Local architectural practice, Stephen George + Partners LLP (SGP) is launching a free interactive toolkit to introduce primary school children to the importance of building sustainably. Focusing on building materials and how much carbon is released during their manufacture, the engaging and interactive Better Buildings website is free to use
Stephen George + Partners LLP (SGP) has won planning approval for the latest phase of 59 new homes at William Davis Homes’ Copcut Rise development in Droitwich, Worcestershire. This will be the sixth phase of this ongoing scheme, with the 1.55 hectare site containing a mix of terraced semi-detached and
Stephen George + Partners LLP (SGP) has completed work on 44 Retirement Living apartments and 58 Retirement Living Plus apartments at Ilkley, West Yorkshire, for McCarthy & Stone North East. Scholars Place is the largest scheme to date for McCarthy & Stone North East, consisting of Priestley Court, a circa
Award-winning professional services firm, WYG and leading architectural practice, Stephen George + Partners (SGP), are delighted to confirm their appointment by Stevenage Borough Council to design the new Bus Interchange for Stevenage Town Centre. Part of the biggest town centre regeneration scheme in the east of England with a gross
Stephen George + Partners LLP (SGP) has completed the first phase of the £210 million Exeter Skypark development – the Number One Tiger Moth Road, a 1,790 m2 speculative Grade A office building. The firm worked together with its client, St. Modwen, and created three storeys of energy efficient office
An AJ Top 100 architectural practice, Stephen George + Partners LLP (SGP), has completed a £7.7 million, 5,894 m2 new build warehouse, factory and office building on a vacant 4.5 acre plot at the Watermead Business Park, Syston, near Leicester. The facility was built for Albert Browne, owned by STERIS
BDC 319 : Aug 2024
Local architectural practice, Stephen George + Partners LLP (SGP) is launching a free interactive toolkit to introduce primary school children to the importance of building sustainably. Focusing on building materials and how much carbon is released during their manufacture, the engaging and interactive Better Buildings website is free to use and aims to get children at Key Stage 2 thinking about sustainability and designing low carbon buildings. Project lead Simon Matthews, a member of the Social Responsibility group at SGP takes up the story: “We decided to create a set of learning aids that teachers can use with children of about 10 or 11 years old, to help them discover more about building materials and their impact on the environment, in a fun and accessible way. Buildings have a significant impact on the environment – 11% of global carbon emissions come from the construction of buildings and the materials used. The Better Buildings programme aligns perfectly with our company values – it is imperative for us to raise awareness and put our knowledge out there for everyone to share.” Steve Malkin, founder of sustainability champions Planet Mark, adds: “”As an engineer, I would have loved a lesson in imagining and designing buildings that are great for the planet and for people. I have seen first-hand the wonderful ideas school children can bring to creating better buildings and, this exciting classroom resource gives them the ideas to fuel their imagination.” The Better Buildings resource is web based and includes investigating traditional and alternative materials used around the world, followed by a module for children to design their own low carbon building. Throughout the site, children are encouraged to explore the subjects through activities and open discussions, discovering fascinating facts and using an interactive carbon indicator to assess each material. Cartoon avatars of SGP staff help to explain common terms used throughout Simon continues: “Sustainability is everyone’s issue and everyone needs to contribute what they can. We developed the Better Building website specifically for primary school children because they are the architects of the future – and a generation that will need to face the problems we have left. We know the interest in sustainability and climate change is there from our existing schools’ sustainability campaign, SGP + You, so the earlier we can engage the better. “SGP’s Better Buildings website celebrates the positives and what people can do, reaffirming the message that people do have the ability to make changes that will have a positive impact. We hope that this resource will help teachers explain sustainability in building materials to older primary school children and ignite their enthusiasm for the subject.” The website, an open-source asset, is now available, free to all teachers. Link to the website: https://betterbuildings.stephengeorge.co.uk/
Stephen George + Partners LLP (SGP) has won planning approval for the latest phase of 59 new homes at William Davis Homes’ Copcut Rise development in Droitwich, Worcestershire. This will be the sixth phase of this ongoing scheme, with the 1.55 hectare site containing a mix of terraced semi-detached and detached, two-, three- and four- bedroom houses, 39% of which will be affordable homes. Explains Peter Brown, Studio Director at SGP: “SGP has been working with William Davis at Copcut Rise since 2012, and we are delighted to see the latest phase of this popular development win planning approval. Our designs are complementary to the scheme as a whole and develops the vision of the existing masterplan. When complete, it will contain just under 700 houses, with just over 600 already built. The variety of housing types will appeal to a wide range of local people, with the social housing element integrated seamlessly.” SGP chose materials and architectural details that extend the themes already established in previous phases. The design uses warm brick colours and crisp render, and details such as porches and gablettes to articulate the street scene. The homes generally face outwards, so careful consideration has been given to establishing active and passive frontages, as well as defined vistas and views which create a sense of openness without overlooking existing homes. Strong and well-defined building lines are opened up by adding soft landscaping, punctuated by trees and feature planting. Black metal railings and low-level hedges, create a layering effect which draws the eye gradually into the scene. Stephen Rush for William Davis Homes, said: “This is an important development where houses are in great demand. As with all our sites, the quality of design and construction really matters to us. That’s why we greatly value our partnership with SGP. We look forward to starting work on the new phase in due course.”
