Dance Studios at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts wins Chilterns Building Design Award

The new Dance Studios at Tring Park School for the Performing Arts, design by Burrell Foley Fischer, have been judged the Overall Winner at the Chilterns Buildings Design Awards 2013.  The awards are organised by the Chilterns Conservation Board and the Chiltern Society to encourage the highest possible quality of building design and thus conserve and enhance the character and outstanding natural beauty of the Chiltern Hills.

The building is the first phase of a three phase project for new, professional standard, performing arts facilities and comprises five new dance studios set into a landscape of Registered Parks and Gardens and within the curtilage of two Grade II* Listed Buildings.  

The new studios are designed to sit comfortably in a green part of the site, taking a soft approach to its architectural form to mask its bulk and scale. The wild meadow grass roof, lowered eaves and randomly spaced timber posts along its elevations are designed so the building will ultimately recede into its wooded setting.

The award was given for:

"The development of a handsomely shaped building which demonstrates changing rhythms; fits well within its garden setting and brings together function and beauty with calmness and serenity".

Mayor of Islington officially opens new BFF designed housing

The Mayor of Islington, Councillor Barry Edwards,  has officially opened the latest Burrell Foley Fischer project completed for the London Borough of Islington, to reclaim barren underused problematic garages to create a new Mews in Vulcan Way. 
 

The transformation of the area of tarmac and dark empty undercrofts brings fifteen two bedroom flats and two five bedroom family houses to the empty ground level of existing first floor flats.  They all now have better insulation, level access and a more attractive safer busy mews to look out on.  The proportion of the houses offered for sale, to assist with funding the social housing, have all been snapped up. 
 

Vulcan Way before the development

Vulcan Way following the development

This development is the latest in a long term BFF initiative, pioneering the development of underused, marginal ground level spaces around estates, mostly owned by Local Authorities. Using the experience and ideas gained on previously completed schemes BFF embarked on a series of studies for LB Islington in 2008. All ten of the LBI projects selected to go forward are either now complete or will be starting on site this year. 

These schemes on marginal land not only provide new housing on sites previously 'unseen' and not regarded as potential development sites, but are also an opportunity to design out anonymous areas that attract anti-social behaviour.  This results in the neighbourhood being happy to welcome new dwellings and more activity.

From barren car park....

... to new attractive and safer Mews.

Work starts on Cambridge Arts Theatre's ACT II Building Project

Construction work on Cambridge Arts Theatre’s ambitious ACT II project to create much-needed new public spaces for the Theatre, designed by Burrell Foley Fischer, has begun. 

From September, audiences entering the Theatre from St Edward’s Passage will be greeted with a large, light foyer. There will be extended bar spaces with new seating areas, making it easier to buy refreshments before shows and during the interval. At the same time, the current Peas Hill entrance and foyer will be comprehensively refurbished. The increased space and improved facilities will make it easier and more enjoyable to move around the building. 
 

The redevelopment plans have been scheduled to minimise the impact on the Theatre’s regular programme of performances. Whilst the construction works will last 17 weeks, there will be a break in performances for only 10 weeks over the summer. The box office will be open as usual, and the works will be completed in time for the opening of the autumn season in mid-September.
 

Unveiling the designs the Chief Executive of Cambridge Arts Theatre, Dave Murphy said: “This project is great news for our audience and is a significant step towards the realisation of our overall ACT II vision for our Theatre. We are incredibly grateful to all the organisations and individuals that have made such pioneering and generous donations to fund this first phase of our works.”

Residential Scheme in Islington gains Planning Approval

A Burrell Foley Fischer scheme for Islington Council has received Planning consent.  The scheme involves the conversion of disused undercroft garages, beneath the Trefil Walk residential block on the Williamson Estate, into 18 new residential units providing social housing, shared ownership, and private sale accommodation, as well as the refurbishment of the existing community centre.

The conversion of the disused undercroft, in addition to creating much needed affordable housing in the borough, will animate the street frontage at ground floor level and allow for improvements to security for the existing residents above.

Site location - Parkhurst Road, Islington

Current 'blocked up' frontage of disused ground floor garages

New flats at ground floor bringing new life to the street frontage

A similar Burrell Foley Fischer scheme for Islington Council has recently been completed on the Vulcan Way estate.

Former, unused, ground floor garages at Vulcan Way

New flat, in former garages, at Vulcan Way

BFF Cinemas featured in Guardian Cine-files feature

Harbour Lights Southampton, designed by Burrell Foley Fischer, is the latest cinema to be featured in the Guardian's regular Cine-files feature.  The Cine Lumiere, in South Kensington, London which we refurbished, was similarly featured last month.

Harbour Lights in a two screen new build cinema which opened in 1995 and is still going strong nearly twenty years later.  As the Guardian says:

"While the surrounding area has been completely redeveloped into high-end sea-view flats, Harbour Lights has remained steadfast, like a cinematic lighthouse guiding film-lovers through choppy waters".

Visit the Guardian's Harbour Lights feature

The Cine Lumiere, an Art Deco cinema at the Institut Francais, was refurbished by Burrell Foley Fischer in 2008.  The project restored the character and quality of the Art Deco interior whilst bringing the cinema up to date in terms of projection and sound technology, comfort and operational flexibility.  The Guardian comments:

"The decor could be straight out of Mad Men, making it one of the most stylish viewing experiences you'll find in London".

