Going to WATER: Resilience & Innovation for the Built Environment was a great evening surrounded by like-minded people.
On our site visit to the coast, we called into Yanbu al Nakhal, Saudi Arabia; which means "Spring of the Date Palms", about 30 miles northeast of Yanbu al Bahr, which means "Spring of the Sea".A thousand years ago, this valley was in its prime. It was dotted with more than 300 thriving villages. Today, there are only 24. Oral history from the villagers indicates that the valley was dotted with neatly planted and watered farms. This area was well known for wild date farms and sweet and sour lemon orchards. Now, it is known for growing watermelons, henna and vegetables.
Thousands of years ago, channels were built to bring water from the mountains to the valley. There are thousands of channels around this valley. They can usually be found near a village or farm. Water was available to the farms even during droughts in the valley. But this water was not enough for the farms to be successful. They needed to store water when it was plentiful. For many centuries, drinking water was carried by camel and donkey to stone lined watering places that were built approximately every 6 miles on this plateau (Al Baydhah). They built 3 ft stone walls around the water channel to keep out sand and debris. These water storage places were replaced when the government built freshwater pipelines.
Given the heat and the sand, it’s really a surprise to see the wadi’s filled with vegetation and the odd stream, with the backdrop of the ancient settlement. For those usually dealing with European river catchments this a contrasting climate and sustainable issues than we’re usually used to. A thoroughly enjoyable visit and nice surprise.
On our site visit to the coast, we called into Yanbu al Nakhal, Saudi Arabia; which means "Spring of the Date Palms".
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This year the AJ Summit is going digital!
BACA director Richard Coutts will be among the speakers.
The annual conference will take place virtually on the 25th of March.
You can read the full details for the event by following the link here
This year the AJ Summit is going digital!
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BACA architects are honoured to update the chapter: Flood Resilient Design in the forthcoming 6th edition of the Metric Handbook.
The metric handbook is the major handbook of planning and design information for architects and architecture students. Covering basic design data for all the major building types, it is the ideal starting point for any project. For each building type, the book outlines the basic design requirements and all of the principal dimensional data, whilst also providing succinct guidance on how to utilise the information and any comply with design regulations.
As well as building types, the Metric Handbook deals with broader aspects of design such as materials, acoustics and lighting, and general design data on human dimensions and space requirements. The Metric Handbook provides an invaluable resource for solving everyday design and planning problems.
The updated chapter will feature the newly completed Shipston Road Flood Resilient Multiple Unit Housing scheme in Stratford-Upon-Avon in the UK - which is in close proximity to William Shakespeare’s birth-place!
BACA architects are honoured to update the chapter: Flood Resilient Design in the forthcoming 6th edition of the Metric Handbook.
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The whale is making a big splash!
Architecture and Design is ‘Australia’s largest commercial architecture, building, construction and design media network’ and have published an article on the new ‘Australia Underwater Ocean Discovery Centre’ designed by BACA architects; of whom marine contractor, Subcon, appointed as lead architects for the project.
A&D wrote:
‘An underwater marine observatory resembling a huge whale surfacing from the sea will soon come up off the coast of Geographe Bay in Western Australia.’
‘Designed by London-based architecture studio, BACA architects for marine contractor, Subcon, the $30-million Australian Underwater Discovery Centre (AUDC) will be Australia’s largest natural marine observatory on completion. Located two hours to the south of Perth, the new marine observatory will be built at the end of Busselton Jetty, two kilometres out at sea, replacing an existing observatory that has reached capacity.’
‘From the three designs developed by BACA architects, the Cetacean design mimicking a whale emerging from the water was selected through a public voting process.’
‘Construction on the AUDC is expected to begin in the middle of this year, with the underwater centre to open by December 2022. Once operational, the marine observatory is expected to draw more than 900,000 visitors annually.’
‘The AUDC aims to become the world’s biggest natural marine observatory, complete with an underwater trail and dining facilities among others. Describing the approach to the observatory, the press statement says that guests will be taken ‘through a landscaped sequence from their moment of arrival, where they will leave their car behind in a park graced with rain gardens’.’
Read the full article here
The whale is making a big splash!
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'The Australian marine observatory by BACA architects [appointed as lead architects by Subcon] will resemble a whale emerging from wayer' is the headline used by Dezeen to cover the press-release of our Underwater Ocean Discovery Centre destined for western Australia.
Dezeen wrote:
‘BACA architects is a London architecture studio founded by Richard Coutts in 2003. While the AUDC marks its foray into underwater architecture, the firm is familiar with building on the water and creating flood-resilient structures.’
