Brecon’s St. Mary’s Church is poised for a remarkable makeover as KODA Architects takes the reins of an ambitious revitalisation project. The appointment of KODA Architects to oversee the church reordering initiative aligns seamlessly with the aspirations outlined in ‘The Beacon Project,’ aimed at reimagining historical spaces to meet the diverse needs of communities in the 21st century.

The primary goal of ‘The Beacon Project’ is to transform St. Mary’s Church into a dynamic hub for the community, breaking traditional barriers and expanding its role beyond religious services. This ambitious endeavor seeks to restructure the church’s layout, making it more accessible and adaptable for a multitude of community-centric purposes.

At its core, ‘The Beacon Project’ articulates several key objectives highlighted on the official website. Enhancing accessibility stands as a paramount focus. The project aims to create a welcoming environment, ensuring that everyone, regardless of mobility challenges, can partake in the church’s offerings.

In line with contemporary architectural trends, the initiative envisions a harmonious blend of historical integrity and modern functionality. KODA Architects, renowned for their expertise in adaptive reuse and preservation, are set to infuse the church with innovative design solutions. Their mission is to maintain the church’s historical charm while integrating versatile spaces conducive to various community activities.

The selection of KODA Architects for this pivotal project underscores a commitment to precision planning and forward-thinking design. Their expertise in reimagining heritage structures to meet contemporary needs positions them perfectly to navigate the complexities of this historical restoration, ensuring St. Mary’s Church stands as a beacon of architectural innovation and community engagement.

As Church reordering architects we are proud of our past achievements and initiatives, like the one at St. Mary’s Church, exemplify the evolution of historical spaces into vibrant community assets. These projects recognise the intrinsic value of adapting heritage buildings to serve as inclusive spaces that foster social cohesion and cultural exchange.

As St. Mary’s Church embarks on this transformative journey, the collaboration with KODA Architects signifies a profound commitment to preserving history while embracing the future. Stay tuned for updates on the progress of this landmark endeavor, as Brecon witnesses the resurrection of St. Mary’s Church as a cornerstone of community life.

For further details on ‘The Beacon Project,’ visit the [St. Mary’s Church official website](https://www.stmarysbrecon.org.uk/the-beacon-project).

Class Q Barn Conversion Granted in Herefordshire

KODA architects have been successful with a Class Q Barn Conversion proposal in rural Herefordshire. Working closely with TT Planning and Kytex Structural Engineers, the design team have designed a contemporary bolt hole in the Herefordshire countryside.

Originally a farm store, the barn had fallen out of use, too small for modern farming uses. Planning permission was granted to convert this delightful little barn into a highly contemporary bolt hole with fabulous views over the countryside. Working with the existing structure, existing openings were glazed, maximising light as well as views in the main living area whilst at a contrast, the rest areas are more enclosed. 

Space is maximised within the building with introducing a new mezzanine floor providing additonal bedroom accommodation over the main living space. 

The barn was recently sold and we look forward to see this smalll but mighty barn come into fruition soon onsite. We can’t wait to show the final result. 

Church Repairs Reach Completion

KODA architects conservation architect, has been working closely with Treasure and Sons of Ludlow in the careful repair and conservation of Grade I listed St. Michael and All Angels Church in Kingsland. This month, the works came to the end of the defect period which is a period, meaning the building has been back open to the community again following the repairs for a whole 12 months. The intensive repairs works saw the re-roofing of the nave and north aisle, repointing, as well as internal redecoration and stained glass repairs. New forest of dean stone has been skilfully carved throughout to include three new gargoyles as well as ridge crosses and copings. 

St. Michael and All Angels Church was constructed in the 14^th Century with later alterations in the 15^th and 16^th Centuries. The building is Grade I listed and has very fine medieval glazing featured in the chancel, north and south aisles. The chancel features a very ornate painted wagon vaulted ceiling which was installed as part of the restoration by GF Bodley in 1866-68. The building features fine stone carving throughout with a number of gargoyles, grotesques and label stops, which is great to see.

The works were funded by the National Heritage Lottery Fund and others. It was the largest funded project by the NHLF in the region to a total of £600,000.00. The project formed a flagship project for the NHLF to inform how the organisation funded projects moving forward.

We are enormously proud of this project and the dedication by all has been showcased by the craftsmanship throughout. Check out our project page for more information and for lots of in progress and completed photographs. 

KODA Architects Design New Student Accommodation in the Centre of Hereford

KODA architects worked closely with a commercial developer client and TT Planning to obtain planning permission for new student accommodation in Hereford. The scheme converts a distinctive existing warehouse building in the City Centre.

The proposal converts a redundant office and warehouse building located along Widemarsh Street. The 1960’s  building formerly housed a fruit and vegetable wholesaler. As such, the building boasts a large square footage and ample space to provide purpose built student accommodation and ancillary services.

The scheme provides 27 self contained apartments that maximise the opportunities that the building has to offer with its highly sustainable location being so close to the centre of Hereford. Students will benefit from a range of generous accommodation including en-suite bathrooms and large New York style mezzanine apartment units. The scheme includes shared communal living and study area as well and outdoor roof terrace. The team at KODA have worked carefully to retain and preserve the existing 1960s modernist facade whilst maximising the unit of units within the building. 

The New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering (NMITE) were highly supportive of the scheme stating that ‘the proposal set a new benchmark in the design quality of student accommodation‘. The scheme also includes an array of photovoltaic panels to the existing roofs that will provide low cost energy for the students.