Visit the Guardian's Cine Lumiere feature

Birks Cinema, Aberfeldy to open

The refurbished Birks Cinema is due to open with a Gala Screening this week, more than 30 years since it last screened films.  Burrell Foley Fischer designed the interior of the cinema screen based on a woodland theme, inspired by the Birks (the Birch trees) of Aberfeldy.

The Birks has been featured in the online culture and design magazine, Avocado Sweet.  Read the article here.

BFF Projects receive Arts Council Funding

Two of our projects, The Cambridge Arts Theatre and Broadway, Nottingham’s Media Centre, have been successful with their application to Arts Council England for capital funding for their redevelopment plans.

Cambridge Arts Theatre

Cambridge Arts Theatre will redevelop and extend its current impractical foyer facilities to provide new public entrances, a new box office and significantly extend bar and hospitality spaces. This will greatly increase the Theatre’s financial sustainability and resilience and provide an open and welcoming entrance for its audiences.

Broadway, Nottingham's Media Centre

Funding will improve Broadway’s facilities and resources to establish it as the lead centre for creative media in central England. The work will result in more efficient and effective use of Broadway’s existing building, focusing primarily on improvements to floor space on its lower ground level.

Alexandra Theatre, Bognor Regis

Arun District Council are consulting on plans prepared by Burrell Foley Fischer for the renovation of the Alexandra Theatre in Bognor Regis.  The proposals include refurbishment and improvements to the auditorium and technical facilities, together with a new foyer and atrium wrapping around the theatre and transforming the external appearance.  

In addition the creation of an indoor arcade / winter garden will provide a pedestrian route from the existing arcade down to the seafront and other parts of the Regis centre sites development.

The renovation of the theatre would be paid for through the value generated by the development of other parts of the Regis centre site.   

Smithfield Market - A New Vision

SAVE Britain’s Heritage are today revealing an alternative plans for the redevelopment of London’s Smithfield Market, designed by Burrell Foley Fischer.  The scheme proposes the restoration of the existing 19th Century Buildings to form a new cultural and retail hub, to complement the already burgeoning “Smithfield Quarter’.  It will also complement the new travel hub, which will provide rail access to six airports.   

The impressive roofs of Smithfield General Market would be retained as a fantastic canopy and creating a beautiful light-filled interior.  The scheme makes available large areas, at multiple levels, without the addition of intrusive blocks.  The very extensive basement areas are brought into use as spaces for exhibition galleries, fashion shows and lecture halls. 

Marcus Binney, the President of Save Britain’s Heritage, says “The Smithfield quarter, like Covent Garden before it, has come to life thanks to natural regeneration as small businesses have colonised every vacated premise in the streets around the market buildings.  This is creating one of central London’s liveliest districts, full of both traditional character and new life.  Wake up City planners and Alderman!  Smithfield Market ranks as one of London’s chief public spaces that could be serving the city and its visitors, as the capital’s newest hub.”

See the full details of the SAVE/BFF scheme here
 

10 x 10 Drawing the City London

A John Burrell drawing is featured in a new exhibition that is currently running at the Somerset House.  ‘10x10 Drawing the City London’ brings together 100 of the world’s best artists, architects and designers in the most famous city in the world, London.

The project focuses on a different area of the city each year, with a grid of 100 squares laid over the chosen area. The resulting squares are then allocated to the participants who create an original artwork based on the buildings and public space within it. These pieces of artwork form a collective snapshot of London from one-hundred personal view points, forming a unique showcase of British architectural heritage.

​

The resulting works highlight some of the most beautiful aspects of the city as well as the hidden and forgotten details that are regularly overlooked. This project is a unique concept, with the designers of the City collaborating during the summer, turning their gaze back to the built environment they helped to create as well as providing a commentary and critique on the constantly changing landscape of central London. The drawing project is followed by the public exhibition of the pieces of work which is currently runing at Somerset House until 13 November.  They will then be auctioned by Sotheby’s at an exclusive closing event, with all proceeds of the sale going to Article 25, the charity that builds solutions to global problems.

​

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson has endorsed the event, saying: “Article 25′s work to design and build shelter for people affected by natural disasters is a very welcome initiative. This latest project is a fascinating idea with some of the biggest names in architecture creating a unique snapshot of London’s landscape. I hope its focus on … London will encourage those working there to dig deep to raise as much money as possible in support of hard hit communities around the world.”

Visit the 10 x 10 Website  
 

‘Hinterland’ Telecom tower is glimpsed at every turn of street, mews, and alleyway. Reminiscent of the way ancient Duomos’ oversee all proceedings. …. The north south routes between Soho and Fitzrovia are working streets with businesses, pristine white galleries, muscular Edwardian facades, corner pubs, and a once manic 'rag trade'  with ‘Gown Vans’ belching smoke jamming the roads. But nowadays on sunny muted weekends there is a sense of ‘hinterland’. Only voices and shadows animate the deserted streets, as they gorge on the midday sun. Contrasting razor sharp shadows reveal dark ancient passages that cut their way like fissures through buildings, scarred with the patina of the ad-hoc, the wear and tear of here and now, and centuries past. A reminder of the everyday soiled places of Dickens and the legendary White Woman of Berners Street whose ghost will readily tap you on the shoulder if you linger here long enough………