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ten out of ten Flipbook PDF
Russ Drage Architects - a selection of projects from the first 10 years of practice.
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We started RDA in 2003, full of the optimism and enthusiasm that typified the fledgling years of the new millennium. It is astonishing that in what seems like the blinking of an eye, over 150 commissions and 10 years have passed by. A decade on, RDA retains that initial enthusiasm and remains eternally optimistic, galvanised by the experience of what, in a challenging decade for architecture, has been equivalent to “training at altitude”. We hesitate to say it, but somewhere on that journey we appear to have
front cover - The Atlanta Cafe, Clacton-on-Sea
crossed an invisible line which suggests that we have also become “established”. In celebration of our 10th birthday and in recognition of the clients, colleagues and in particular the talented people we have been fortunate enough to have as part of the RDA team, we felt we should mark the occasion. We settled upon this simple retrospective, choosing 10 of our favourite RDA schemes. Not necessarily the biggest, although there are some significant schemes amongst
them, but those that we collectively feel best represent the wide variety of work that forms our now considerable back catalogue. We have named the document “Ten out of Ten” primarily because we set ourselves the task of choosing only 10 schemes from the first 10 years of Russ Drage Architects. However, it also summarises the level of energy and effort we put into every commission large or small, architecture, masterplanning or urban design.
projects 1
worthing gateway, west sussex
2
veritas, cambridge
3
halong bay, vietnam
4
measham wharf, leicestershire
5
mallory yard, south manchester
6
the leas pavilion, folkestone
7
the beach house, southend on sea
8
north wales business park, abergele
9
greencourt, leigh on sea
10
the hippodrome, brighton
Worthing Gateway, West Sussex A multi disciplinary team headed by RDA designed this mixed use residential, retail and leisure based regeneration scheme for a strategic site in the centre of Worthing, West Sussex. The £100 million, 900,000 sq ft scheme is the culmination of an extensive design process which received planning consent in November 2010. It includes a food store, multiplex cinema, restaurants, health and fitness suite, flexible office space, an 88 room hotel, conference centre and 260 apartments together with 900 on site parking spaces. The proposals mend a hole in the fabric of Worthing, reconnecting the town centre and the railway station whilst forming a landmark, civic building together with extensive areas of new high quality public realm. This is a true regeneration project which has embraced Public Consultation and liaison with CABE and the SERDP.
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town centre regeneration
2
Veritas, Cambridge RDA were commissioned to prepare a detailed application for flats and houses on a former industrial site adjoining Cambridge city centre. The new proposals are based around a high quality, pedestrian accessible public realm framework, which aims to improve the accessibility and overall legibility of the site, including an extension to existing open space on the adjoining residential development. The 136 dwelling scheme achieved consent following a successful Public Inquiry at which RDA were Expert Witness and will complete on site in November 2013.
high density residential
3
resort masterplan
Halong Bay, Vietnam Working within a series of established development standards, RDA were commissioned to undertake the design of individual component buildings and the layout of residential neighbourhoods within a 125 hectare masterplan for a new hotel and residential resort that forms part of an internationally significant area of outstanding natural beauty. RDA were appointed to design over 300 villas, and 150 townhouses together with amenity and clubhouse buildings within each neighbourhood cluster and an outdoor pursuits complex. The site’s challenging topography, high quality landscape infrastructure and strict development guidelines generated a series of buildings that, when combined, respond to the unique setting and stunning panoramic views, forming a new place with a strong and distinctive character.
Measham Wharf, NW Leicestershire A major urban extension to the town of Measham, at the heart of which lies the restoration of a 1.1 km section of the Ashby Canal and a Wharf to provide a new waterside focus for the town. In parallel with the canal restoration RDA’s masterplan includes 475 new family houses and follows an in-depth urban design analysis, discussions with the Opun Design Review Panel and Public Consultation. An ambitious project which draws on the character of its setting and one that will bring new life, vitality and the prospect of ongoing regeneration to Measham, the scheme was granted planning consent in October 2013.
