Great to hear that the Central European University campus redevelopment in Budapest, Hungary, in which we were involved with O’Donnell + Tuomey Architects was selected for this year’s Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland Best International Project –

Our competition submission for the AJ ‘House of Colour’ competition for an innovative, colourful playhouse for children.

“THE SUN HAS GOT HIS HAT ON
HIP HIP HIP HURRAY
THE SUN HAS GOT HIS HAT ON
AND WE’RE GOING OUT TO PLAY…”

Colour in the morning is not the same as colour in the evening. The sun moves, light shifts, colours change. Our proposal responds to this change with a play structure that orients itself to two directions.

Two interconnected play spaces face east and west. A diagonal wall between each is perforated with differently sized openings, some big, some small – lots of opportunities to run between, play hide-and-go-seek, hangout. Morning sunlight reflects from a series of multi-coloured panels onto the diagonal wall clad with Hardie Panel, and again in the evening, creating a play of reflections and shadows through the day.

We have worked with Ceramic Artist Ingrid Saag, to create a series of art pieces within this central wall, providing coloured openings from one side to the other. Colours range from vivid to earthy, energising to relaxing, and provide an idiosyncratic, inspiring palette for two different worlds – one morning, one evening.

Almost finished on our project in Wandsworth – two houses, one old, one new. The new house fits on a rather awkward site, and inherits this site geometry into the plan. Built of recycled bricks with angular reveals to the front window, the project seeks to reinterpret the language and proportion of the original house in a contemporary way.

Works have commenced on our scissor truss barn in Surrey. We are converting a disused chicken shed into a new family house….long may the sun  shine…

Our High Kitchen project is published in Archdaily this morning – http://www.archdaily.com/869295/high-kitchen-a-zero-architects 

Photos from a house we have just finished in South London. The iroko cladding is on the three pop-out windows around which the rear elevation is organised. Photos of the interior to follow shortly…

Some magnificent images of the first phase of the Central European University redevelopment in which we were involved in the capcity of environmental consultants to O’Donnell Tuomey from the initial competition win to Detailed Design. More details here : http://a-zero.co.uk/portfolio/central-european-university/

Fatherhood / Architect duties combine in Wandsworth : new infant addition to the practice, Emile Bruce, got to visit site this week to see progress on our new build house which is progressing well and due for May completion.

Giles & Phillip on site in Elephant & Castle. We are steaming along with all the steel work complete, and the brickwork catching up by the day. The external envelope should be watertight by May.

Planning permission has just lodged for a new build house in the very beautiful conservation area in Grosvenor Square, Camberwell. The site backs on to a delightful park and is highly prominent in the square. We have developed the facades in close reference to the existing listed buildings, configuring existing elements in a new way. The aim is that the finished house should look strangely familiar – as though it is new but was somehow always there….

We are just finished on site with this ground floor extension in Leyton – our first to have used a ‘horse door’ (a door which can either open top or bottom). The project is designed around a pre-existing brick wall built by the client’s father, which we extended into the house to establish a strong visual connection between inside and outside. The bright yellow horse door provides access to the garden. The large picture window is framed by a galvanised structural frame which also forms a structural gutter to provide a cantilevered canopy over the door.

And this is where we have got to on our Elephant & Castle development at the end of 2016. Brick work done up to first floor, and the steel frame installed up to the fourth floor. Bit to go till it yet till it looks like the rendering – but looking quite photogenic in the mist nonetheless…

We are nearing completion on this house in South East London. Many more photos of this project to follow as there is a lot to show…

We have reached that auspicious moment where our brickwork is now the same height as the hoarding…. Things should start moving quite quickly now….

Zinc portal frames around a ground floor and dormer windows are designed to provide the necessary solar control to the windows.The house has been completely reconfigured and extended,  the new interventions linked with a palette of materials comprising solid oak panels, pigmento red zinc and external sandstone tiling. A new kitchen bench seating area addresses the garden through the glazed corner window. More photos to follow…..

New rendering of our Thames House project, due to go out to tender this month. The glazed corner windows catch oblique glimpses toward the Thames, and sit flush with a fibre-cement cladding. The volume of the main house is lifted up over a brick base, constructed of the recycled bricks from the existing house which will be demolished. Rendering by Whitaker Studio.

