gcp visit Edinburgh

It was back in 2020, when former director, Colin Powell moved to Edinburgh from Bath to fulfil a family dream of living in Scotland. A global pandemic, three years and many successful projects later a small group of the gcp team embarked on a mini-office-trip to pay him (and magnificent Edinburgh) a visit.

Our trip started early on Friday morning with a 7am flight from Bristol International Airport, landing us in Edinburgh just as the day was beginning to break. An atmospheric mist settled over the streets as we took the bus into the capital, finally splitting to cast glorious sunshine over the gothic city once brunch was over.

That first morning was for exploring – the Botanical Gardens, Modern Two, quaintly cobbled streets and an independent-makers-market inside a church were some of the sights taken in before we headed to our meeting place of Edinburgh Castle for a group experience.

We battled the crowds to take in the beauty of the sun soaked city from upon high. The breathless, panoramic views were worth being squeezed like sardines through the entrance and once inside the settlement it was peaceful with lots to look at.

There might have been a pint (or two) consumed afterwards in an quirky little pub and many thousands of steps clocked up on the step trackers.

Day Two started off with pastries and coffee (for those of us who didn’t have breakfasts at the hotel or AirBnB) and meeting Colin at the bottom of the Royal Mile, for a walk that started in a graveyard and ended in a café.

We took a meandering route, soaking up amazing views and the lovely streets of New Town. There were surprising pockets of nature to be discovered in the West End, all sprinkled with history, stories, anecdotes and interesting facts from Colin. We caught up as we walked, taking in what felt like an entirely different city to the day before.

Everywhere you turn in Edinburgh, there is something for your eyes to feast upon. Each street looks like it could be a scene in a film or the setting of a novel; I found myself saying “it’s beautiful, no this is beautiful” more times that I can count. With Autumn just at the edges of the trees and the weather zig-zagging between smokey skies and blinding sunshine, I felt like we really got the best it could offer.

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After our tour we were armed with knowledge of the best bookshops in the city and filled with the most delicious toastie I’ve ever eaten it was time for a well-earned rest. Another 15,000 steps clocked in on the tracker, there were a few free hours (an amazing entrance-way in the National Portrait Gallery, yoga, a chapter of my book, a glass of wine) before we met again for a lovely dinner.

Colin surprised us all with some hand-thrown tea bowls (he has taken up pottery since moving to Edinburgh); and we finished the evening in a wine bar, chatting about our trip so far and sharing our go-to karaoke songs.

By Sunday, there was still more to do and by now, my fitness tracker was wondering if perhaps my watch had been stolen by someone who walks much more than I normally do. Today was Arthur’s Seat for some, bookshops, people watching and coffee for others. Signed-First-Editions, origami book pages, museums, galleries, parks, fountains, a fancy new shopping mall – we made the most of our last, long day, squeezing in as many of the sights as we could, before heading back to Edinburgh Airport for dinner and a late flight back to Bristol.

It is all in the detail.

The brickwork on Mi-Space’s Oakfield development is amazing. Really attractive bricks have been specified, and bond patterns used that showcase them at their best. There is Flemish bond between paired front doors with the alternating header and stretcher bricks in contrasting colours. The projecting brick detail also features contrasting bricks, which with the sunshine and shadow looks really spectacular. Visitors to the development will also notice that prominent corner plots feature a basket weave pattern which is an eye-catching but quite subtle detail.

gcp have prepared brick setting out details to assist Mi-Space in achieving these really great results.

www.oakfieldswindon.co.uk.

Phase 1 at Oakfield development making great progress.

Fantastic progress is being made on site where Mi-Space are constructing the Oakfield development in Swindon for Nationwide Building Society. Phase 1 will see the completion of 44 houses, 12 walk-up apartments and the Hub building.

The houses and walk-ups are a mix of open market and affordable units. They are traditional masonry cavity construction of two and three storeys in height, and progress ranges from completion of ground floor slab to installation of first floor joists.

The Hub has a community room on the ground floor and 18 intergenerational apartments, for local affordable housing provider GreenSquareAccord. Construction of the 4 storey concrete frame is now at roof level.

www.oakfieldswindon.co.uk.

The Hub building with phase 1 houses in the foreground.

From the roof of the Hub building, phase 1 houses can be seen to the right with phase 3 to the left and phase 2 in the distance.

End of year blog 2020

A year like no other is coming to an end and I just wanted to say that, despite the numerous challenges presented to us, the whole team has responded magnificently demonstrating a deep-routed culture of mutual support and understanding. My thanks and appreciation go to you all. I have known for ages that it was all about the people and so I want to mention some of the ways that we have progressed as an organisation to put us in such a strong position looking forward to 2021 and the part that the individuals have played in that.

Everyone has developed a ‘teams’ persona whether it’s during a virtual rendezvous with genial GP ‘doctor’ Martin Spear, ‘cat juggling’ Esther Brown, ‘squeezed under the stairs’ whispering Michael Hanson or ‘wild man of the woods’ Jonathan Platt. Sometimes they all appear at once on screen like a mad version of University Challenge.

