Author
Wriggle Marketing
Date
16 December 2020
Ending the year with another win for Tombola HouseWe are delighted to share Tombola House was awarded the Corporate Workplace Award, alongside Ryder Architecture, at the BCO Northern Awards 2020. Tombola House will now go on to compete as a finalist in the BCO National Awards 2020 with the virtual awards ceremony due to take place in early 2021.  Read more about our recent work on Tombola House here.  Designing for Hong KongOur design team recently developed a concept design for a Japanese restaurant which would be situated within a Marriott hotel located in Hong Kong.The design concept for the new restaurant stemmed from Shizen; beauty in the natural form. The design ethos was to blur the boundary between the external garden space and the interior, using authentic natural materials such as timber and stone with an abundance of planting. The aim was to communicate Japanese philosophy without clichés.  There are references to organic forms in tiled wall surfaces and bespoke joinery. Wall panelling with concealed lighting provides an opportunity to reference the hills of the nearby Pok Fu Lan Country Park. Sliding perforated screens to the perimeter windows are a modern interpretation of a traditional Japanese interior.The bar features high and low seating to be used for drinking and dining and cosy banquette seating is incorporated for an intimate feel. Planting is used throughout creating an oasis of calm and tranquillity. The garden restaurant follows the theme of the interior with natural materials and organic forms. Planting is used throughout highlighted with concealed lighting. For more information, visit our ‘projects‘ page. India Buildings : 1926 and nowFollowing our long term work on the HMRC Newcastle Estate, our design team has been working intensely on their new Regional Centre in Liverpool. HMRC selected an iconic, historic building in the centre of Liverpool, India Buildings, constructed in 1926. The brief, to convert a classic building, almost 100 years old and with Grade 2 star listed building status, into modern office accommodation that achieves the same performance standards as a newly built office block is, to say the least, challenging! (‘Construction of the India Buildings, Liverpool 1926’ – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aJpcJEOEvec)A great team, with design and build contractor Overbury at its heart, is meeting the many and varied challenges, with initial occupation by HMRC due in spring 2021 and completion for the 4,000 staff in summer. We will keep you posted on the progress of this truly landmark development.Onto the next phase for Yarm SchoolOur project management team have worked closely with Yarm School for a number of years on the £30million redevelopment of the existing school site. Conducted over multiple phases with varying challenges, the team have successfully delivered dining facilities, a new teaching block and nursery, an auditorium and bar, a music school and new sports facilities.  The next phase in the schools ambitious plans for the future sees the development of 14-hectare area of agricultural land to accommodate a range of sports pitches. The proposed 72m long footbridge over the River Tees will provide across to the sports pitches by linking the school on the western embankment to the adjacent land on the east. Who’s new at Ward Robinson There have been a few changes in the Ward Robinson office over the past few months. We introduced two new colleagues, welcomed back a familiar face and appointed three of the existing team to new senior management positions. Michael Black joins the design team as Associate Interior Design Director. Originally from the North East, Michael has over 17 years’ experience as an Interior Designer and Interior Architect based in London, Hong Kong and New York. Michael has worked with some of the world’s largest brands and has a strong background in F&B design as well as other areas within the hospitality sector. Ross Hamilton joins the project management team as Projects Director. Having extensive experience of the property and construction industry, Ross was formerly a Regional Project Management Lead for a multi-national practice and has worked across both public and private sectors. The design team are very pleased to welcome back Beth Dear. After a successful summer placement with us in 2019, Beth officially re-joined the team as an Interior Designer in August after graduating from Teesside University.  We also announce three key internal appointments.Katherine Usher and Louise Roberts are now part of the senior management and creative team as Associates. Katherine and Louise have both been with the company for several years and each have led the design team on award winning projects.Last, but by no means least, we welcome Andrew Steadman to the board as Director of Project Management. With over 20 years’ experience working in construction and property, Andrew will play a pivotal role in the Ward Robinson senior management team.Read more about all our new appointments here. |