

A planning application for 44 new build houses and flats was submitted in Autumn. The vision for the site, in the heart of this thriving Borders village, is to build a range of two, three and four bedroom houses and cottage flats which have been designed to reflect the spirit of the former mill site as well as the heritage of the village structure.

The new-build housing will be released for sale on the open market and Whiteburn hopes this will add to the vibrancy of the established Innerleithen community. This approach also aims to tap into the demand for Borders living as property owners aspire to a better life/work balance, and escape busy city life to be able to enjoy the benefits of the beautiful countryside and outdoor pursuits on offer.

The application has been well received by Scottish Borders Council and is expected to be determined by the end of the year.

New housing with Whiteburn projects at Caerlee Mill, Innerleithen

We are delighted to announce that we are supporting the award winning developer Whiteburn projects to regenerate the site of the former Caerlee Mills in Innerleithen.  The site has planning permission in principle and we will help Whiteburn develop a detailed planning application to deliver 44 new family homes, which will be for sale on the open market. This will be a springboard to explore an economically viable solution for the B listed mill buildings which date back from 1788.

Fullarton Community Hub nears completion

City Architecture Office are very pleased to announce that the works to this much needed community building project in Fullarton are nearing completion. The design team has overcome a number of site issues, such as a stray gas main to complete this project. We hope the community of Fullarton make full use of this new low energy building & the full benefit of the health & activity facilities for all.

The area has experienced higher-than-average levels of deprivation and has some of the lowest life expectancy rates in Scotland and it is hoped this project will be the catalyst for a bright new future for Fullarton. The project secured funding from Big Lottery, Irvine Bay and North Ayrshire Council. 

WANTED:EXPERIENCED PART II or RECENTLY QUALIFIED ARCHITECT -LONDON

City Architecture Office is seeking a talented Part-III architect (or experienced Part-II) to work on an exciting new housing project in our London Office.

Our studio is in a great location near Broadway Market with an excellent quality of life, a relaxed but highly motivated environment and work on a mix of projects in London and the south east. Supported by directors you will deliver housing & mixed use projects working as part of an ambitious team.

A strong design sensibility is needed together with experience of working on housing and understanding sustainability issues. You will have excellent graphic, design and technical skills and be able to demonstrate experience of on-site construction, knowledge of procurement and project running experience. You will be able to plan and programme work and have be committed to providing an excellent service to our clients.

Your job will entail liaising with clients, consultants, planners and the construction team so you should be confident, professional, friendly and a good team-worker.

Our office uses AutoCAD, SketchUp, InDesign and Photoshop. Proficiency in these as well as freehand sketching, good writing skills and fluency in speaking and writing English will be required. The right applicant will be organised, enthusiastic, ambitious, with a good sense of humour.

The position is full time. Salary negotiable according to experience.

Please email your CV with a selection of your work and a covering letter to [email protected] with attachments no bigger than 6MB.

City Architecture Office is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from all backgrounds. We seek to support flexible working arrangements to suit family commitments.

British Library extension win

City Architecture Office have supported Stanhope & Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners in the winning bid for an extension to the British Library, to be built on a 2.8 acre site to the north of its Grade 1 Listed building at St Pancras in London. The site will be developed with Stanhope, the property developers, and will be a major new centre for commerce, knowledge and research.

The development will also include new commercial space for organisations and companies that wish to be located at the heart of London's Knowledge Quarter, close to the Francis Crick Institute and the other knowledge-based companies, research organisations, amenities and transport links located at King’s Cross and St Pancras.

City Architecture Office will continue to provide infrastructure advice in relation to the integration of Crossrail 2 station proposals.

The Stanhope consortium was appointed following a Competitive Dialogue procurement process that began in late 2015.

Stanhope have 30 years’ experience of developing complex central London projects, including Broadgate, Paternoster Square and the Tate Modern Switch House building. Stanhope are backed by strong financial partners and current projects include the regeneration of Television Centre, White City.

Cornthwaite Street Houses start on site

City Architecture Office's project with East End Housing for two new houses in Clapton, London is about to start on site. We recently secured planning permission for two new split- level homes each with a generous roof terrace.

We will continue to support the project to completion working with Madison Construction & Centrespace design. The project is due for completion Autumn 2017.

Thyme Walk houses on EAA Ambassador shortlist

Our Thyme Walk Houses in Hackney, London have been shortlisted for the Edinburgh Architectural Association 2017 ambassador award for projects outside Edinburgh.

The four brick courtyard family houses are reached by a narrow lane set into a infill site in east London for Northill Properties.

An exhibition showcasing the shortlisted entries is due to be held at the RIAS, Joyce B Deans room at 15 Rutland Square, Edinburgh in April 2017. This will be open to the public from 9.00am until 5.00pm Monday to Friday. Further images & information are available on our website here: http://www.cityarc.co.uk/housing/

Wadeson Street moves closer to completion

Our latest building with Northill properties moved a step closer to completion. Nine apartments with a communal roof terrace just south of the Regents Canal close to Vyner Street & Broadway Market.  Both ground floor commercial units are sold with offers on a number of the apartments. West 4 contractors have still work to complete before the contract finishes in May 2017.