Read the full article here
Dezeen have featured BACA architects and the new and exciting AUDC project.
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BACA Director, Richard Coutts, has been officially selected for the '2020 Brit List'. Each year, Hotel Designs unveils The Brit List, a publication that lists the top 25 designers, top 25 architects and top 25 hoteliers who are operating in Britain.
For more than four years now, The Brit List Awards has shone the spotlight on the designers, architects and hoteliers who are proving to be trendsetters on the international hotel design scene.
The Brit List wrote:
Designer of the UK’s first Amphibious House, Richard Coutts recently featured on the Channel 5 documentary entitled “Sinking Cities – The Great Flood of London: Environmental Challenges, Food and Floating”, which referenced Aquatecture (architecture on water) and the need for consideration to be given to intelligent innovative ways of living by optimising water as a resource.
From concept right through to completion, BACA Architects, founded and led by Richard Coutts, has been a key collaborator and an inspiration for Tyram Lakes.
Tyram is so much more than a hotel, spa and resort. It shelters uncompromised luxury within an eco-friendly and sustainable environment.
BACA’s holistic approach is helping to create an environmentally-centred paradise from woodland and quarry pits, fishing and watersport lakes and an abandoned pub named William de Lindholme.
See the full Brit List 'Class of 2020' at this link:
BACA Director, Richard Coutts, has been officially selected for the '2020 Brit List'.
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This week, we are delighted to share some photos of our newly constructed Flood Resilient Houses in Stratford-upon-Avon!
With this, we also bring you an article by STIR World which describes the implimented flood defence strategies and showcase some extra details. Excerpt from the article below:
‘Their designs for 11-high quality homes have regenerated a brownfield flood-risk site that has laid inactive for over a decade, relieving the effects of inundation in an Environment Agency Flood Zone 2 and 3 designated area.’ - STIR World
You can read the full article here:
https://www.stirworld.com/see-features-baca-architects-elevate-residences-above-flood-risked-site-in-stratford-uk
And view the project in full here:
BACA architects - Shipston Road
This week, we are delighted to share some photos of our newly constructed Flood Resilient Houses in Stratford-upon-Avon!
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The BACA Team have been busy recently! Stretched between the continents of North America and Oceania last week, we now return [much!] closer to home this week and find ourselves back in Norfolk.
To catch-up with the Norfolk Luxury Wellness Resort series, this week we’ll be having a double-bill!
First up this week, we have the Floating Villas!
Hosting two storeys, the first floor level is dedicated entirely to a luxurious living space, for a family of up to 6, to function comfortably with the back-drop of an elevated view out across the Ashwicken Lake that is suitable for any family occasion!
A mix of single and double sized bedrooms occupy the lower level and benefit from a more intimate connection with the lake water-level - but rest-assured, these are ‘Floating’ Villas, so you needn’t worry about any unexpected baths!
Follow @bacaarchitects to see which typology we have to share with you from Ashwicken Lake next.
Find out more about our Luxury Wellness Resort at:
https://wickenwater.com/
Stretched between the continents of North America and Oceania last week, we now return [much!] closer to home this week and find ourselves back in Norfolk.
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So we’ve decided to dedicate the whole month of November (and possibly beyond) to sharing some images of the different building typologies that will occupy the ‘Ashwicken Lake’.
Pictured this week are the ‘Resilient Villas’!
These villas are raised on stilts and located around the periphery of the lake. By raising the villas on stilts, in the event of a flood, water can pass underneath the building without causing harm to the villas or their inhabitants.
Follow @bacaarchitects to see which typology we have to share with you from Ashwicken Lake next week.
Find out more about our Luxury Wellness Resort at:
The team at BACA architects have wanted to share more images from our Luxury Wellness Resort project in Norwich for some time now.
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It’s Week 2 of the ‘Luxury Wellness Resort’ @bacaarchitects Instagram series!
This week we are sharing some images of our Floating Lodges.
Similar to our ‘Resilient Villas’, which you can see from last weeks’ post, the Floating Lodges feature a gable roof and host panoramic views out to the centre and across the Ashwicken Lake from the comfort of the warmly detailed and decorated interior living spaces.
These Floating Lodges, arranged in clusters around the perimeter of the lake cater for groups of holiday-goers in parties requiring up to 3-Bedrooms.
During the event of high rainfall or flood, these buildings rise and fall with the lake water level - meaning that whatever the weather outside you can be sure to stay dry inside!
Follow @bacaarchitects to see which typology we have to share with you from Ashwicken Lake next week.
Find out more about our Luxury Wellness Resort at:
This week we are sharing some images of our Floating Lodges.
