• spudYOUTH’s Handlebar Cafe opens in Winchester

    Date posted: Wednesday 16 October 2019

    Over the past six years, ArchitecturePLB has been involved in supporting spudYOUTH to create a new cycle cafe in the South Downs National Park. The spudYOUTH programme inspires young people who are interested in architecture, urban design and public art and provides opportunities for them to collaborate with local built environment professionals.

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  • Design centre featured in Architecture Today supplement

    Date posted: Tuesday 12 September 2017

    Merchant Taylors’ School Design Centre has been featured in the latest edition of Design magazine, a supplement of Architecture Today, showcasing projects where bricks have been used to enhance design. The feature highlights ArchitecturePLB’s sensitive brick selection and detailing which “anchor the new design centre to the historic campus” ensuring that it sits comfortably alongside adjacent Grade II listed 1930s school buildings. The project was awarded a Brick Awards commendation in 2016.

    The full feature can be found here (pages 6-13)

  • Capital Idea for New London Quarterly

    Date posted: Thursday 9 February 2017

    ArchitecturePLB directors Rachel Shaw and Rupert Cook recently had their ‘Capital Idea!’ published in New London Quarterly. Their proposal explored the potential for high rise Universities as a means of releasing swathes of land for other developments.

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  • We have moved!

    Date posted: Wednesday 17 August 2016

    ArchitecturePLB has re-located its London studio in to a new space in Southwark.

    We are now based at 50 Southwark Street, SE1 1UN – a short walk from London Bridge mainline and Borough and Southwark underground stations.

    We look forward to welcoming you to our new studio soon.

  • Rupert Cook contributes to Future Campus book

    Date posted: Tuesday 5 July 2016

    Rupert Cook has contributed to Future Campus, a new RIBA publication which aims to help architects, design teams and university clients in their pursuit of practical and innovative solutions for the creation of enabling higher education learning environments. Written in collaboration with Professor Philip Ogden of Queen Mary University, Rupert explores the key factors that lie behind the masterplanning process and how it fits within wider institutional governance. The book, edited by Ian Taylor of Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios and which launches at HEDQF on 12 July, can be purchased via the RIBA Bookshop.

  • Cromwell Road featured in Inform, Architecture Today

    Date posted: Friday 13 May 2016

    Cromwell Road, a sensitively designed neighborhood of nine houses in Stanmore, Winchester, is featured in the Spring issue of Architecture Today’s ‘Inform’ supplement. The edition covers a range of innovative housing solutions from London and the South East. The scheme, for client Radian Group, is positioned on a narrow former allotment site and is designed to create contemporary homes whilst minimising overlooking of neighbouring properties. The full article can be viewed here (page 38).

  • ArchitecturePLB in AJ120

    Date posted: Thursday 25 June 2015

    ArchitecturePLB has been named in the Architect’s Journal list of the top 120 architectural practices in the country. ArchitecturePLB are delighted to be ranked amongst the top practices again this year, reflecting continued success across all sectors.

  • Future Schools: Innovative Design for Existing and New Buildings

    Date posted: Monday 1 June 2015

    ArchitecturePLB director, Nick Mirchandani and independent Educationalist, Sharon Wright have co-edited a new book; ‘Future Schools: Innovative Design for Existing and New Buildings’ for RIBA Publishing.

    The book provides design guidance on themes in school architecture and features a wealth of recent innovative projects from around the UK.

    The book is available to purchase from the RIBA Bookshop.

  • The Handle Bar Cafe – A SPUD Youth Project

    Date posted: Thursday 9 April 2015

    This week our Winchester studio has provided workshop space for the SPUD Youth Group, as they finalise designs for their proposed Cycle Cafe project. The SPUD Youth Group was set up by Mark Drury with the intention of providing an opportunity for budding new designers to engage in real life design projects.  The proposed design will re-appropriate a decommissioned train carriage situated on a national cycle route to provide refreshments, seating and a cycle repair shop to the passing crowd.

