You may have heard the rumours, but we can now officially announce that we have moved to our new home at Suite 3 Carlyle’s Court, in Carlisle. It’s a delightful place, just above the Sony Centre and Fujifilm on Fisher Street. The entrance is on St Mary’s Gate, snuggled between the Old Bank and Carlyle’s Court main entrance, not far from Whyte’s Café Bar.  So whether you’re in the mood for a warm cup of coffee or a refreshing pint, we are just a stone’s throw away. Exciting times ahead!  Click here for our new address…

Hoarding and scaffolding has now been removed revealing the new £6m Sandgate SEND School building in Kendal for Westmorland and Furness Council. Construction work continues and is due to be complete later this year. Great to be working with F Parkinson Ltd, Waterman Group, McGowan Miller Construction Consultants, and Pettit Singleton Associates.

We are thrilled to welcome Rod Hughes to our team. With an impressive architectural career spanning 40 years, Rod has been the lead of 2030 architects for many years. Still passionate about his work, he aims to continue sharing his vast architectural knowledge, especially in minimising environmental impact. He will be joining Architects Plus where he will help enhance our sustainable design expertise and build upon our existing in-house Certified Passivhaus design skills. Ian Hewitt, also previously of 2030 architects, with his own extensive sustainability experience joined us earlier this year.

Architects Plus have been working with Cumbria Health on Call (CHoC) to complete the total refurbishment of their new office headquarters in Carlisle.  Including extensive internal alterations for its new use, the building has been given a brand new lease of life with freshly insulated and rendered walls, double glazed windows and other improvements to the building exterior.

Architects Plus recently renovated the entrance, bedrooms and bathrooms for Jigsaw at Eden Valley Hospice, Carlisle. The revamped bedrooms now feature colour changing lights, bespoke bedhead features and “bubble print” en-suite shower rooms – all highly appreciated by the hospice users. As noted on the Eden Valley Hospice website, “This was made possible with proceeds from the auction of Banksy’s artwork ‘Game Changer’ which was gifted to Southampton Hospitals Charity in May 2020 during the height of the Covid pandemic.”

Last year we sent out Project Evaluation Questionnaires as we strive in our commitment to provide an excellent service and continuously look for ways to improve.  We are were overwhelmed by the positive response in how highly were were rated on communication, project management and personnel, design development and performance.  For example 100% of respondents said they were very satisfied or satisfied with our communication.

We are excited to share that our Quality Management System has earned ISO 9001 certification, and our Environmental Management System has obtained ISO 14001 certification. Our management systems have been meticulously developed and refined over the years to ensure not only compliance and proficiency but also a commitment to customer satisfaction and addressing the climate crisis. This certification assures our clients that we maintain a consistently high standard and have a strategy for continuous measurement and improvement.

Construction work on our £6m project to expand Sandgate School for children with Special Educational Needs in Kendal is making significant progress, with the recent completion of the steel framework for the building. Five months into the project, the structure and layout for the four additional classrooms, new multipurpose hall, changing rooms and additional facilities has now been erected.

Link to > Westmorland & Furness News Article

Link to > Progress Video

Our latest residential project to provide 40 new dwellings on the Woodhouse Estate in Whitehaven has started on site. The scheme will provide much needed affordable bungalows and houses for the local community. This continues our working relationship with Thomas Armstrong (Construction) Ltd and Home Group, a team which has been working together on regeneration projects at Woodhouse, for over 17 years.

Works on site are progressing at pace for the £6million expansion of the Sandgate Special Educational Needs School.  It will cater for young people aged 3 to 19 years and is located on the Queen Katherine School (Academy) Campus.  Architects Plus have been working with Waterman Structures Ltd, Pettit Singleton Associates, McGowan Miller and Contractor F Parkinson Ltd. Four new classrooms, a new hall, assisted changing, sensory and physio rooms as well as other activities will be provided.

Architects Plus have just completed an amazing residential project in Cumbria. Set in a semi-rural landscape, this single family home boasts a wet room, jacuzzi and bar room.  The house focuses on the incredible views across the landscape.  The attention to detail sets this building apart, that includes a curved self-supporting limestone stair, gable glazed walls and frameless glass balustrading for uninterrupted views.

We are very proud to be accredited as a Bronze Carbon Literate Organisation, highlighting Architects Plus’s dedication towards tackling climate change, reducing our carbon emissions and our commitment to working towards a lower-carbon future.

Thank you to the The Carbon Literacy Project for your help and we look forward to further achievements in our efforts to tackle the climate crisis.