Season's Greetings

Wadeson Street, London E2

WANTED: PART-III OR EXPERIENCED PART-II ARCHITECT

City Architecture Office is seeking a talented Part-III architect (or experienced Part-II) to be project architect on an exciting new housing project.

London Office. Our studio is in a great location near Broadway Market with an excellent quality of life, a relaxed but highly motivated environment and work on a mix of projects in London and the south east. Supported by directors you will deliver housing & mixed use projects working as part of an ambitious team.

A strong design sensibility is needed together with experience of working on housing and understanding sustainability issues. You will have excellent graphic, design and technical skills and be able to demonstrate experience of on-site construction, knowledge of procurement and project running experience. You will be able to plan and programme work and have be committed to providing an excellent service to our clients.

Your job will entail liaising with clients, consultants, planners and the construction team so you should be confident, professional, friendly and a good team-worker.

Our office uses AutoCAD, SketchUp, InDesign and Photoshop. Proficiency in these as well as freehand sketching, good writing skills and fluency in speaking and writing English will be required. The right applicant will be organised, enthusiastic, ambitious, with a good sense of humour.

The position is full time. Salary negotiable according to experience.

Please email your CV with a selection of your work and a covering letter to [email protected] with attachments no bigger than 6MB.

City Architecture Office is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from all backgrounds. We seek to support flexible working arrangements to suit family commitments.

On site at Millfields, Clapton for NorthIll Properties

City Architecture Office have been appointed by Northill Properties to support the technical design & construction phase of their mixed use Millfields development in Clapton, London. 

We have already been able to support further design development working with West 4 construction & Centrespace design. Comprising of nine apartments & a retail unit, the project is due for completion Spring 2017.

Saline affordable Housing site start imminent

The construction of 55 affordable family homes in Saline is due to get underway this winter.

Works will commence after we have successfully discharged reserved planning matters.

This milestone is achieved after six years of working positively with the community and Kingdom Housing Association, to identify the site, housing needs and develop attractive proposals that respect the local character and enhance the amenity of the village.

The phased delivery of these much needed affordable homes is anticipated from late 2017.

Site work commences on the new Fullarton Community Hub in Irvine

Following final approval from the main funders (Big Lottery, Irvine Bay and North Ayrshire Council), the site phase of this much needed community project got underway in September and is due for completion in spring 2017.

The existing 'Green hut' has been demolished to make way for the striking multi-Use Hub. The site is stripped, foundations poured and drainage installed. Check live progress via our site webcam http://www.fullartonsitewatch.com/

The area has experienced higher-than-average levels of deprivation and has some of the lowest life expectancy rates in Scotland and it is hoped this project will be the catalyst for a bright new future for Fullarton.

Working with Whiteburn projects

City Architecture Office are delighted to be working with Edinburgh based developer Whiteburn Projects on their development at Edenhall Hospital in Musselburgh.

Whiteburn projects challenge the best of Scotland’s architects, engineers and builders to create better and more successful buildings for their customers.

City Architecture Office will work with Whiteburn to convert and develop the listed buildings at Edenhall Hospital into 13 homes, complementing a larger development for the hospital grounds by Stewart Milne Homes.

A new Director

City Architecture Office is pleased to announce that Roger Bainbridge has joined the practice as a Director, having previously been the Head of Design for Mactaggart & Mickel. He brings with him over 25 years experience in the design & construction of  residential developments working with house builders and commercial developers.

Roger is already working on City Architecture Office projects in Hackney, London with Northill Properties and with Whiteburn developments on the Listed Edenhall Hospital development in Musselburgh.

WANTED: Part-III or experienced Part-II architect

City Architecture Office is seeking a talented Part-III architect (or experienced Part-II) to be project architect on an exciting new housing project.

London Office. Our studio is in a great location near Broadway Market with an excellent quality of life, a relaxed but highly motivated environment and work on a mix of projects in London and the south east. Supported by directors you will deliver housing projects working as part of an ambitious team.

A strong design sensibility is needed together with experience of working on housing and understanding sustainability issues. You will have excellent graphic, design and technical skills and be able to demonstrate experience of on-site construction, knowledge of procurement and project running experience. You will be able to plan and programme work and have be committed to providing an excellent service to our clients.

Your job will entail liaising with clients, consultants, planners and the construction team so you should be confident, professional, friendly and a good team-worker.

Our office uses AutoCAD, SketchUp, InDesign and Photoshop. Proficiency in these as well as freehand sketching, good writing skills and fluency in speaking and writing English will be required. The right applicant will be organised, enthusiastic, ambitious, with a good sense of humour.

The position is full time. Salary negotiable according to experience.