Stephen George + Partners LLP (SGP) has completed work on 44 Retirement Living apartments and 58 Retirement Living Plus apartments at Ilkley, West Yorkshire, for McCarthy & Stone North East. Scholars Place is the largest scheme to date for McCarthy & Stone North East, consisting of Priestley Court, a circa 3,940m² GIA Retirement Living scheme and Chesterton Court, a circa 5,850m² GIA Retirement Living Plus scheme. SGP’s plans for the spacious one and two bedroom apartments will redevelop a challenging, vacant brownfield site into a vibrant mixed use scheme that balances employment and residential uses. SGP’s involvement began with the masterplanning of the 3.58 hectare site, owned by McCarthy & Stone and Spooner Industries, into six discrete and complementary uses, namely Retirement Living and Retirement Living Plus apartments, a 77 bedroom care home, office block, two extensions to Spooner Industries Ltd and a children’s nursery (later amended to an office), together with associated parking and landscaping. SGP’s work continued after planning permission was granted in December 2016, taking the McCarthy & Stone Retirement Living and Retirement Living Plus projects from feasibility through to completion. McCarthy & Stone’s Retirement Living developments provide exclusive high-quality owner-occupied apartments for those aged 60 and over, offering residents independence with peace of mind. Their Retirement Living Plus apartments are for the over 70s and offer thoughtfully-designed, low-maintenance, private apartments with beautiful communal areas for socialising. SGP’s careful consideration of material use and fenestration created a contemporary but sympathetic design with beautifully landscaped gardens and external areas, responsive to the local area and fitting for a key site seen by hundreds of people every day via the nearby train line. Says Dean Payton, Associate at SGP: “Although Tesco pulled out of their planned Superstore, local feeling was still sensitive to new proposals for this important site, which is overlooked by local landmark the Cow and Calf rocks high on Ilkley Moor and has Networks Rail’s busy Wharfdale line adjacent. We worked closely with McCarthy & Stone’s in-house planning consultant and the local planning authority, as well as staging public exhibitions to encourage community participation, addressing local concerns by commissioning additional studies and incorporating into the planning submission.” The site required SGP to pay close attention to site levels and its association with the adjoining railway line needed close collaboration between the design and site teams and Network Rail. SGP used Revit from early concept stage massing through to project completion, modelling the whole site to the existing surveyed and proposed levels allowing accurate contextual elevations, eye-level perspectives and solar studies. The latter were beneficial for alleviating residents’ concerns about possible over shadowing of their properties and for assessing the scale of development from the highway. Concludes Graeme Kynman, Development Manage at McCarthy & Stone: “This was a complex site, with multiple sub-site clients and their consultants demanding a coordinated site design and exemplary communications. We are extremely proud to have successfully brought this stunning development to completion.”