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  • AJ Article – PSBP Challenges

    Date posted: Thursday 2 April 2015

    ArchitecturePLB director, Nick Mirchandani and educationalist Sharon Wright have co-written an article for the Architect’s Journal on the challenges of the Priority Schools Building Programme.

    You can read the full article on the AJ’s website here if you are a subscriber.

  • Spring Practice Day 2015

    Date posted: Monday 23 March 2015

    This year’s spring practice day was hosted by our London studio. Important practice wide messages were shared throughout the day, including pension scheme updates, business development opportunities and presentations from project architects working across our Schools, Housing, HE and Student Residence sectors. The weather was on our side, and we were able to take advantage of the sun and deck chairs on the roof terrace outside. The day ended with every member of staff sharing an image they’d captured of an architectural detail, building or curiosity that had caught their attention recently.

  • Building 4 Education Article

    Date posted: Tuesday 10 February 2015

    The thoughts of Rupert Cook have been featured in a Sustainability special of the latest issue of Building 4 Education. The article questions whether universities are committed to strategies to enhance the environment or whether it’s simply recycling proven technologies. Rupert believes some Higher Education Institutions are discounting BREEAM in favour of alternative energy models such as SKA and Passivhaus due to high assessment costs. Rupert believes it’s important that more knowledge of refurbishing 1960s and 1970s university estates are shared via organisations as HEDQF, of which he is joint-convenor.

  • Representational Techniques in Architecture

    Date posted: Friday 30 January 2015

    One of ArchitecturePLB’s projects has been featured in the second edition of ‘Representational Techniques for Architecture’, as part of the Basics Architecture series, written by Lorraine Farrelly and Nicola Crowson.

    Page 48-49 features a cross section drawing of The Eco-Station which encourages the public to engage with sustainability. The project was designed as a series of frames that could be easily taken apart at a range of locations. It was then clad with panels using materials from recycled mobiles phones to old plastic pipes.

  • RIBA Small Project Handbook

    Date posted: Monday 26 January 2015

    ArchitecturePLB Towers 1&2 project for the London School of Economics  has been featured in a new RIBA publication, the Small Projects Handbook. A hands-on guide to running smaller projects, fully-aligned to the RIBA Plan of Work 2013, the book is interspersed with case material illustrating ‘real world’ problems and solutions from practice.

    Small Projects Handbook by Nigel Ostime

    RIBA Publishing

  • Mayflower Halls Official Opening

    Date posted: Friday 29 August 2014

    Mayflower Halls was officially opened on 28th August, the event was marked by a ceremony conducted by local MP John Denham who was joined by University of Southampton Vice Chancellor Professor Don Nutbeam, Mayor of Southampton Sue Blatchford and the Chairman of Osborne, Andrew Osborne.

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  • Designing for the Third Age

    Date posted: Monday 23 June 2014

    The challenges of providing housing for an ageing generation have been a concern of the practice for some years. Following on from several other publications, practice Director Ian Deans was instrumental in commissioning this edition of AD magazine which was to consider the issues, analyse case studies and propose innovative solutions for different locations and cultures across the world.

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  • RIBA Journal Article – June 2014

    Date posted: Sunday 1 June 2014

    Rupert Cook recently wrote an introductory piece about architecture in the South for RIBA Journal’s Awards edition. He commented upon the high proportion of architectural practices based in Hampshire and some of the changes that have taken place in the region over the last 40 years.

  • ArchitecturePLB in AJ100

    Date posted: Thursday 29 May 2014

    This year’s AJ100 rankings have been published, with ArchitecturePLB placed 94th in the top 100 architectural practices in the UK. For more detailed information visit the AJ website here

  • Learning Spaces Article

    Date posted: Thursday 27 March 2014

    In an article published in Learning Spaces magazine ArchitecturePLB director Rachel Shaw reflects on designing social learning spaces for Higher Education. The magazine is available here

  • HEDQF: Estates Matter

    Date posted: Monday 17 February 2014

    Estates Matter  – HEDQF Report on Survey of Students’ views of their universities’ estates 2013

    ArchitecturePLB have co-sponsored the publication of the Research led by LSE, seeking to understand whether the University Estate has an impact on the Student Experience. The research carried out by ZZA Ltd for the Estate team at LSE and was first launched at the AUDE conference in 2013 through an interactive workshop delivered by HEDQF.