Progress on our Wandsworth developemnt.The project comprises the construction of a new build house on an angular corner site, and the extension and renovation of an existing dwelling. Builders started in July, and have made good progress to far on demolition.

Some photographs from a small house ‘contraction’ project we did this year. This was a project where we persuaded the clients to reduce the size of their home, but make the space work more effectively so that it feels larger. This means making a connection between the front and the back with a concealed pocket door between, and using am industrial palette of materials of anthracite coloured windows, butcher board worktop, and exposed London stock brick walls.lls.

We have lots of projects on site at the moment, all at various stages of completion, and all involving substantial alterations to existing properties, either by extending them or in some cases contracting them. It is always interesting to try and re-imagine how the original house used to be – always quite difficult after five months of contractor occupation.

Planning approval has been granted for the redevelopment of this old School house in Moor Park as a new residential dwelling. The existing building, built in 1920s is one of the founding buildings of the estate, and the design seeks to work within the character of the existing property,but providing a more contemporary internal layout, and exemplary environmental performance.

Our Willesden Road Junction project has been featured in this month’s Grand Design Magazine

Energy Consumption has been greatly reduced in this side extension by A-ZERO architects. The environmental upgrades include the installation of a new MVHR system, high performance glazing, and greater levels of insulation throughout. Internally, the new addition features a series of roof-lights, and exposed brickwork, while externally, the decorative iroko facia spans the rear elevation with bi-fold doors leading to the stone clad garden’.

The June 2016 A-ZERO line up : Sho, Caterina, Giles, Anya & Phillip.

Phase 01 complete… now on to phase 02….

It’s not quite finished – but good enough to take a couple of pictures. Now that the lawn is established, and the last remnant of building materials has been removed off site, it is ready for a summer. There is still a bit to do interanally, so the final photos won’t be for a couple of months yet…

We are slowly but surely getting out of the ground on our Hampton Street Project. Piles are in, below ground drainage is in, utilities are in. Now things get interesting with some concrete pours….

Our Peckham project – ‘extending without an extension’ is a finalist in the London Building Excellence Awards 2016 in the Best extension or alteration to an existing home category. Fingers crossed!

Photos from our St. John’s Wood project from last summer. Giles had worked on this house 10 years ago, and we were asked back to reconfigure the interior, creating a new kitchen / dining area and study space. We worked with an excellent joiner – Rob Berry, who we would highly recommend.

Our Willesden Junction project is virtually complete. The original house has been fully refurbished and extended with an infill extension to the side. We thought a lot about the glazing around this extension, the rhythm of light in the space, and the transparency of the corners. The iroko wrap-around emphasises this relationship, whilst providing integrated down lighters over the full width bi-fold doors. More internal photographs to follow….

We have lodged planning for a house in Northwood. The building, was originally built as a school, and the organisation of spaces internally is very unconventional. The proposal is to work with the language of the original school building, introducing a series of garden facing roof elements which draw on the materiality and pitch of the original roofs, but are clearly different in their expression.

First part of the build is in – all the piles are down. Not very much to look at, but it has generated a phenomenal amount of muck and dirt. Next stage is the joys of below ground drainage….

Things are almost wrapping up on our Willesden Junction project – the resin floor is down, the wrap around roof-light is in, the MVHR is running, the joinery is happening… almost there…

‘the unique angular design of the proposed dwelling is innovative…it would add a distinct and vibrant element to the street scene which would have a positive impact on the character and appearance of the area’.

We are really excited to be finally on site with our Elephant & Castle Nursery  + Housing development. . It is great to be a part of the wider Elephant & Castle regeneration, and after three years going through planning, even better to be starting on site in one week. The project comprises three new build low energy houses with a ground floor nursery, and will achieve passive house performance. The project is due for completion Autumn 2016.

As one of the practices shortlisted for the New London Architecture ‘New Ideas for Housing’ competition. our entry ‘The High Street Living Project‘ was featured under the ‘densification’ category. The submission is also on display in the Building Centre in Store Street until December 2015.

