We’re delighted to announce that GPAD has been selected to be on the Notting Hill Genesis development framework.
The framework will support NHG to deliver high-quality homes in vibrant, successful places, with a focus on creating thriving communities. GPAD is in small/specialist works which will deliver projects such as small new-build sites, refurbishments, and commercial fit out for NHG.
We are looking forward to attending the launch event to hear more about the framework, their development plans and to meet the rest of the members.
Notting Hill Genesis Press Release: https://www.nhg.org.uk/news/news/press-releases/thirty-architects-added-to-development-framework/
Build The Way is an architectural traineeship for young people who are passionate about architecture and design.
Architecture should not be defined by wealth or social class. Currently, a career in architecture largely relies on being able to afford university. The cost of becoming a fully qualified architect is eye-watering. These financial barriers prevent less fortunate students from studying architecture. If we truly strive to create an inclusive, diverse, and equal industry then each of these economic hurdles must be addressed. While there has been an increase in initiatives in the industry, there still aren’t many opportunities for young people to work in an architecture office.
After a successful pilot year in 2021, GPAD took on the first Build The Way intern who has developed the skills to produce 2D & 3D drawings, engage in design discussions, and work collaboratively as part of the design team. We hope to expand the programme to create more opportunities over the next 2 years with the hope of expanding to the wider built environment in future years.
Heading into 2023 we hope to expand the programme to offer three internship opportunities across different practices in London. We hope to share more information on this soon. If you are interested in getting involved, please email marketing@gpadlondonltd.com.
We are pleased to announce that our housing scheme on Harrow Road, Settle, has been shortlisted for a British Homes Award in the Development of the Year (up to 20 Homes) category.
This project is all about the quality of architecture and homes through a variety of methods including the use of protruding windows and the introduction of winter gardens to maximise light penetrating the properties. The scheme is a fine example of good collaboration and communication amongst the wider project team, and we are really delighted with the final outcome of these high quality homes.
Winners are to be announced on 30th September 2022 at the awards lunch at The Londoner Hotel.
Vienna House underwent a refurbishment and extension to inject personality and create characterful offices. The scope of work included improvements to the reception area and the open-plan office floor plates which have been upgraded with a contemporary, warm interior fit-out and increased floor to ceiling heights. A new build cycle pavilion element has been added to the development which houses high quality commuter facilities.
Due to recent circumstances the necessity for outdoor space has never been more important, not only due to the pandemic but also the general move towards improving mental and physical wellbeing within the workplace. With the average person spending 30% of their life working and the move back to office environments commencing, outdoor office space is a crucial amenity.
Currently on site, White Lion Street, is GPAD’s largest project to date. The new development is a seven storey office building in the heart of Angel, Islington. White Lion Street introduces a contemporary identity through materiality and an open floorplate design, creating much needed workspace in the area.
When the planning application was originally made back in 2018, the main focus for the developers was leading towards maximising net internal area as this is what their profits are based on. Now, more recently, we have seen a shift in tenant priorities due to employers prioritising the health and wellbeing of their employees. This created an opportunity to make a separate application whilst the site is in its construction phase to include more outside space.
Conscious to not reduce the internal workspace available, the new terraces were placed in areas which were originally flat roofs. The large roof terrace will include seating and biodiversity with wildflower planting. To ensure minimal overlooking, the design includes green screening, using a biodiverse range of tall planting and trees to minimise overlooking and provide better aspect views for the surrounding residents.
There has always been rental premium attached to space that has access to outside space, whether communal or private. However, in recent years there has been a shift in the priority for wellness in occupants for office landlords and agents. Since the beginning of the pandemic, wellness has been further promoted and deemed essential in welcoming back staff to the workspace.
For a while now we have seen the benefits of increasing indoor plants into the office, increasing oxygen and for better brain productivity. By introducing more than just seating on terraces you create a calming atmosphere with prolonged benefits. GPAD’s relationship with John Davies Landscape has showcased how their designs are more than the architecture but the environment they produce. Their award winning design for Stylus is an example of how a smaller terrace can embody a soothing environment through striking seating, planting and green walls.
Continuing their work with John Davies Landscape earlier this summer, GPAD developed a sustainable urban environment atop Tailors Corner, a new commercial refurbishment in Leeds. The creation of the garden contributes to urban greening and can help form a network of wildlife corridors, encouraging biodiversity. Not only do we notice the physical and mental health benefits introducing a roof terrace to the workplace but also the opportunity for social interaction and inclusion. Not to exclude the functional purpose of a roof terrace; for meetings, break out and lunchtime spaces.
16 Eastcheap, a refurbishment of a late-Victorian building by GPAD, includes a new roof terrace with the aim to reduce work related stress for tenants and increase workplace productivity through improving memory and focus. As well as the health benefits, the new terrace reconnects the experience of the building to its central location by unlocking panoramic views across the city.
For commercial buildings to thrive they need to stay relevant and adjust to the requirements of the tenants. This involves tackling the bigger questions currently being raised around the future of the office and how will they look post-pandemic. With a large focus on mental wellbeing in the workplace and how to encourage positive productivity, external workspaces are a step in the right direction and one GPAD are keen to continue to pursue in future developments.
As featured in OnOffice.
In 2021, GPAD partnered with the London School of Architecture to host an event for the London Design Festival – Breaking Down the Barriers.
The event was a panel discussion questioning: How can we give talented, underrepresented individuals the keys to unlock doors into the industry that have always been closed to them?