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  • NLQ Winter 2014 Article

    Date posted: Thursday 23 January 2014

    Directors Ian Deans and Rupert Cook were invited by the team at NLQ to write a piece which captures ongoing research at the practice into new and emerging types of homes and houses. In this particular piece they consider the benefits of designing places and buildings for the combined use of  ‘active-agers’ and students.

  • Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration

    Date posted: Saturday 5 October 2013

    ArchitecturePLB have won the contract to design the first phase of housing for the Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration project. The first major housing development to replace empty Ministry of Defence buildings, it is to be an exemplar sustainable community that will set the standard for future phases. Working with Radian, ArchitecturePLB was selected to deliver 100 homes on the Quebec Barracks site following a competitive process led by the Homes and Communities Agency and East Hampshire District Council.

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  • Aveling Centre, Lloyd Park in AJ

    Date posted: Thursday 6 June 2013

    The Aveling Centre, Lloyd Park has been featured in this weeks Architect Journal’s Technical Study. The article was written by Tom Ravenscroft and is available to read online here

  • Southern Architects Alliance

    Date posted: Friday 10 May 2013

    ArchitecturePLB have joined forces with three other design-oriented Hampshire practices to target larger projects and framework opportunities in particular. Together with Design Engine in Winchester, Re-Format in Alton and Perkins Ogden in Alresford, we offer a combined workforce of over 100 staff and a shared approach to the design and delivery of contemporary, high quality buildings.  The collective approach is designed to allow a flexible response to resourcing and access to a wider range of expertise.

  • AT Handbook features Sir Robert Woodard Academy

    Date posted: Tuesday 30 October 2012

    The October edition of the AT Handbook features ArchitecturePLB’s Sir Robert Woodard Academy, the first of four schools to be completed as part of the West Sussex Academies BSF programme. The article focuses on the design of the two main concepts – the organisation of the six ‘chapters’ around a mini atrium; and the wedge-shaped, community-accessible entrance space enclosing the elements that expresses the two specialisms in Mathematics and Performing Arts.

  • New London Quarterly ‘The state of education’ article by Rupert Cook

    Date posted: Monday 29 October 2012

    Director Rupert Cook, following a presentation on education buildings in his role as New London Awards expert assessor, was invited to write an article for the Autumn edition of New London Quarterly. Featured on page 18, this personal account entitled ‘The state of education’, discusses education design based on trends seen in the sector.

  • Passivhaus featured in BD online

    Date posted: Monday 24 September 2012

    BD online has today featured ArchitecturePLB’s Passivhaus, the first of its kind to be built in Hampshire, which achieved planning approval in July. Set into an existing chalk bank to respond to planning and heritage concerns, the traditional layout has been reversed with main living spaces and master bedroom located on the first floor to take advantage of the views across the adjacent river. Please visit BD Online to view the full article.

  • ArchitecturePLB appointed onto UCL Framework

    Date posted: Thursday 19 July 2012

    ArchitecturePLB has been appointed as one of four architects on University College London’s 4-year Construction Consultants Framework, following a two stage OJEU selection process and interview. We are delighted to have been selected by UCL, who are consistently ranked within the top ten universities in the world, and endeavour to produce high quality, efficient and sustainable solutions that continue to reflect the ambitions and reputation of this internationally-renowned institution.

  • RVC Most Improved Student Experience

    Date posted: Friday 27 April 2012

    “The Royal Veterinary College showed the most improved student experience, jumping 45 positions to joint 58th in the 2011 THE Award for Most Improved Student Experience. Particularly improved were its ratings for community atmosphere and good facilities, with students also commending the high quality of their teachers and lecturers.” Our strategic work on the masterplan for the Estate and our designs for a number of capital projects – CEEED, Equine, Camden and TaRC – address our client’s vision for creating high quality learning and working environments contributing to an improved student experience.

