Apr 24, 2020
With a global pandemic affecting all of our lives at the moment, NGP Architects are taking a look at what the future may look like for us at home, work and in our free time. This period has forced us to assess what our values are, and will certainly lead to a change in our daily lives and habits. But how will things change once we are able to get back to ‘normal life’. In housing, we predict a rethink on high-rise housing: built to accommodate as many people as possible, health and hygiene are not high on the priority list when thinking about this type of housing. During the lockdown we have seen a real need for access to open areas and green spaces; this is also an issue with high-rise housing and is certainly a core value that we hope will be in the forefront of our minds when we begin work on new housing projects. Before the pandemic, housing was considered more for safety and security but with the lockdown we have been forced to spend much longer periods indoors. In the future we may see houses being seen as an escape from more than just viruses, but as an escape from urbanisation and from the chaos that work can bring. We may see lots of projects springing up in the coming years, looking to improve the living space so that it can be a true sanctuary from the sometimes challenging outside world. There is also the obvious change that may occur after lockdown ends, in that many of... read more
Feb 24, 2020
At NGP Architecture, the most popular building project for homeowners is a kitchen extension. Creating an open plan room with lots of space for cooking, dining and entertaining is a great way to increase the value of your home, not just the house price but also for a better living experience. So how much does a kitchen extension cost? There are a few factors that will affect costs including size, specification and location but for a rough guide you should allow for around: Single-Storey per/m2 Basic quality: £1,000 to £1,500 Good quality: £1,500 to £2,000 Excellent quality: £2,000 to £2,500 Two-Storey per/m2 Basic quality: £1,300 to £1,750 Good quality: £1,750 to £2,100 Excellent quality: £2,100 to £2,750 (These costs are per m2 ground space, so a two-storey extension will offer twice the room area as a single-storey) A two-storey extension is an even better investment when compared to a single-storey. The excavation and the roofing costs won’t change and this makes the cost/ m2 of a double storey extension much lower than the cost of a single storey. Do you need planning permission for a kitchen extension? You don’t always need to request planning permission for building projects, at NGP Arcitecture we have a lot of experience working to Scottish regulations and have a good working relationship with many local councils so we can advise at an early stage whether planning permission is necessary. What options do I have for a kitchen extension? EXTEND WITH A SIDE RETURN Extending the side of the house is a great option if you live in a semi-detached or detached home as it means you can keep the... read more
Dec 15, 2019
Homeowners in Edinburgh are in a fantastic position to be investing in their homes, extended and upgrading. We take a look why now is a great time to start work on your home improvement project. Findings last year concluded that well over 15 million people visit Edinburgh every year and combined with the 84% occupancy rate in Edinburgh’s hotels, it shows a real strength in the hospitality and tourism sector in our home city. With the development at Edinburgh St James pouring in £1 billion worth of investment, combining retail, leisure, hotel and residential spaces to create jobs and living spaces in the capital. It is the largest retail-led development in Scotland and is one of the most significant regeneration projects in the whole of the UK. Couple this with Edinburgh’s success in drawing month long crowds for the Fringe Festival which sees 400,000 visitors annually, making it the largest arts festival in the world, and you start to see why Edinburgh has a reputation as a booming cosmopolitan capital. Hogmanay is also a big draw for tourists and only adds to an expanding list of reasons to visit. Where Edinburgh is really outperforming its European counterparts is in the average spend per visit. Comparing Stockholm and Amsterdam where tourists spend an average of £162, Edinburgh brings in an average spend of £236 per visit which goes to show that the city offers plenty for tourists to be excited about. With tourism providing consistent results and Edinburgh’s economy benefiting, the city has seen a real investment not only with the new development at Edinburgh St James but also regeneration... read more
Dec 8, 2019