This event brought together architectural practices, developers, engineers, and other professionals, challenging them on the skills and framework required to widen access into the industry.
During the discussion the panellists shared their thoughts and insight into how we can widen access and create a more inclusive industry.
Breaking Down the Barriers seeks to mobilise pathways into the built environment and discuss how organisations can facilitate a career without the need for a university, debt-ridden education.
By sharing our ideas and insights, we can create a network focused on changing the perception of architecture, creating a more diverse and inclusive industry.
This is an invite only event. The event will be live streamed and available to view afterward.
GPAD are pleased to share Estate Gazette’s latest video on The Future of Leeds. The half an hour video features projects across the city discusses Leeds can emerge from the pandemic and aim to be the best city in the UK.
From 21 minutes onwards the video is shot from the new roof terrace at Tailor’s Corner. In the video you can see the new terrace seating and planting as well as the views across the city. During the interview, Mark Wilson and Patrick Carter from Savills, discuss the demand for outside space in the city centre and how businesses and employees will be re-evaluating their priorities in the office space.
What was originally designed as a warehouse followed by retail for Hepworth’s clothing, the design for Tailor’s Corner includes a complete refurbishment of the façade, and the reinstatement of the traditional shop front. The interior has been refurbished with high quality office space and two new roof terraces.
Watch the full video here.
GPAD have secured planning permission for 130 Old Street, an existing office building in which they are currently one of the tenants. The refurbishment and extension of the existing building will deliver high quality office space as well as on site affordable workspace.
The retrofit project will see the retention of the existing concrete structure, with the addition of two new floors and extensions to the lower existing floors, providing a sustainable solution that will result in over eight storeys of floor space.
As part of the works, the principal façade will also be replaced with a new elevation that will look to improve the dialogue with the street through a more permeable ground floor. Juliette balconies on the upper floors create life; overlooking the street and animating it. The scheme proposes a palette of locally sourced brick and textured pink concrete to the principal façade, offset with metal cladding and fin details to the two new storeys and ground floor, creating a façade that has depth, a sense of permanence, and craft. The grid is dispersed with offset openings to make use of the existing structure and to break down the mass of the building.
Charles Bettes, Managing Director at GPAD: “We contribute to a lot of projects in Islington and particularly on Old Street and we hope that this scheme gives something back to the street whilst repositioning the existing building to meet the demands and desires of modern office users.”
For all of us, 2020 has been a year like no other in recent memory. Since the first lockdown hit in March, we’ve all had to adapt to new ways of living and working; often, finding it hard to avoid blending the two too greatly. At the same time, changing ways of working have opened up new opportunities and experiences that may go on to become permanent fixtures in our daily routines. As the first month of 2021 draws to a close, we have had time to think and reflect on the year that has passed, and asked our team members what some of the challenges and new experiences they had that shaped their lives during 2020. Below is a compilation of their thoughts.
The sudden enforced change to our working routine was always going to present a myriad of challenges for us to adapt to. Some of these issues have impacted every working professional able to work from home during the pandemic: mundane yet frustrating internet connectivity issues; dropping out of Teams calls; interruptions from four-legged members of the family; to a general feeling of a loss of communication between team members. Yet others are intrinsically linked to our role as designers: the formerly simple ability to gather around a table with colleagues and pen and paper in hand, and drawing in a live environment, has been an experience sorely missed by many.
Perhaps the greatest challenge has come from trying to separate work and home life, eking out space to set up a desk in rooms not intended to be offices and then winding down at the end of the day; a particular challenge for members of the team studying for their Part 3 qualifications. We have also had a number of new recruits join us during the pandemic, who have had to quickly get used to new software, and meet new team members solely in the virtual realm.
Yet despite all these challenges, the change in working practices during 2020 has also opened up many new opportunities and experiences. Losing the commute has been a relief for many, giving back valuable time and flexibility; an extra half hour to take a walk, go on a run, or read a book. New ways of working have meant new learning opportunities, and has shown that the industry is able to adapt, and bring with it efficiencies; reducing travelling times has improved availability, often greatly improving progress on projects. Remote working has also given teams a greater feeling of trust and responsibility, and with it a sense of empowerment that has produced fantastic work from team members at all levels.
Ultimately, the pandemic has given us all a chance to really prove that the principles laid out in our ethos really do define who we are; that when we say to clients and consultants that we’re flexible and adaptable, we meet that challenge, centred around the amazing adaptability of our team to a different way of working, maintaining a momentum equivalent to working in the office. We are also proud of the way we have adapted as a business, using the breadth of our skills and experience to re-focus our efforts on residential work that has meant we’ve been able to continue to operate successfully in what has been a challenging time for the industry as a whole.
With our team members at the heart this success, there’s no better way to finish this piece with some of their words that really sum up how their contributions have helped pull us through during what has been an incredibly difficult year:
“As a business we’ve rebranded, improved our offering through BIM development and regular design reviews, we’ve recruited new team members, strengthened our internal understanding of our diversity and the issues facing the industry, but more than anything we’ve done it as a team – something that’s really challenging in this environment but I think we’ve worked really hard to ensure we keep moving in the same direction as one big team.”
As this year like no other in recent memory draws to a close, we look back to twelve of the key moments that took place in the world of GPAD, and how the skill and determination of our fantastic team continued to deliver despite the upheaval borne on us all by Covid. Read More