  • Local newspaper features opening of Winchester housing development

    Date posted: Thursday 15 March 2012

    The opening of The Dell, a new residential development for Radian in Kings Worthy, Winchester, has been featured in The Hampshire Chronicle. ArchitecturePLB’s design for the scheme adopts a contemporary vernacular to the character of the local area. The scheme is the largest new build family housing scheme to be completed in Winchester for a decade, providing 29 homes with a mix of house types ranging from one to four bedroom houses.

  • Blueprint Magazine article on ‘Brand Identity’ by Rupert Cook

    Date posted: Tuesday 28 February 2012

    In the March edition of Blueprint Magazine, director Rupert Cook comments on the impact of ‘Brand Identity’ on contemporary architecture.

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  • RIBA Journal ‘Smart PFI’ article by Nick Mirchandani

    Date posted: Wednesday 1 February 2012

    Director Nick Mirchandani comments on schools procurement and particularly on how the approach adopted for the Barnfield Academies in Luton is a successful working example of ‘Smart PFI’ procurement.

  • TaRC featured in Architecture Today

    Date posted: Tuesday 31 January 2012

    The new Teaching and Research Centre at the Royal Veterinary College features in the February edition of Architecture Today magazine. This combination of laboratories, offices and social learning spaces also provides a new campus gateway, with museum artefacts on display throughout the reception, as well as views into the heart of the building. The TaRC building is the latest in a series of developments on the main Hawkshead Campus and overall masterplan completed by ArchitecturePLB for the RVC.

  • Times Higher Education Supplement features new TaRC building

    Date posted: Thursday 19 January 2012

    The Royal Veterinary College’s new Teaching and Research Centre (TaRC), completed by ArchitecturePLB in 2011, has been featured in The Times Higher Education Supplement (THE).

    To read the full article, please click here.

  • Evening Standard features new Teaching and Research Centre

    Date posted: Wednesday 18 January 2012

    The new Teaching and Research Centre, ArchitecturePLB’s latest project to be completed for the Royal Veterinary College, has been featured in today’s Evening Standard.

    To read the full article, please click here.

  • Guerilla Tactics

    Date posted: Wednesday 9 November 2011

    Following on from our repeat Good Employer Awards over the past few years, the RIBA invited us to speak at their small practices conference at the Portland Street HQ. Our presentation considered the way that practices can make the most of their resources by treating employees well and fostering a good environment for them to work in. Beginning with the statutory and pastoral aspects, the talk went on to look at the range of benefits, training and events we offer to our staff to make the practice a happy place to be.

  • RVC Social Learning Space published in Hinge Magazine

    Date posted: Monday 31 October 2011

    The Social Learning Café project at the Royal Veterinary College has been published in the October edition of interiors magazine, Hinge (vol.194), which has described it as ‘one of the most inspiring new squares in Britain.’

  • ‘Integrating the Ageing Population’ New London Quarterly article by Ian Deans

    Date posted: Thursday 20 October 2011

    In the October edition of New London Quarterly magazine, director Ian Deans comments on residential care provisions for the retired and elderly, and discusses how best to integrate the UK’s ageing population within dense cities such as London.

  • Architectural Review Supplement

    Date posted: Tuesday 5 July 2011

    This year we are celebrating 40 years of ArchitecturePLB, and have marked the occasion with an Architectural Review supplement to celebrate the work and philosophy of the practice, which you can find here. We have enjoyed revisiting successful projects and reflecting on themes that continue to inform our work. We hope you enjoy it too.

  • Launch of Rapport Email

    Date posted: Monday 20 June 2011

    ArchitecturePLB has taken another step towards the goal of achieving a paperless office with the introduction of Rapport’s email module. Dual located email servers with robust back-up capability provide the company with the confidence it required to cease printing project emails and rely totally upon secure electronic records.