RNCB Landscape Award

The scheme at the Royal National College for the Blind has received the 2011 Heart of England in Bloom Award for Outstanding Merit.

The landscape scheme was designed by the Landmark Practice, who live just up the road from us and specialise in environmental planning, architecture and ecology.

We have worked with them on several projects, of which this was the first.

Follow the link to their website HERE

Benyon Hall Success - RSV ten years on

Around 10 years after we successfully delivered our first student accommodation project with Jarvis Construction (Job No 001 in the office WIA history fans), we have been back at the Reading Student Village with the job of designing a brand new junior common room and FM hub for UPP. This 126m² building was designed to fit in with the natural environment of the adjacent lake and sit in the landscaped grounds with a light touch. The BREEAM "Very Good" project was handed over in September following a very tight 16week construction programme. Renamed Benyon Hall in an opening ceremony held at the new JCR attended by Lord Benyons descendants, the Mayor and other distinguished guests, the latest addition to the scheme has been warmly welcomed by all.

Birks Hall handed over

The end of the academic year is always a busy time for us due to the amount of academic projects we are involved in.

The 933 room, 10 building Birks Hall Village was successfully handed over in September: This is the first phase of the £77 million development of student accommodation at the University of Exeter. The feedback we have received from the client, users and University has been incredibly positive and we are looking forward to successfully delivering the other sites at Lafrowda and Duryard.

Bishops Blackhall Completion

In time for the new academic year, the £2.5 million Bishops Blackhall school refurbishment was completed

This project successfully returned an abandoned Victorian School in the centre of Exeter back into beneficial use by forming 23 residential student flats of varying size, providing a total of 113 new bedrooms within the existing building envelopes. A small modern element nestles between existing walls at high level, providing a clue to the modern renovation undertaken inside the main buildings. The existing double-height floors and generous Victorian proportions have allowed for the insertion of new mezzanine floors, significantly increasing the available floor space. The provision of new double-glazed fenestration to the primary facades allows for the retention of the historic proportions while creating well-lit, well-ventilated and modern living spaces. The utilisation of loft areas has created unusual yet desirable bedrooms with dramatic views over the local area.

Welcome Sue and Matt

The successful candidate to replace Rachel as office manager is Sue Nightingale. Sue has already got into the groove of life in the Willmore Iles office by making her first purchase a tin of air freshener for the toilet upstairs. Thanks Sue, much appreciated!

Also joining the fold in our student merry-go-round which saw Helen and Hannah going back to their respective courses (good luck!) is Matthew Hacker, a fresh faced Part 2 graduate from UWE.

We would like to welcome both new members of staff and we'll let you know if they're keepers once we've received their "Christmas Cake Tuesday" submissions.