Award-winning professional services firm, WYG and leading architectural practice, Stephen George + Partners (SGP), are delighted to confirm their appointment by Stevenage Borough Council to design the new Bus Interchange for Stevenage Town Centre. Part of the biggest town centre regeneration scheme in the east of England with a gross development value of £300m, the project was awarded via the HCA Framework and brings back together key personnel from the design and delivery of the successful Haymarket Bus Station for Leicester City Council. The relocation of Stevenage Bus Interchange is a vital enabler in the town’s masterplan, unlocking a key site to kickstart SG1, the first phase in Stevenage Borough Council’s long-term plan to regenerate Stevenage Town Centre. The Bus Interchange move, from its current location adjacent to the Town Square to an alternative location in the town centre, will be the first step in improving connectivity to the railway station and provide an upgraded modern bus station – a step change in the quality and level of facilities for users. Alistair Branch, Director & Head of Transport for SGP commented: “We are pleased to bring our extensive experience of delivering award winning bus interchanges to this exciting project and supporting WYG and Stevenage Borough Council in developing their plans from first principles.” John Pattinson, Director of WYG commented: “The council’s regeneration of its town centre doesn’t just bring significant social value, but also respects its ‘new town’ heritage. Delivering this transport interchange will go a long way towards supporting the town’s ambitious growth plans. We’re grateful for the opportunity to work with Stevenage and SGP again to make this happen.” Following an initial public consultation event late 2018 to understand the public and user’s aspirations for the new Interchange, the proposed plans are being presented to the public week commencing 11th March 2019 to share the preferred Interchange design and give the public the opportunity to make comment, prior to a detailed planning application.
Stephen George + Partners LLP (SGP) has completed the first phase of the £210 million Exeter Skypark development – the Number One Tiger Moth Road, a 1,790 m2 speculative Grade A office building. The firm worked together with its client, St. Modwen, and created three storeys of energy efficient office space, designed to be divided into three sub-let units, one of which is already let. One of the South West’s most significant business park developments, Exeter Skypark is a cutting-edge Business Park Development and the cornerstone of the Exeter and East Devon New Growth Point. Number One Tiger Moth Road creates the gateway into the core office quarter and anchors the southern edge of enterprise Square, a vibrant landscaped area with water features and communal areas for employees to meet and relax. “Number One Tiger Moth Road sets the benchmark for development across the park and establishes the vision for a high quality public realm and built form. The overall proportions of the building are particularly successful in creating a balanced, lightweight, contemporary form which merges masonry with the crisp aesthetic of glass and aluminium,” said Ian Yallop, chairman of SGP. The Skypark’s design demonstrated an integrated approach to sustainability, with SGP taking a holistic three stage approach for its first phase. It utilises the building orientation and fabric to reduce energy, then it uses smart technology such as BMS and intelligent LED lighting systems to further reduce energy use and lastly, it installed a side wide district heating system that serves the entire development. As a result, Number One Tiger Moth Road achieved both BREEAM Excellent and is EPC A rated. The scheme aims to create a business park environment that provides space for a wide range of businesses, benefiting the local economy and business community. Its first commercial sub-let was finalised within three months of build completion, bringing 40 jobs to the area and proving its success. In total, Skypark will create a new business community of up to 7,500 employees which will be served by the on-site carbon neutral district heating system and set within a landscaped environment of more than 100 acres.
An AJ Top 100 architectural practice, Stephen George + Partners LLP (SGP), has completed a £7.7 million, 5,894 m2 new build warehouse, factory and office building on a vacant 4.5 acre plot at the Watermead Business Park, Syston, near Leicester. The facility was built for Albert Browne, owned by STERIS Corporation, and it will showcase the company’s product quality and high level of quality assurance in its production methods, as well as merging staff and processes from two sites whilst allowing space for any potential future expansion. “Working alongside Albert Browne and the STERIS Corporation, SGP has designed a flexible, high-quality production facility whose refined design delivers a contemporary building that meets the clients’ current and future needs,” said Ian Yallop, chairman of SGP. The purpose-built facility uses a contemporary form with large areas of glazing and a simple neutral colour palette. Three interlocking forms with an asymmetric curved roof contain the main production and storage building whilst a lower block contains the office and R&D functions. A change in colour on each block helps to break down the overall mass, forming an animated ‘gateway’ into the city and responding to glimpsed views from the A607. The entrances are emphasised by a two storey blue framed glazed structure containing reception and meeting rooms with a double height void over the reception area. Stephen George + Partners is one of the UK’s leading architectural practices, employing over 85 staff across offices in London, Leicester, Leeds, Birmingham and Solihull. With its strategic geographical locations and talented architectural design teams, the practice specialises in masterplanning and the residential, industrial, logistics, office, education, health and retail sectors. Success in the UK has led to opportunities overseas, resulting in the establishment of Stephen George International in 2009. In 2016 Stephen George + Partners turned over £6 million.
