Appointed as advisor to Gloucester DAC

KODAs Conservation Architect has been appointed as advisor to Gloucester Diocese Advisory Committee.

Formally appointed by the Bishop of Gloucester last summer, KODAs Conservation Architect Fred Hamer joins Gloucester Diocesan Advisory Committee (DAC) as an advisor.

The Diocesan Advisory Committee is comprised of members and advisors from many sectors and specialisms. The group comprise members of clergy, architects, surveyors, technical members such as structural engineers, M&E consultants and others. Their role is to advise churches through church re-ordering and church repair projects and advise them on the best practice.

Gloucester Diocese has a wide and long reaching area and within such a wide variety of buildings, ranging from brick built Victorian churches with strong axial focuses eastwards and to the high alter to quaint Cotswold Stone chapels with Medieval paintings and less formal liturgical layouts. 

The challenges faced by churches today are more apparent with ever decreasing congregations and ever increasing repair and maintenance costs. KODAs Conservation architects in Gloucester have a wide range of experience working with churches and PCCs across the country to bring about careful and sensitive way. KODA architects are working with a number of churches across the region, check out our church reordering helpful guides. 

This furthers KODA architects commitment to preserving and carefully adapting our built heritage. Working with heritage instead of seeing it as a hinderance, brings about more meaningful architecture, one which is routed in a forgotten age. 

Conservation repair works start onsite

KODA Architects Hereford appointed to oversee repair works  to a Grade I listed church

KODA architects are pleased to announce that conservation repairs have started onsite at a Grade I listed church in Herefordshire. KODAs Conservation Architects in Hereford are acting as contract administrators overseeing the repairs to the Smalman monument at St. James’ Church in northern Herefordshire.

It was found that the Smalman monument, which is located within the chancel of the grade I listed church, was falling away from the north wall. The fine marble and alabaster monument is held in to position with iron fixings but over a period of 150 years, these fixing had rusted and fractured the masonry behind. A faculty was petitioned to Hereford Diocese to strap the monument to the chancel wall as a temporary measure before funding could be sought to make repairs. 

Cliveden Conservation Workshop in bath, who specialise in fine and detail conservation repairs were appointed and works started onsite earlier this month.  The works have started with carefully dismantling the marble to unveil the iron fixings into the rubble wall behind. Once these fixings have been replaced with stainless steel, providing a mounting system which cannot rust, the fine marble carvings will be reinstated back in position with lime.

We will be making regular visits to site to monitor the progress of the repairs. Stay tuned our Instagram page for regular updates. 

Happy New Year

KODA Architects Hereford Wishes All Its Clients, Suppliers and Colleagues a Happy New Year

What a year 2020 has been for us all! There has been many ups and downs with the Pandemic, lockdowns, the tier system but we have had the clap for carers and not forgetting Captain Tom. The beginning of 2020 seems a long time ago and reflecting on the year just gone, we achieved so much.

Looking back this year, our success in our first year continued as we turned a milestone one year old. We have been lucky to have a wide range of clients with a wide range of projects and buildings to work on. We have been successful in numerous planning applications, listed building consents and faculty consents as well as the start and completion of projects onsite.

This year we have completed repairs and extensive refurbishment of a Grade II* listed building in the centre of Cheltenham as well as the completion of a suite of holiday cabins in rural Herefordshire, with fantastic views over Hay Bluff. This trend set to continue throughout this year with some very exciting projects in the pipeline with the start of several projects onsite, the first of which is beginning at the end of January. 

This year we have worked together with a wide range of new and existing suppliers and colleagues and are thankful for their help in our design process. We look forward to seeing a new mixed use scheme in centre of Hereford, the start of repairs to a country estate house and numerous residential building projects as well as repairs to a grade I listed church in Herefordshire.

2020 has been an exciting and busy year for us at KODA architects and we look forward to an even busier year, next year. We wish our clients, suppliers and colleagues a happy, healthy and prosperous new year.

architects-cheltenham

Construction Starts in Cheltenham

KODA architects are excited that construction work has started in Cheltenham after long discussions with Cheltenham Borough Council.