Our project at Paternoster Row has the great honour of being awarded the Northern Regional Winner in the Best Non-Residential Extension, Alteration or Conversion category at the Building Excellence Awards 2023.

The project to retrofit an existing Grade II Listed building was the result of a continual process of assessment and evaluation to provide the most suitable and sustainable interventions to reduce energy use.  While respecting the historic nature of the building, a ‘fabric first’ approach was taken to improve the thermal envelope.

Works on site are progressing well to construct the fantastic new UK headquarters facility for Komatsu Forest Ltd. The building envelope is now complete including the western red cedar cladding that has been installed to the front elevation facing the surrounding countryside. The external concrete yard has been cast and the remaining internal works have now commenced including second fix mechanical and electrical works alongside completion of internal finishes to the office areas. The building is expected to be completed in August and will be fully operational by September of this year.

We are pleased to announce that we have received our Green Small Business Certification. Our robust sustainability plan has been translated by Green Small Business into a recognised environmental accreditation.  Tackling the climate crises is part of who and what we are as an organisation. It is nice to have the acknowledgement of the hard work we are doing but this is so much more than a certificate to Architects Plus. The work that we have, and are still, putting into mitigating our impact on the climate crises is what really matters to us as a company and drives what we do in our office and in our projects.

As a practice dedicated to tackling the climate crises we are continuing to review and monitor the progress of our Environmental Sustainability Plan.  Looking back we achieved an impressive number of our targets for 2022.

For some time we have reduced our waste, including the amount of paper we use as an office. However, we have recently taken in depth look at how we operate and resource our office.  By doing this we have reduced the carbon footprint of our office to 1.7 tonnes CO2/employee, far less than the average 3.5 tonnes for an office (according to the results of the CAfS Carbon Footprint Calculator for Business)!  This has been achieved through a concerted effort to reduce, reuse and recycle.  Just some of the actions have been:

• We joined the Passivhaus Trust after Basia Dacko became a Certified Passive House Designer
• All staff have completed Carbon Literacy CPD training
• We have signed up to the Architects Declare Commitment and RIBA 2030 Challenge
• We reduced our carbon footprint and are aiming higher for 2023
• General office supplies have been replaced with sustainable, recycled and low waste products with low environmental impact
• Purchased used refurbished and second hand products where possible
• Reduced in-person meetings and car sharing (alongside our consultants and clients)

As part of our ongoing commitment to reducing our carbon footprint and mitigating the climate crisis, we have invested in 2 fully electric vehicles that are now used for all our business related car journeys. We are also reducing the number of car journeys as part of our overall sustainability plan by scheduling more online meetings and increasing car sharing within the office alongside other consultants. Look out for our logo which will be added to the cars soon!

As part of our ongoing team development, Architects Plus had a fantastic Team Discovery Day with Richard Morris of ARM Experiential Limited. The day was held at the beautiful Holme Head House in Denton Holme. As well as looking into our personal profiles and team dynamics, we cooked up a storm! We find these days really valuable for developing our team and discovering how to communicate with each other, and with clients and consultants, more effectively. As a practice we are dedicated to continued improvement in all aspects of our work, which includes looking at how we work together in and out of the office.

We are looking for an experienced Project Architect or Architectural Technologist, to join us within our Carlisle office. We are a forward-thinking practice which actively contributes to a sustainable future, with great staff retention within a friendly and open office. We provide a diversity of project types where you’ll be involved in the full lifecycle – from the intial design with direct client interaction, through to detailed design, site visits, job running, through to project completion.

Please email us at ap@architectsplus.co.uk with your CV. 

A classroom extension, with associated toilets and meeting room at Levens CofE school, Kendal, is on site and progressing at pace. Due to complete this summer, the windows have been installed, the zinc roof is complete and the cladding is in progress. You can really see it taking shape! 

This project has been designed in line with the RIBA 2025 Climate Challenge targets. The thermal envelope exceeds the requirements and includes rain water harvesting, bioretention planters and low energy fittings.

Our Paternoster Row Project for Castles and Coasts Housing Association has been shortlisted for not one, not two, but three categories in the North West Regional Construction Excellence Awards 2023.  The categories are ‘Conservation & Regeneration Award’ submitted by Cubby Construction, ‘Sub-Regional Project of the Year’ and the ‘Sustainability Award’.  Winners will be announced in July.  We also undertook our first fully completed ’embodied carbon analysis’ using the data obtained as the project progressed.

