As part of our 30th anniversary celebrations gcp took to the go kart tracks last week. With a lot of competitiveness (and a little cheating) director Jonathan Platt took first place on the podium !
Podium Finish!
Avon Valley Country Park gets a little cooler
Having been appointed to develop a masterplan for the long-term development of Avon Valley Country Park, park owner has sought gcp advice on other operational issues such as the overheating of the main play barn in summer due to sun heating up the roof and lots of children running about.
gcp suggested a range of low cost interventions including the installation of a slow moving destratification fan to help circulate air within the barn. Having taken this advice Avon Valley are currently trialling a destratification fan from Megafan Technologies Ltd and are experiencing promising results: cooler environment, fresher air and happier parents! In winter, the fan also works to push warm air down to ground level thereby reducing heating bills. It looks like with gcp’s practical advice this relatively simple intervention will a win in the summer and a win in the winter for Avon Valley. See the video on how this technology works.
Welcome Ann Sharp!
gcp are really pleased to welcome Ann into the administrative team. Ann will be covering reception and lending a hand whilst Natalie goes on Maternity Leave. Give us a call and say hello !
Bristol Water
gcp from the air !
Jon enjoyed a balloon flight over Bristol on the Bank Holiday weekend – he even managed to snap some pictures of gcp projects from the air !
Torpoint Housing
Halsall Charity Bike Ride
Jeremy & Colin joined in on Halsall Constructions charity bike ride last week. A total of £1,100 was raised from this event in support of Teenage Cancer Trust.
Walk the Wye - Complete!
Edit 30.05.2017: Total money raised from this event currently stands at £299.95
We enjoyed a lovely stroll from Lower Lydbrook to Monmouth on Sunday and were pleased to get sunshine! Thanks to kind donations, we raised over £300 for charity.
Once the 10 miles were complete, we rewarded ourselves with a BBQ and ice cream.
DfS Project Published in ICE Civil Engineering Journal
Further to our post in November 2016 regarding gcp's support on this project, please find attached the updated version.
“Design for Health Task Group
gcp have been invited to be part of a body of industry experts advising the Constructing Excellence, Construction Clients Group. gcp will be working alongside organisations including Safety in Design, Mace, HSE, Land Securities, Imperial College, Jaguar Landrover, Skanska and others.
The CCG Health and Safety Group have recognised that Clients and Designers can do more to put health at the forefront of their considerations and have recommended the establishment of a task group to move this forward. The purpose of this Group is to equip clients with what they need to specify to achieve the highest standards for Health & Safety during decision making and design, by setting clear expectations to the industry.
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Walk the Wye - Sponsor us!
As part of a series of events running through the summer to celebrate our 30th Anniversary year, gcp are Walking the Wye for the Rotary Club of Monmouth. If you woud like to sponsor us, please go here to add donations.
Join our team! Wanted: Part-time Administrative Assistant
We are looking for a responsible Administrative Assistant to perform a variety of administrative and clerical tasks, providing general office administration and support.
Part-time: 10am – 2pm, 3 or 4 days per week. Up to £17,500 (pro rata, per annum), fixed term maternity cover.
Closing date: 26 April 2017. All successful candidates will be contacted by 4 May 2017 to arrange an interview. Interviews week commencing 8 May. Please contact Natalie Lock on mail@gcparch.co.uk to request further information or an application form.
CV’s alone will not be accepted. No agencies please.
Oldbury Court, Public Consultation
Here are a few pictures taken at Public Consultation on Saturday. The project is Oldbury Court where we are working on a scheme with Dribuild and United Communities. The consultation was held at Brunelcare, Colliers Garden opposite the site.
gcp Chartered Architects 1987 – 2017
gcp Chartered Architects will celebrate our 30th anniversary in September and will be organising a series of events for staff, partners, colleagues and friends over the Summer. Please look out for further news and help us to raise funds for Macmillan Cancer Support.
Throwback Thursday: West Street, Bedminster
“The West Street project began in 2010, as a collaboration with Knightstone Housing Association and gcp Chartered Architects. The scheme trained homeless ex-service personnel to build a community, gain new skills and qualifications and meet like-minded people. The Homes and Communities Agency provided £660,000 of funding to help kick-start the project, which features 14 homes for social rent. ”
Handing over at Cotford St Luke, Taunton
Handing over at Cotford St Luke, Taunton; the first tenants cut the ribbon on their new homes.
gcp worked with South Western Housing Society and Kier Living to design and deliver 28 affordable homes on this sensitive site. The opening was attended by Local and Parish Councillors and SWHS Board Members.
Feedback on the design was very positive. Particular features commented on were: spacious design, positive relationships to neighbouring properties and integration into the structure and character of Cotford.
Sidford Road (Torpoint) gets AECB Silver standard certification
Our Torpoint project for Knightstone Housing has now been certified to meet the AECB Silver standard. This low energy building standard uses PassivHaus methodology and overall energy targets with a some flexibility on airtightness to make the standard more accessible. We would recommend AECB Silver to clients as a really useful first step in the learning process towards delivering PassivHaus levels of energy efficiency.
Achieving the standard on this project was particularly challenging due to the complex building section – necessary on the steeply sloping site – so congratulations should also go to Kier Living for their persistence and hard work in achieving an airtightness of 1.1 ac/hr.
More information on the project is available at the Low Energy Building Database.
Colin Powell speaking @ Low Carbon Business Breakfast
Colin Powell of gcp is speaking at the following event next week !
Low Carbon Business Breakfast - Lessons in Domestic Efficiency
7:45 am – 10:30 am, Tuesday 21st February 2017, the Future Economy Centre, Bristol
Domestic housing presents a potential opportunity for national CO2 savings of 20% and currently accounts for 30% of all energy use, but housing stock contains almost infinite variations. What has been learnt from past measures, what is being utilised currently and where is domestic efficiency heading?
Successful pre-completion air-testing
Successful pre-completion air-testing today at our Stoke Bishop low energy project; achieving 0.68 air change per hour - well below our EnerPHit target of 1.0.
Another success for the Nudura ICF construction method and the care taken installing gcp’s carefully considered air tightness detailing.
Planning Approval for New Self-Build PassivHaus
gcp have obtained planning approval from North Somerset Council for a new home in the village of Dundry to the south of Bristol. Located in green-belt, the project will replace an existing house that was very cold and draughty in the exposed location, with an extra-snug and energy efficient PassivHaus.
gcp’s in-house PassivHaus designer Colin Powell, has modelled the energy performance and optimised the design to enable the client to achieve a certifiable building on completion. We are now working with the client on construction design to ensure the home will be easy and efficient for the self-build team to construct to meet the exacting PassivHaus standards.
Wanted: Architects + Part 2 Architectural Trainees
gcp would be pleased to receive applications for minimum 4 days per week or full time employment from part 2 qualified architectural trainees or fully qualified architects.
Experience of designing multiple unit schemes in the affordable housing and open market sectors and experience of revit would be desirable.
Keenness to design and have direct client contact as well as the enthusiasm to run small teams will be important.
Rates of pay will be subject to circumstances and experience.
In the first instance, please e mail jeremy.pilling@gcparch.co.uk with a cv and examples of some recent work.
No agencies please.
Offices to Residential
gcp secure change of use planning approval to convert offices to residential for Alliance Homes in Weston-super-Mare.
The High Rise Towerblock was reclad to improve thermal efficiency, reduce heating bills and extend the life of the building.
Brandon House Revived
Before: Brandon House was experiencing problems with structural movement and suffering from poorinsulation leading to condensation, mould and water ingress.
Photo Credits to Alumasc. Read their blog on Brandon House here.