Planning Permission and Listed Building Consent was obtaining earlier this year for the complete renovation and a first floor extension to this a fine early Victorian property in Regency style. The property is located within Cheltenham’s Central Conservation area and is grade II listed. Extensive research was carried out as part of the design phase which informed our proposals, ensuring the proposals did not damage its significance but added to the history of the building.  This rigorous methodology underpins KODA architects approach to adapting historic buildings. In this instance it greatly assisted during our discussions with the Planning Department and provided a sound justification for the proposals. 

Works have started in earnest with site clearance and strip out. Already the first floor structure has been installed, ready for the removal of the roof and commencement of work on the first floor extension. To give our extension a subservient aesthetic, the new external walls of the first floor extension are inset away from the existing walls. This allows the leanto roof still be read and the contrasting nickel cladding adds a carefully considered addition. Following a detailed design stage, KODA architects Cheltenham, held discussions with contractors throughout and contractors took possession of the site in late September. KODA architects are working closely with Leckhampton Builders of Cheltenham to deliver the high quality product, fitting for this fine Villa property.

KODA are appointed as Contract Administrators to oversee the construction work and will be regularly visiting site over the next couple of months. We regularly update our social media feeds, so stay tuned for progress onsite and the big unveiling of the extension. We will be regularly keeping you up to date with this project through out Regency Extension in Cheltenham portfolio page. 

We cant wait! 

Specialist-Conservation-architects-hereford

Specialist Conservation Architect title awarded.

KODA architects Hereford are proud to announce that the Royal Institute of British Architects have awarded Fred Hamer title of Specialist Conservation Architect.

Fred Hamer now joins the RIBA’s register of skilled professionals who have “an authoritative knowledge of conservation practice and extensive experience of working with historic buildings”.

Fred said “I have been lucky to have working on a range of historic buildings throughout the country ranging in significance from grade I listed cathedrals and churches, listed public and private buildings to scheduled ancient monuments and other sensitive sites. Being awarded the title Specialist Conservation Architect is the culmination of many years hard work, learning about these structures and considering how to authentically to repair/ preserve and conserve them. There is no one solution to fix all historic buildings and our approach must be carefully nuanced to each project. Before we propose any changes to any historic building, first we must learn about them and understand not only their physical condition but also their place in history and social context.”

This award and new title allows KODA architects in Hereford to continue their commitment to carefully conserve the past and help our clients understand their stewardship as custodians of these fine buildings.

KODA architects was set up in early 2019 and based in Hereford, reaching out into the neighbouring counties and across the UK. Since its inception, the practice has grown from strength to strength. Today Alex and Fred have projects throughout the country including Cheltenham and Gloucestershire, Worcestershire and into Shropshire and Monmouthshire. Using our specialised knowledge and approach to help deliver numerous projects across all project sectors our approach has been welcomed by our clients, earning us many accolations.

For a small collation of our projects and to learn more about KODA architects please see our social media instagram @kodaarchitects and facebook: KODA_architects

www.KODAarchitects.com

 

Architects in Cheltenham

Extension in Cheltenham

As Architects, working in the Regency City of Cheltenham is pleasure. Architecture in Cheltenham is described as one of the most complete Regency towns in England. The architecture is a direct result of their time, when Britain was leading the world and when the City prospered from riches across one of the world’s biggest empires.

This regency villa was built in the mid 19th Century and is grade II listed. Located in the central conservation area, one of the largest areas in the country, it one of many villa style properties. Adding the grandeur of the property, the villa property is located on one of the many line the tree lined avenues which were formally set out in the mid 1830s. As architects working in Cheltenham, any changes we propose to a heritage asset either internally or externally we are careful in our proposals to considered to manage the impact on the significance of the building. 

The team at KODA architects carried out a measured survey of the building which allows us to understand how the site and the building has developed and been adapted over time. From this investigation, we found that a number of years after construction, an extension was added to the rear which has been altered to suit the previous owner’s needs. This area is where we are proposing some changes, watch this space for more news on this exciting architectural interventions in Cheltenham.

working with the building, we are set to propose the careful repair of this important heritage asset together with the small scale interventions to improve and enhance the building, adapting it for modern family life.

The team at KODA architects have a track record of working in Cheltenham and this foundation allows us to know the how the town has developed and the significance of the buildings which inhabit it.

For more information on this exciting new project, get in touch with us

https://kodaarchitects.com/get-in-touch/