We are delighted to have been shortlisted for the New London Architecture’s ‘New Ideas for Housing international ideas competition’

Our proposal ‘The High Street Living Project’ looks at ways in which London’s high streets can be brought back into residential use; focusing on the much maligned Walworth Road as a case study. We looked at possible ways the existing houses, landlocked behind single storey shop units, could be rehabilited through new roof-top residential development. http://a-zero.co.uk/portf…/high-street-living-project-_2015/

Our proposal will be featured in the New Ideas for Housing publication. The winning scheme will be announced on 14 October and an exhibition of the shortlisted entries will be held in the NLA galleries at The Building Centre, 26 Store St, London WC1E 7BT (http://www.buildingcentre.co.uk/) from 15 October – 17 December.

Windows in in our Northwood house – a great job by Derek from V-Windows – http://vwindows.eu/. Even though the house is North facing – we especially like the fact that we still get sunlight passing through the double height space in the hall form the south facing roof-lights…..

Our development in Elephant & Castle has now been granted full planning permission! The development comprising three new-build townhouses and a nursery will be commencing on site in Autumn. The project provides a ground floor nursery, and three Code Level 04 Terraced Houses above. Visualisation by Whitaker Studio

A wonderful day had by all when Giles (finally) tied the knot with Ingrid. We successfully mamanaged to get almost 100 guests from Kennington to Vauxhall on a menagerie of bicycle BMX’s, tandems and rickshaws. Well done to one and all!

A bit of an A-ZERO outing on Sunday…. Giles & Phillip cycled from London to Brighton as a part of this years British Heart Foundation annual cycle. Although technically Phillip was faster, he walked up one of the hills, which Giles didn’t.

Photographs by Photographer Step Haiselden (http://chronological.co.uk/), for our Zinc House in the garden. Thanks Step! More details & photos here : http://a-zero.co.uk/portfolio/zinc-house-_-2015/

Our Willesden Junction project is virtually complete. The original house has been fully refurbished and extended with an infill extension to the side. We thought a lot about the glazing around this extension, the rhythm of light in the space, and the transparency of the corners. The iroko wrap-around emphasises this relationship, whilst providing integrated down lighters over the full width bi-fold doors. More internal photographs to follow….

Giles will be in Dublin on this Thursday, 21st May to give a lecture to the IET.

‘Sustainability within the built environment requires an integrated approach from architects and engineers. It is not just a question of the efficiency of building systems, rather a question of how performance can be fundamental to the architecture itself. The idea of embedded performance suggests that concepts about energy, comfort and climate are intrinsic within the design process from day one. It suggests that sustainability should not be additive, but should be so implicit within the design concept that it becomes invisible.’

http://www.theiet.org/events/local/216658.cfm

A very nice feature in The Modern House website for our Timber Frame House.

‘Perhaps the most impressive space is the open plan kitchen / living /dining room. It is an uplifting, light-filled area that features a wonderful exposed oak frame, floor to ceiling glazing, integrated audio and a bespoke kitchen. The second reception room is a more cosy space with a fireplace. Upstairs the bedrooms all have vaulted ceilings (with extra mezzanine levels in the smaller rooms) and lead on to a wide, meticulously-detailed circulation space’

More details here : http://www.themodernhouse.net/sales-list/bragenham/

Progress on our house in Northwood. What started as a small extension has, through numerous planning application expanded to become a very sizable house. The idea remains though – creating a strong connection between the ground floor living space and the garden, and bring as much light as possible into the kitchen via rooflights…

Work has begun on the Central European University redevelopment in Hungary. A-ZERO was part of the competition winning team lead by Irish architects O’Donnell + Tuomey in 2011 for the redevelopment of this Budapest campus.
http://www.archdaily.com/602063/o-donnell-tuomey-s-central-european-university-in-budapest-breaks-ground/

Our ‘Extension without an extension was featured as one of this years 2015 Small Project’s’ entries. Free access into AJ’s Building Library : http://www.ajbuildingslibrary.co.uk/projects/display/id/7133

January’s edition of AJ featured a special case study on insulation, in which our Timber Frame House predominantly featured. Check out the article here : http://a-zero.co.uk/aj_timber-frame-house_jan-2015/