NGP Architects were delighted to work with Church of Scotland and Bethany Christian Trust on the GDS Diadem project, which aimed to transform Stenhouse Church’s sanctuary space into a care shelter for rough-sleepers in Edinburgh. In the Care Shelter annual report, the Diadem project was given special praise: “Diadem is a great venue with purpose built shower facilities and space for 75 people to sleep each night. In providing this venue, the church has enabled service developments such as having raised beds instead of mats on the floor.” The hope is that GDS Diadem can host the Care Shelter for many years to come, but there is still work to do. At present funds are being raised to refurbish and upgrade the Kitchen at GDS Diadem to a commercial catering standard. This will make the invaluable work of the hundreds of volunteers, across dozens of catering teams, who prepare two-course hot meals for up to 75 people each night, much easier as the present kitchen is old and poorly equipped. If you feel you would like to support the work at GDS Diadem, you can donate to the kitchen upgrade project using Just Giving... read more
Dec 7, 2019
Civic Architects’ LocHal Public Library has won Building of the Year at the World Architecture Festival’s (WAF) World Architecture Awards 2019. Designed in partnership with Braaksma & Roos Architectenbureau, Inside Outside, Petra Blaise and Mecanoo Architecten, the building is a new urban living room created in a former locomotive shed. The project is designed to provide a space for people of all ages to read, learn, study, meet and gather. Historical elements have been retained, including the original train tracks as well as new oak and steel additions. Judges commended the project for its “fine details and the use of textiles which create the necessary intimacy for the human scale, whilst considering the old steel structure”. The project triumphed in the ‘Culture – Completed Buildings’ category earlier in the festival and also won ‘Creative Re-Use’ category at the WAF’s sister event, the INSIDE World Festival of Interiors. The winner of World Interior of the Year at INSIDE, meanwhile, was J.C. Architecture’s JCA Living Lab in Taipei City, Taiwan. Having initially won INSIDE’s ‘Residential’ category, judges described the project as “A Machine for Green Living: DIY, low-cost and low-tech, yet imaginative in layout, design details and materials as well as being innovative in building and environmental... read more
Dec 6, 2019
The second day of the World Architecture Festival Awards (WAF) 2019 saw mixed-use, cultural and community projects celebrated across a number of categories. The ‘Culture – Future Projects’ award was won by White Arkitekter for The New GoDown Arts Centre in Nairobi, Kenya, recognised for its clearly articulated “combination of social, traditional and environmental objectives” and a “good list of local materials and construction”. STUDIO V Architecture won in the ‘Experimental – Future Projects’ category with their The Tanks at Bushwick Inlet Park proposal – a 21st century public park in New York City that will pay homage to the community’s legacy of manufacturing. The ‘Hotel and Leisure – Completed Buildings’ award went to Architecture Workshop for their Lindis Lodge project, a five-bedroom luxury lodge in the New Zealand Southern Alps that mixes “poetic” and “sensitively considered” design with sustainable features for water treatment, heating, cooling, ventilation and insulation. Serie + Multiply Architects won the ‘Mixed Use – Completed Buildings’ award for their Oasis Terraces project, which provides public housing in Punggol, Singapore, as well as a carefully considered and adaptably integrated shopping centre, polyclinic and community amenities. Studio Akkerhuis’ De Meelfabriek development in Leiden, Netherlands, won the ‘Commercial Mixed Use – Future Projects’ category for the creation of a new vibrant urban fabric of living, working, recreational and retail facilities on a formerly neglected and inaccessible industrial brownfield site. And, having taken home an award on day one of the festival, Heatherwick Studio won again – this time in the ‘Shopping – Completed Buildings’ category. Their addition of two bridges to link up London’s Coal Drops Yard is credited with helping the... read more
Dec 6, 2019