4
urban extension
flexible business space
5
Mallory Yard, South Manchester A pair of imagey, low cost, flexible office buildings located close to Manchester Airport as part of a mixed use residential development. The buildings respond to the scale and character of their location, whilst providing efficient “own front door” B1 space for up to ten businesses or two larger occupiers. RDA’s brief was to establish a development of distinct contemporary character and quality but which also responded to an exacting Development Brief which requires the use of local materials and details to reflect the character and scale of the largely residential setting.
6
heritage setting
The Leas Pavilion, Folkestone An adventurous design solution for 68 seafront apartments within the historic Leas Conversation Area which literally bridges over the listed Leas Pavilion, a sunken Edwardian tea room and theatre. Public Consultation and a review by the South East Regional Design Panel were undertaken as part of an inclusive design and planning process. Ground floor level retail and gallery spaces, a comprehensive scheme of enhanced footpaths, new landscape and an extensive area of new public realm also help improve connections between the town centre and the seafront as part of the proposals. Every apartment has a seaward facing balcony to enjoy spectacular south facing views over the Channel.
Beach House, Southend on Sea With unobstructed, panoramic southerly views over the Thames Estuary and forming part of an identified seafront character zone, the proposals optimise this unique location as a spectacular place to live. A layered façade creates extensive balcony areas which also facilitate passive solar control. Set back behind the balcony framework largely glazed elevations draw the unique view into each of the 16 apartments whilst forming an appropriately robust external skin to weather this often harsh ever-changing marine environment.
seafront living
7
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technology park
North Wales Business Park, Abergele Set against the backdrop of the foothills of Snowdonia, and with commanding views over the Irish Sea, RDA’s masterplan for North Wales Business Park will accommodate 35,000m² of low cost, flexible business space and is partly EU grant funded. RDA have also designed three phases of B1 buildings within the masterplan including Worldspan International’s HQ and a series of flexible, speculative units. Designed for single or multiple occupancy the buildings have robust but fine quality detailing in response to their high exposure coastal location. Elements of the local, coastal vernacular/harbourside architecture have been incorporated in a contemporary design which utilises local limestone. The units have achieved a BREEAM Excellent rating.
Greencourt, Leigh-on-Sea A high quality residential cluster of seven luxury homes on a land locked site reflecting our client’s aspirations for a unique living experience set within a high quality landscaped environment. The design also reflects the unique characteristics of the site which enjoys a relatively introverted character, with only limited visual connection to the surrounding residential streets. Large windows open up the elevations on the private, garden side of the dwellings with reduced areas of glazing on the semi-public shared surface side of the scheme. With large full height kitchen windows providing a visual connection, through the house to the gardens and vice-versa. Elements of lead cladding have been introduced to form accent points within the overall composition, such as projecting, angled bay windows and wrap around cladding to the double height garden bay windows. The recessed brickwork components have been extruded through rendered gables in the form of cantilevered first floor bays, continuing the language of a play between render and masonry, recessed and cantilevered elements.
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contemporary cluster
10
old town regeneration
The Hippodrome, Brighton Forming a significant portion of Brighton’s historic core, the Old Town Conservation Area, this scheme is based around the restoration and conversion of a grade II* listed theatre, the Brighton Hippodrome. The Hippodrome, together with 5,000m of new building works, will accommodate a new cinema, retail and restaurant hub set within Brighton’s famous ‘Lanes’ district. 2
In addition to an 1,100 seat, eight screen cinema complex and a signature restaurant within the dome, two new street frontage buildings are proposed together with the refurbishment of Duke’s Lane, an existing speciality shopping street, to which a new
connection is proposed, extending and enhancing the public realm and inviting interaction with the Hippodrome.One of RDA’s most ambitious designs to date the conversion of the Hippodrome will leave the historic fabric of the building restored and intact, and will be entirely reversible in order that the building could one-day return to use as a theatre. A planning application will be submitted in November 2013.
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Award winning residential
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