We have reduced the carbon footprint of our office to 1.7 tonnes CO2/employee/year, far less than the average figure of 3.5 tonnes/employee/year for an office!  (CAfS Carbon Footprint Calculator for Business). To offset this we have funded and helped to plant 275 trees at Watchtree Nature Reserve Carlisle, as part of their new woodland area initiative. This in preference to a contribution to a national or global carbon offset scheme. The last few years has seen us make a concerted effort to reduce, reuse and recycle. 

Works started on site in January on the Westfield Estate, Workington, Cumbria for Westfield Housing Association.  A series of sites will provide accessible rented accommodation, mainly for older residents with specific access needs. Exceeding building regulations, the developments include PV panels, air source heat pumps and enhanced thermal envelopes to ensure dwellings are energy efficient and comfortable. New landscaping promotes healthy communal spaces for socialising.

Designs for a new office headquarters for PFK Land and Estate Agents in Penrith has been submitted for planning approval. The contemporary design will include a fabric first approach to insulating the envelope, use of solar photovoltaic panels, battery storage, high coefficient heat pumps, and electric car charging. The contemporary design will aim for ‘RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge’ targets set for operational low carbon energy use.

We are proud to have won two prestigious awards for residential projects. Yewdale Road, Coniston for Castle & Coast Housing Association, won ‘Cumbria Regional Project of the Year’ at the North West Regional Construction Awards. This delivered 7 new affordable and sustainable dwellings in Coniston Village, constructed by Cubby Construction. Old School Court in Carlisle won ‘Regional Winner Best High-Volume New Housing Development’ at the LABC Building Excellence Awards 2022, built by McKnight & Son Builders Ltd. The development of 35 dwellings acknowledges much of the architectural language of the former Caldewgate Primary School building.

Works to extend the existing Pennine Way Primary School at the Harraby Community Campus in Carlisle are now complete. The teaching staff are delighted with the new spaces we have delivered. Pupils have already moved into the 3 new classrooms. The design also includes additional meeting, library, office spaces and enhanced toilet provision. A central atrium corridor also provides access into small group teaching areas.

We are all much more conscious about our energy usage and we are talking to our clients about the most efficient ways to save energy and reduce bills. Our team have a proven track record of delivering energy efficient and sustainable designs based on years of experience. We can offer guidance and advice on the best approach for any situation. We have qualified Energy Assessors and a certified Passivhaus Designer. Whether your project is a new build or a refurbishment of an existing property, we can provide you with the right support to save you money!

We are pleased to announce we have recently gained Safety Schemes in Procurement (SSIP) accreditation through the Alcumus Safe Contractor scheme. The scheme ensures we meet the highest industry standards for Health & Safety, equal opportunities, diversity, and environmental management practices. In addition, we have demonstrated our commitment to achieving the highest quality management and Health & Safety standards required to achieve Corporate Membership of the Association of Project Safety.

Practical Completion has been achieved for the Head Office of Castles and Coasts Housing Association. Housed in a Grade II Listed Building, the project succesfully balanced the preservation of historic character and the sustainability aspirations of the client. PV panels, secondary glazing and retrofit insulation of external walls has considerably reduced the carbon footprint. The building is now a comfortable and contemporary office with spaces geared to flexible working and a range of bookable offices and co-working open plan office spaces.

Works are now complete at the Eden Valley Hospice’s adult in-patient unit to provide two new en-suite patient rooms.  The improvements were carefully designed to ensure patient dignity, by upgrading an existing, aging ward facility. Whilst the design meets the rigid standards for a clinical patient room, we were able to specify and design a truly bespoke room that included warm wooden tones within the furniture and physical assistance equipment such as grab rails and sanitary fittings that are often specified for high end hotel and leisure installations. https://www.edenvalleyhospice.org/news/1113-renovations-at-eden-valley-hospice-help-make-ward-fit-for-future

We are very pleased to announce the promotion of Victoria Wood to the position of Associate. Victoria is one of our senior architects who has an amazing passion for environmental design and is helping guide the practice and our clients with high quality, sustainable design solutions. We are also a step closer to having a fully qualified “Passivhaus Designer” within our ranks as Basia Dacko has undergone a gruelling two month course leading to an exam before attaining the industry leading sustainable design accreditation.

Our sustainable themed 2021 Christmas card, printed on recycled fibres, is winging its way to (or already with) those lucky people on our mailing list.  To continue the theme we have  just received delivery of our Architects Plus fleeces that are made from 100% post-consumer bottles.  Our team can now keep stylishly and sustainably warm in these cold winter months.  We wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for 2022.

