Posted on July 8, 2013 in the category(s) General
Friday 5 July was a wonderfully sunny day to be on Sandhaven Beach in South Shields for the North East Sandcastle Challenge.
This year’s theme for the Challenge was ‘The Lindisfarne Gospels’ and there were 1700 school children on the beach for a frantic [strictly timed] hour of digging, building, shaping, decorating and general masterpiece-producing.
Five of us from Alston Murphy were there to compete for the winner’s crown and we all had a great time! (It’s the taking part that matters!)
Posted on July 2, 2013 in the category(s) General
Sunday 16th June saw the return of the Shaw Trophy Classic Rally and Targa Rally to the beautiful countryside of Northumberland, with the start and finish venue at the High House Brewery at Matfen. The event was running in a new summer slot and attracted a steady entry of 20, many of whom had travelled from north of the border. With the event made up of 2 regularity sections and 14 tests on private tracks and farms, it provided a good challenge for both members in the crews. Read more…
Posted on June 21, 2013 in the category(s) General
Someone asked me recently what ‘sustainability’ meant, in practical terms, when designing a building, and it’s an interesting question. Sustainability may be defined as meeting the needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs, and most people would agree that it’s pretty essential to preserve or enhance the earth’s resources for that reason alone. It’s just that not everyone agrees on the best ways to achieve that. It’s a bit like ‘recycling’, another term that can mean different things to different people.
So, we have arguments for ‘Green’ buildings, which are designed to use energy and water, etc, as efficiently as possible, as well as reduce waste and pollution and protect the health of the building’s users. Then there are the people who think that ‘natural’ buildings are best. These buildings are usually on a smaller scale and use natural, local materials. And, of course, another aspect of sustainability is preserving what we already have, in existing buildings. But transforming, say, a Victorian terrace house into a home that’s energy-efficient and ‘green’ isn’t straightforward – or cheap, and often fails to give optimum results. So an Energy Performance Certificate for a Victorian house that’s been renovated with every green, energy-saving process available will still probably not compare favourably with a ‘sustainable’ new-build house / a sustainably built new house. Read more…
Posted on March 19, 2013 in the category(s) Latest News
Ollie took his final architectural exams this month and we’re delighted to announce that he has put his student life firmly behind him and taken his rightful place alongside other revered and hallowed Architects. Huge CONGRATULATIONS to Ollie!
Posted on February 18, 2013 in the category(s) General
After celebrating the 20 year anniversary of the Practice in December, February 2013 marks another auspicious event for me: I hit 60 this month. I’m looking forward to some good old, healthy reminiscing with friends and family as I celebrate my birthday; with my years and sagacity I’ll have the world put to rights in no time!
I’m always taken aback by the fact that I am now in the ‘demographic’ for ‘Sheltered Care’ – everyone over 55 is, a fact that most of the 55 year olds I know will find laughable, even horrifying. But that reaction would illustrate quite graphically the dilemma faced by Care Providers – and their Designers. After all, my generation likes to think that they’re sophisticated and discerning and Care Providers must think the same because they’re recognising the need to consider and cater to their Clients’ taste and lifestyle, rather than expecting the Client to simply accept what they’re offered. As part of the group they’re thinking about and trying to provide for, I find that encouraging.
As a Practice, we recently submitted our entry to a McCarthy and Stone competition to design sheltered housing for the over 55 year olds. I found it very hard to imagine what sort of space I would be willing to consider as my downsized, ‘sheltered’ home. The more things I thought of, the more prohibitive the costs would have been – always assuming that a big enough site would be available to build on! With divorce and remarriage a fact of life today, the extended family can be pretty impressive, so how much space do you need to entertain? Families are often spread over the country and can’t just pop in for a short visit, so how much room to allow family or friends to stay over? All difficult questions to answer, and tricky to find a living and, of course, cost-effective solution for. Read more…
