September 21, 2015

The official opening of the new teaching block for Menorah Foundation School by the Mayor of Barnet and MP for Hendon marked the completion of the project to double the teaching capacity at the school. The Governors and Staff are delighted with the scheme and the new facilities. Eli Korman, Governor at the school said “The opening ceremony was a great success – everyone was thoroughly impressed, and I would like to go on record and thank NVB for all their efforts in delivering this new building for the School”

Menorah Foundation School Official Opening

September 17, 2015

One year on from completion of the Woodard Building at The Cathedral School, Llandaff, the project is proving a significant asset for the school. They say of the building: “The Woodard Building is a fantastic new resource for the Cathedral School and is the culmination of five years of construction and investment in the school’s facilities. The high specification of design, coupled with the spacious laboratories and classrooms within the building have further enhanced the learning environment for our pupils. NVB Architects’ vision and expertise has enabled us to manage our site more efficiently and the Woodard Building is just one example of how this has been achieved.”

This follows the end of the formal contract which was opened in 2014.

The Woodard Building

September 16, 2015

NVB have just handed over the second phase of laboratory refurbishments at Woldingham School. This second phase builds on the works completed during the summer vacation last year and leaves the final tranche to be completed next summer. Jayne Triffitt, the Headmistress at the school, has said “The labs are wonderful – we are particularly keen on the Physics labs! The office is brilliant and so much better than before and the prep room is state of the art.”

Woldingham School Science

July 6, 2015

NVB Architects are pleased to be supporting Frome College in providing mock-interview experience. The event provides valuable experience for students, many of whom will be leaving school shortly and moving into the exciting world of work. This will be our 3^rd year supporting the event which is run over two days and is organised by Frome Rotary Club.

As we approach the summer holidays, NVB are pleased to welcome work experience students from across the district. Students are given the opportunity to design a project with supervision from a qualified member of staff. They use all of the software available within the office to create exciting designs with realistic 3d renderings using the latest versions of Sketchup and Autodesk Revit. At the end of the placement, students give a short presentation on their design to a small group, giving valuable presentation experience which is useful in any profession. If you are interested in a placement with the practice please contact mailbox@nvbarchitects.co.uk.

June 18, 2015

After 2 months, work is progressing well on the new nursery at Abbot’s Hill School. The new facility is due to open in late autumn. The whole frame was manufactured “off site” and erected in 5 days.

June 17, 2015

Phase 1 of the landscape master plan is complete at The Cathedral School, Llandaff. It provides the school with spaces that are dedicated to the pupils. These include a new play area surfaced with resin bonded rubber mulch for a safe play surface whilst protecting the soil around the trees. The space formerly known as corral is now a social space at the heart of the school using a paving palette established during earlier phases of the building development plan. NVB master planned the school’s accommodation and have been developing this for the past seven years. The maintenance department haven’t been forgotten with a new, more than a shed, shed. This was built next to a new pedestrian connection into the school providing an alternative route to increase separation between cars and people.

The character of the school has been transformed with the start of a progressive plan to provide a functional and attractive site to complement the 21^st Century buildings and school ethos.

The Cathedral School, Llandaff Landscape Master Plan

June 8, 2015

NVB are delighted to have been appointed as architects for the conversion of the Alderman Flatman Building into the new Frome Town Hall.  The former county council offices will become a hub for a range of community activities and facilities as well as being the home of Frome Town Council.

NVB were appointed following a competitive tender and are currently consulting on the development of the brief.  The building has fulfilled a range of civic functions over the years and we are excited by the challenge of converting it to suit a 21^st Century community.

May 11, 2015

We have recently completed and handed over this project for a first floor ‘infill’ development between a sports hall and swimming pool at the school. The project improves existing facilities and will add new teaching classrooms, sports offices and a dance studio to existing facilities.

From a ‘standing start’ in January 2014, we developed a design, achieved planning approval, developed production information, negotiated a contract and were on site for the start of the summer holidays in July 2014. Refurbishment and adaptation of the original ground floor changing rooms and fitness suite was completed by the October half term and the ground floor was then in use by the school while construction of new first floor continued above. The first floor will initially be fitted out as classrooms (to allow redevelopment of another teaching department) and will then be converted to its final use as a new dance studio, squash courts and sports classrooms.

The project has also addressed some pre-existing issues with the building, rationalising an odd corridor layout and creating a much more welcoming main entrance. We also removed the previously blacked out clerestory windows to the sports hall; This simple ‘move’ means that for the first time spectators can view activities in the sports hall from the new first floor corridor/viewing gallery.

As well as delivering this relatively fast-track project on time, it was also achieved at well below the average cost per metre squared for this type of building.

May 7, 2015

NVB have worked closely with Epsom College to develop the design and tender documentation to create a new Lower School for the College, expanding the College’s age range. The new Lower School will be located within an existing residential building on the College’s Campus; this necessitates the complete removal of all of the internal walls and floors with a new steel frame inserted whilst retaining the existing elevations and roof. A new circulation stair tower will be erected to the rear and a contemporary entrance reception created. The main contract has been awarded to R Durtnell & Sons, the country’s oldest contractor who have been in operation since 1591.

Epsom College, North Lodge Elevations

Epsom College, North Lodge