One of those days we love, a successful school engagement session making ‘Spaghettti Structures’.  Enjoyed by all (particularly Architects Plus).

‘THANK YOU so much for today.  The children really did enjoy the session and have been buzzing around school at lunchtime telling everyone what they did and learnt.  We really appreciate your time and spaghetti!’
Headteacher

The new Multi Use Games Area at a Cumbrian SEN school has now been completed.  This upgrade to an un-used tarmac area has provided a fun cycle track, safe tarmac area and a central fenced area with polymeric surfacing for ball games and other sports activities.  Although photographed on a bleak day, the vibrant colours and fun designs show how much of an improvement this has made.

Architects Plus are happy to confirm that we are now registered for the RIBA Future Architects Student Mentoring Programme.  We have a Director teamed with two students from the University of Liverpool who will be providing some helpful hints and tips about how to survive and thrive in architectural practice.

Architect Victoria Wood, has been volunteering for Cumbria Action for Sustainability, to deliver Community Climate Science and Solution talks to community groups. In September she gave a presentation in the office which sparked some interesting conversation and encouraged staff members to consider how they can reduce their carbon footprint, as well as what further action can be taken by the office.

Architects Plus are on site with several new projects!  This includes a development of new private houses to Mill Hill, Keekle and further work for the Lakes Distillery.  Work has also commenced on site for 7 new affordable houses to Yewdale Road, Coniston maintaining our excellent working relationship with Castles and Coasts Housing Association.  A new 6 bed Children’s Home for Cumbria County Council also nears completion. Our involvement to build 35 residential units at Kendal Street, Carlisle for McKnight & Son Builders is also continuing.  We are always interested in enquires about new building projects.  We have the experience to help you at all design stages and help manage the project toward completion on site.  Please see our contact page to get in touch!

Pioneer Food Hall has made it onto the shortlist for the 2020 LABC Northern Building Excellence Awards for Best Commerical Project. Additionally our new building for Craig Robinson Vets has also been shortlisted for Best Commercial Project and Best Public Service or Educational Building. We’ll keep our fingers crossed for success later in the year!

Architects Plus are pleased to congratulate Basia Dacko and Afshin Bari who have qualified as chartered members of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT).   Basia and Afshin have worked exceptionally hard at Architects Plus over the past number of years to achieve this accolade.

10 new hotel bedrooms at the 4 star Crown Hotel in Wetheral are now open for business following building works that started in August 2019.  The bedrooms were created from two Edwardian houses owned by the hotel.  The project also included refurbishment of the hotel leisure club and spa.  The contractor, Philip M Lally Ltd alongside the design team worked well together to achieve completion before Christmas. Project Page>

Congratulations to Cumbria County Council and Seddon Construction for their win at the National Constructing Excellence Awards 2019, for the Sandside Lodge SEN School Project, Ulverston.  Architects Plus were appointed as client advisor for delivery of the Special Needs School and the project has greatly expanded our experience in delivering Special Needs Schools across all child school ages.

We are pleased that our new veterinary surgery designed for Craig Robinson Vets has been chosen as a runner up in the British Veterinary Hospitals Association awards 2019. Completed by the practice earlier this year the project has recently enhanced our experience in veterinary health building projects. Project Page

Architects Plus celebrates 30 years in practice!   Established on 13^th August 1988 by founding partners Raymond Whittaker, Richard Jefferson, David Lamond, Tom Langlands and John Carruthers, the firm has been at the forefront of some of Cumbria’s most enterprising building schemes. Under the current directors David Blair, Christian Judd and Barbara Gower, the practice continues to work on a number of exciting and important architectural and strategic projects both locally and nationally.

As we come up to our 30th birthday, Architects Plus has made the news again in a recent article published by In-Cumbria.  Link to the article:    ‘Architects Plus has designs on Carlisle’s transformation’

Linstock Barn was awarded Winner of the LABC Northern Building Excellence Award for Best Change of Use of an Existing Building or Conversion.  Architects Plus were extremely pleased to receive the award alongside developer, McKnight & Son Builders.  The project will now join other regional winners for the Grand Final to be held in November at the Westminster Park Plaza Hotel, London.

We are pleased to announce ‘Linstock Barn’ and ‘Houghton C of E School‘ have been shortlisted for an LABC Northern Building Excellence Award.  Our new build hotel project ‘Lodge at Solent’ is also up for an LABC South East Building Excellence Award.  Directors Christian Judd and Barbara Gower will be attending the awards event in Gateshead later this year.