Church Repairs Finished

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 14th Century with later alterations in the 15th and 16th 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. 

 

Student accommodation hereford section

KODA architects Design New Student Accommodation in Hereford

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. 

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This year has already been a busy one for us at KODA architects and its set to get ever busier. To keep you up to date with what’s going on, we are in the process of developing our first newsletter which we plan will be issued out regularly. We love showing you what we have been up to with our exciting new projects both onsite and what is on the the drawing board. 

We already have our Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and Pinterest boards displaying the best of KODA architects have to offer, but we want more. This year is going to be another exciting year, with several large projects starting onsite we are planning to bring you behind the scenes of what happens on a building site as well as showcasing what is in development in the office. This year, KODA architects are expanding our portfolio as well as our team and the services we offer. 

Sign up for our regular newsletter below to keep in up to date in what we are up to at KODA architects. 

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    We Are Recruiting!

    Part II Architectural Assistant Job Vacancy

    This week, KODA architects Hereford celebrated its two year birthday and with a developing portfolio of work, we now have a Part II Architectural Assistant Job Vacancy. KODA architects was established in February 2019 and since this time, we have seen a wide range of growth in all project sectors. We specialise in heritage works, with a contemporary edge. We currently have a number of interesting and exciting projects in the pipeline which are set to come online over the summer months. We are a dynamic, design-led architects practice based in Hereford and due to significant practice growth we are recruiting for a Part II Architectural Assistant. The ideal candidate will have experience in the residential, commercial and developer led sectors. Some experience in the heritage sector would be beneficial but not essential.

    This is an excellent opportunity for a determined and ambitious individual to learn and gain responsibility within a dynamic practice. 

    Excellent communication and presentation skills are required together with a positive can do attitude. You should have strong technical knowledge together with good creative flair as you will be working on both the design and delivery stages of projects. This is an opportunity for an individual, who has attention to detail, is able to take initiative and work comfortably within the existing team.   

    If you would like a fantastic opportunity to join a fast paced, growing practice with exceptional team members then please send your CV and covering letter to  info@kodaarchitects.com together with a sample portfolio. We will offer the right candidate the chance to work on high quality, design led projects together with work in other sectors the opportunity to develop their skill set over time and a remuneration package will be reflective of experience and skill set.

    Closing date for applications is 15th March 2021.

    Check out our INSTAGRAM page to see what we’ve been up to in out first two years. 

    Cheltenham
    New houses in Herefordshire

    Working with English Heritage & Amazon at Stokesay Castle

    KODA architects in Hereford are working closely with English Heritage and Amazon Prime at Stokesay Castle in Shropshire

    This week, KODA architects Hereford has carried out a schedule of condition at the grade I listed and scheduled ancient monument of Stokesay Castle in South Shropshire ahead of the site being closed to the public until May for the filing of a period drama by Amazon Prime.

    The production which is set in the medieval period is set to be aired later this year. Before the production team could move in and dress the set, a full schedule of condition was required to safeguard the historic fabric against damage. 

    Stokesay Castle was constructed at the end of the 13th century by Laurence of Ludlow, who at the time was one of the richest men in England. It remains a treasure by-passed by time, one of the best places to visit in England to experience what medieval life was like. The great hall has remained  unchanged for over 700 years and is a fine example of construction with spectacular medieval roof timbers. Perhaps the most characterful addition to the complex is the 17th-century gatehouse with fine decorative timber carving. The castle is set within breathtaking views of the Shropshire Hills

    The gate house, although characterful was built much later and would not fit the medieval setting of the drama, neither did the 21st century reception or WCs. Therefore the production team had to this carefully about how to hide this interventions from the finished article. 

    We are eagerly waiting for the screening of the new drama. Watch this space!

    Stokesay Castle
    apartments - hereford city centre - koda architects

    Breathing New Life into the High Street

    KODA Architects have successfully gained approval for the conversion of a redundant commercial building close to the City centre of Hereford. 

    It is a common problem to see City Centre commercial buildings become empty. This is not only due to pressure from online shopping but also due to the underutilised floorspace on the upper floors of many City Centre commercial buildings.  The tenant not only has to pay rent on this space but also local business rates based on total floor area. By diversifying these buildings we can make the commercial element more attractive to smaller businesses. 

    The approved scheme modernises and efficiently re-orders the empty 1960’s three-storey building to provide much needed affordable accommodation. In total there are 10 spacious 1 and 2 bedroom apartments. The scheme also retains the fully occupied commercial premises to the ground floor.

    This is one of a number of similar projects that KODA Architects have completed. It has enormous benefits in providing much needed affordable housing to the City by repurposing an underutilised resource.  The development will breathe new life into the high street and positively enhance the street scene.

    KODA architects Hereford

    KODA architects in Hereford learn that £95 million announced for #HistoricStreets

    KODA Architects Hereford has just learnt about a new suite of funding to revive historic High Streets.

    This week, the government has announced £95 million to revitalise 69 High Streets in England, with Leominster, Herefordshire being the lucky recipient of some the cash injection.

    Conservation Architect Fred Hamer said ” High Streets across the UK are struggling to challenge the might of internet selling agents. This new cash injection is part of the governments drive to help high street adapt to the changing environment.” 

    Leominster will share part of £21 million investment allocated across the Midlands area and joins Plymouth, Bedford and Tottenham. The funding has been awarded by three main contributors including £52million from Ministry of housing, Communities and Local Government’s Future High Street Fund, £3million from National Lottery Heritage Fund and £40million from the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. 