I thought some like borrowing the cool neutral background of a beautifully tasteful modern kitchen until I eventually realised that in Olia Kyritsi’s case it was actually her real kitchen.  Some like Tom Mellor, Tom Hubbard and Matt Andrews like fading out the domestic child strewn chaos in which they obviously live while Owen Faunt either has many rooms in his house or a different selection of bold wallpapers in each. Sarah Markroum looks as though she is just about to pick up an instrument and sing us a song and Matt Bonney has been sitting next to his match pot decorated wall for most of the year.

Natalie Lock likes to share her domestic bliss with us occasionally interrupted by child or husband or both and recently we have been able to share the homes of Maria Steward, who’s husband lives, we now know, behind a door curiously located half way up the wall in her kitchen, or Siobhan Tarr who has brought the garden inside her house with her spectacularly green fingers.  James Pilling resides in his person shed in the middle of a building site with bike poised for an early morning spin whilst Jon Briscoe organises our every waking hour with benevolent decisiveness and our recently distanced genial voice of reason and wisdom Colin Powell looks over us and after us. 

What a dream teams team!

This year really has been full of achievement. Financially we have, more or less, broken even which has been no mean feat on its own.  During a year when we have completed a refurbishment of the office, had to work in bubbles, incurred the considerable cost of converting the business into an Employee Owned Trust and set everyone up with the IT infrastructure to work fairly seamlessly from home or from Corum 2, this performance has been even more remarkable.

The year stared with James Pilling achieving a Part 1 Architectural qualification by distance learning with Oxford Brookes and ended with Esther Brown becoming a fully qualified Architect.  In the middle Sarah Makroum passed her first year of Part 2, again at Oxford Brookes and Own Faunt his first year apprentice Part 1 at South Bank University, both with flying colours.  Matt Bonney and Olia Kyrirtsi became qualified Passivhaus designers and Tom Hubbard became a certified Architectural Technologist.  Congratulations to you all.

Shout outs go to Michael Hanson for his tireless responses to your never-ending technical queries and Michael again with Tom Mellor for masterminding the IT development and eventual delivery of a VOIP telephone system.  Don’t ring us ( and expect to get transferred ) we’ll ring you back!  Lastly a big mention for Esther Brown, Natalie Lock, Matt Bonney and James Pilling for boosting our social media presence to the status of influencers – who would have believed it!

And then there was the actual work!

Happy Christmas to you and yours and I look forward to eventually meeting up with you all in 2021.

Jeremy Pilling

2020 Favourites: Brooks Dye Works

“I’ve been involved with the Brooks scheme for about 3 years now, throughout tender design stage to detailed construction, and we are due to handover the first block to the Acorn team before Christmas! It is one of our biggest Revit projects and has been beneficial in developing our strategies, which I am thankful for.

The development is really coming together on site, with the build progress allowing you to imagine the completed scheme. Seeing the finished coloured renders along Southey Street has really made me smile!”

— Siobhan Tarr, gcp

We asked everyone in the office to name their favourite project of 2020. Siobhan has been involved in delivery several of our larger schemes. Her favourite this year has been the exciting scheme in St Werburghs, delivering 105 dwellings by Halsall for Acron.

2020 Favourites: Oakfield

“My favourite project this year has been Oakfield’s. A not-for-profit, high quality, sustainable housing community in Swindon. It’s really been refreshing working on a project with such variety, and one that is going to make a positive impact on people’s lives”

— Matt Andrews, gcp

CGIs by PicturePlane, Metropolitan Workshop and PRP

We asked everyone in the office to name their favourite project of 2020. Matt joined the team this year and dove straight into supporting our largest not for profit development delivering 239 quality sustainable homes. gcp are working for contractor Mi-Space, who started on site in April 2020. The first homes will be available to view in autumn 2021.

Welcome Matt Andrews!

Matt joined gcp during the summer. Here is a little more about Matt, in his own words: 

My early interests in architecture where simple. How did they build that, and what does it all mean?

In my quest to figure it all out I have worked as a builder’s labourer, completed a BTEC in Architecture, Surveying, and the Built Environment, and graduated from the University of the West of England with a dual BA (Hons) degree in Architecture and Planning. 

Since then I have worked in some diverse architecture practices of varying scales. Mainly in the student accommodation, mixed use, and residential sectors with an involvement in all things BIM.  

My current architectural interests vary quite a bit! I love repurposed spaces, things out of the ordinary, elegantly simple design, both high tech and traditional construction, and high quality sustainable design that will stand the test of time.  

I am currently working on Oakfield’s at GCP. A not-for-profit, high quality, sustainable housing community in Swindon. It’s really been refreshing working on a project with such variety, and one that is going to make a positive impact on people’s lives. 

I am a proud father to an 8 month old. In true dad fashion I spend my spare time fixing things and trying to elevate my building skills past DIY status. My other interests include reading fiction from the likes of Phillip Pullman to Phillip K Dick, along with cooking (mainly spicy world foods).