The World Architecture Festival (WAF) 2019 opened yesterday in Amsterdam, with the first awards announced for winners in a number of categories. Heatherwick Studio’s New York sculpture Vessel was recognised in the ‘Display – Completed Buildings’ category for offering a new and innovative way for the general public to engage and create chance encounters. The ‘Culture – Completed Buildings’ award went to Civic architects, Braaksma & Roos Architectenbureau and Petra Blaisse at Inside Outside for their LocHal Public Library in Tilburg, which is described as a new urban living room in an iconic former locomotive shed. The Harry Jerome Community Recreation Centre in Vancouver, designed by HCMA Architecture + Design, triumphed in the ‘Civic – Future Projects’ category. The building contains nine major spaces – including an aquatic centre, ice arena, curling rink, gymnasium, skatepark and dedicates areas for children, youth and retirees – and was commended by judges for its accompanying landscaping. Allford Hall Monaghan Morris won the ‘New and Old – Completed Buildings’ award for The Bower mixed-use commercial development housed in a former collection of 1960s buildings originally built for British Telecom. In the ‘Leisure Led Developments – Future Projects’ category, Tabanlioglu Architects was the winner with their Tersane Halic – Halic Shipyards project that incorporates marinas, hotels, housing, offices and leisure areas while respecting the typology of old Istanbul. And the ‘Sport – Completed Buildings’ category was won by Anna Noguera + Javier Fernandez with their Turo de la Peira’s sports centre, which was recognised for its “outstanding use of resources with a sustainable ethos”. The WAF runs for 4-6 of December, with category winners awarded from the shortlists throughout and... read more
Nov 22, 2019
If you’re thinking of building an extension, we’ve got a quick guide to help you navigate this decision. Building an extension is a big commitment, both financially and emotionally, so getting it right is incredibly important and at NGP Architects we understand and appreciate this. So here’s a look ahead to what an extension project might look like for you: How much will it cost to build? There are a few factors that will affect costs including size, specification and location but for a rough guide you should allow for around: Single-Storey per/m2 Basic quality: £1,000 to £1,500 Good quality: £1,500 to £2,000 Excellent quality: £2,000 to £2,500 Two-Storey per/m2 Basic quality: £1,300 to £1,750 Good quality: £1,750 to £2,100 Excellent quality: £2,100 to £2,750 (These costs are per m2 ground space, so a two-storey extension will offer twice the room area as a single-storey) A two-storey extension is an even better investment when compared to a single-storey. The excavation and the roofing costs won’t change and this makes the cost/ m2 of a double storey extension much lower than the cost of a single storey. What other fees can I expect? Planning Fees – You may need to get planning permission if the extension works are not covered under ‘permitted development’. We have good experience working with the guidelines in Scotland for ‘permitted development’ so we will be able to advise what will and won’t need planning permission from an early stage. Design Fees – Our design fees vary on the type of works being carried out, the value of the project and a number of other factors. If you would like... read more
Mar 20, 2018
The arts bring meaning to our lives and spirit to our culture — so why do we expect artists to struggle to make a living? Hadi Eldebek is working to create a society where artists are valued through an online platform that matches artists with grants and funding opportunities — so they can focus on their craft instead of their side hustle. Watch now... read more
Oct 13, 2016
TV – is not the real world. Many people enjoy a wide spectrum of programs but the building programs such as DIY SOS and Grand Designs, are always a draw for viewers. Here is the rub, they are great TV, but they often do not reflect the real world. When watching DIY SOS, it is easy to get emotional, as a young family with a disabled child move into their home, it has been extended, substantially altered, adapted, and completely refurbished and redecorated, all in just a few days. Or in Grand Designs the host visits the property at the end of the program to inspect a beautifully finished property that is different, quirky, and to be quite honest sometimes, strange. These programs are great and you might be thinking, “I might extend and alter as well.” It’s not quite as easy as they necessarily make out. Here’s our ten reasons why you should seek professional advice before you start; There is rarely a mention of the 8-12 weeks, to obtain Planning and Building warrant from the Local Authority. Nor the time scales required in obtaining competitive quotes. If your development is a bit “out there” in relation to the surrounding properties, Planning Consent may prove even harder to obtain. Whilst you may like your design, your neighbours and the Planning Department may not. There are also strict criteria that must be met in order to meet the Building Control requirements. This may mean, some of your design is impossible, or at least a compromise solution requires to... read more