    This week, Culture Secretary Nicky Morgan announced the boost as said “Our nation’s heritage is one of our great calling cards to the world, attracting millions of visitors to beautiful historic buildings that sit at the heart of our communities. It is right that we ensure these buildings are preserved for future generations but it is important that we make them work for the modern world.”

    A large portion of KODA architects in Hereford historic and current work is working and careful adapting historic structures, meeting the needs of the current owners or users. KODA architects in Hereford currently have projects across the country including Herefordshire, Shropshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire. For some examples of you previous work, please contact us or take a look at out PORTFOLIO OF WORK.

    Our historic environment is a finite resource and once it is lost, we cannot recreate it honestly. This environment is critical in our association with a sense of place and homeliness. The £95million will allow these assets to be carefully repaired but also adapted to meet the changing nature of the high street in the 21st Century. 

    KODA architects in Herefordshire are working with a number of community groups and retail projects, with regular updates to follow, stay tuned for more. http://www.instagram.com/kodaarchitects/

     

    koda architects hereford

    KODA architects Hereford launch website

    KODA architects Hereford are proud to launched their brand new website.

    We have been working hard over the past couple of months in generating content and revisiting past projects to take photographs. 

    Conservation Architect Fred Hamer said ” Revisiting past clients has been a great and a very rewarding experience. It has allowed us to see how the projects that we spent a long time detailing and working on have changed how you clients lives. Revisiting our many happy clients has been great, reconnecting and catching up. 

    KODA architects do not just cover Herefordshire, but have projects currently in Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, London and in Shropshire. Geography isn’t a problem as our past projects include working in Exeter and Lincoln. We will consider projects throughout the country so if you have a project you would like to discuss with us, please get in touch with us. 

    At KODA architects Hereford, we love seeing our clients dream come to a reality and this is realised by working through our process in close collaboration with you the client. For more information on our process working with our private clients: https://kodaarchitects.com/private-clients/

    As RIBA Chartered Architects, we follow the RIBA Plan of Work but have adapted it to provide a bespoke process for our clients. Our new website outlines our services across the RIBA stages whether it be from initial inception right the way through the detailed design, construction and handover. We believe in adding value at each stage. From our initial inspection of the site, we will look for every opportunity available to maximise the development, whether it be a small house extension to a brand new house, business headquarters, retail outlet or sensitive repair project.

    Our thanks goes to our website developer Do it UK who can be contacted through their website at https://doituk.com/

    KODA Architects in Herefordshire are overseeing a number of projects across the country with regular updates to follow, stay tuned for more. http://www.instagram.com/kodaarchitects/

     

    Architects Worcestershire

    Extension in Worcestershire

    KODA Architects in Worcestershire are delighted to announce that planning permission had been granted. The works include a full schedule of repairs and replacement of some previous extensions to a Grade II listed property in Worcestershire. 

    The property was built in the 16th Century and once was a formed part of a wide country estate. With the country estate being demolished, little remains of the estate with the cottage being one of the surviving elements. The quintessential Cotswold property with Cotswold Stone walls and a black and white timber framed sits in a prominent location in the village. The property was a house for many years but spent some time as the village shop and then turn back into a house. The property has undergone significant alterations throughout its history with many replacement timbers, being reused from other timber frames buildings and a replacement roof. 

    Prior to KODA architects involvement the property had a series of unsympathetic extensions including a UPVC conservatory. The proposals include removal of two phases of extensions and replacement with one, better considered, space. The new proposed extension is a striking a contrast to the existing medieval cottage. The large open glazed wall give views over the private garden whilst maximising the light into the newly formed kitchen. 

    The new extension uses traditional green oak framing together with black bi folding doors, creating a close relationship with the garden.

    KODA’s, Conservation Architect Fred Hamer said “working with historic structures is a pleasure. Before we propose any alterations or repairs, we first must investigate why and how the building was built. Then to find out what has caused the failure. Sometimes the cause can be obvious but other it takes a little opening up by removing plaster or brickwork to discover what the cause is.”

    KODA Architects Worcestershire are overseeing the construction phase, with regular updates to follow, stay tuned for more. http://www.instagram.com/kodaarchitects/

     

    Architects in ludlow

    Planning Permission Granted for alterations and additions to cottage near Ludlow

    KODA architects are delighted to have received planning permission for alterations and additions to a cottage near Ludlow which had been severely damaged by a fire. Although not habitable the new owners of the building could see the potential of the property which commands striking views of the Shropshire countryside. Our clients brief is to maximise additional floor space for them and their family to enjoy.

    Initially the Planning Officers were not in favour of the contemporary design or increase in footprint proposed by our scheme. However after providing justification KODA Architects successfully negotiation with the Local Authority and the proposal was recommended for approval.

    KODA Architects design seeks to restore the existing building to its previous status by replacing the PVCu windows with sliding sash timber windows similar to that original to the building. The extensions take the form of a two storey rear addition integrated with a single storey side extension which incorporates an open plan sitting roof glazed floor to ceiling to take advantage of the stunning views.

    The design successfully doubles the original buildings footprint whilst also respecting the original buildings prominence. The new walls are in stone to reflect that of the existing building coupled with floor to ceiling glass maximising both natural light into the building and views out. The internal layout was also re-ordered to complement the layout of the building creating a larger open plan feel to the property. The key element of the proposal has to be the new opening planning living room extension which incorporates a rooftop terrace taking full advantage of the views.

    Working with our private clients, we seek to realise their brief and maximise the potential of each dwelling, needless to say out clients are thrilled with the result. KODA Architects services will be retained though to the next phase of the detailed design.