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With the clocks going back this week and the winter nights drawing in earlier, the BACA team have been collectively reminiscing about the warm hues of summer sunsets...
...and how well it compliments our Aquatecture!
This image is of ‘The Ring’, one of the proposals for our latest Luxury Wellness Resort in Norfolk, more on this to follow.
Find out more about our Luxury Wellness Resort at:
Follow @bacaarchitects on Instagram to see more like this!
With the clocks going back this week and the winter nights drawing in earlier, the BACA team have been collectively reminiscing about the warm hues of summer sunsets...
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BACA architects director, Richard Coutts, has been shortlisted as a Brit List Awards 2020 finalist for Architect of the Year by Hotel Designs.
Now in its fourth year, The Brit List Awards is Hotel Designs’ nationwide search to find the most influential designers, architects, hoteliers and suppliers operating in Britain.
BACA architects director, Richard Coutts, has been shortlisted as a Brit List Awards 2020 finalist for Architect of the Year by Hotel Designs.
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From idea to conception, here is how our ‘Clubhouse’ went from pen, to paper, to [soon-to-be] reality for our luxury leisure wellness spa and resort in Norfolk.
You can see more initial sketches of the Clubhouse design from BACA Creative Director: Robert Pattison, and see our latest drawings by following us on Instagram:
From idea to conception, here is how our ‘Clubhouse’ went from pen, to paper, to [soon-to-be] reality for our luxury leisure wellness spa and resort in Norfolk.
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Recently, the Arkup floating house has been sited in Miami and it did not pass - through unnoticed - it became the star of a performance which featured on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
The Arkup Floating House has been seen in Miami, and became the star of the show on The Tonight Show.
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Out this week, the newly updated version Mary Dhonau's E-Magazine 'Property Flood Resilience', is now available online.
The magazine highlights the real value of the practical steps people can take to reduce the impact of flooding on their homes and businesses.
You can find the magazine at the link below:
Out this week, the newly updated version Mary Dhonau's E-Magazine 'Property Flood Resilience', is now available online.
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Construction is complete for our latest residential project which is compromised of 11 high-quality homes located within a flood plain, designated by the Environment Agency (EA), as Flood Zones 2 and 3. Flood zone 3 means it has a greater than 1% annual probability of flooding. The development is set to become the first of its kind in the UK has helped to establish new flood mitigation measures with the EA.
Housing developer Holloway Properties commented:
“We approached BACA architects to help us unlock a brownfield site that was at flood risk on the main road into Stratford upon Avon. Several developers before us had tried and failed and we thought that with Baca’s expertise they could help us find a solution. Now built it has exceeded our expectations and is attracted a 10-15% above the market value”.
A gently ramped road provides access from the middle of the site to the raised levels of the houses and an elevated pedestrian and cycle path to the west, provide a through-route across the site which acts as a safe haven during flood events. The houses are built on raised piles with a floodable zone below which is guarded from debris by louvered screens. The green space remaining is landscaped, rain gardens and swales help to retain and control water run-off.
View the project page here: Flood Resilient Homes
Construction is complete for our latest residential project which is compromised of 11 high-quality homes located within Flood Zones 2 and 3.
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BACA architects has submitted plans for a new £25 million eco-sustainable leisure destination located around six man-made lakes on a 15.5-hectare site near Aldershot, Hampshire.
“Hollybush Lakes” is to be transformed from a scrap metal breakers yard and gravel pit into a serene lakeside getaway destination, which accommodates both water-based and equestrian pursuits; complete with an aquatic sports centre, equestrian facilities and 20 floating lodges.
The natural setting of the location will be restored, increasing its ecological diversity and the existing fishing facilities will be enhanced and the Blackwater Valley footpath which runs through the site will be re-opened to the public.
BACA architects has submitted plans for a new £25 million eco-sustainable leisure destination located around six man-made lakes on a 15.5-hectare site near Aldershot, Hampshire.
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We’ve been busy over the last few weeks and our efforts are being rewarded!
This week, we’ve been informed that we’ve been shortlisted for The Brit List 2020 Awards for Hotel Design.
The shortlisted project is for Tyram Lakes’ Hotel & Spa which is set in the heart of the Humberside Peatlands, Hatfield Moor and the National Nature Reserve.
The Tyram Lakes Hotel & Spa delivers 104 luxury rooms, fine dining restaurant, conferencing and meeting facilities, pool, superior spa and a picturesque party and wedding venue.
As you cross the threshold onto this spectacular site you immediately begin to get the sense of its natural beauty that becomes increasingly apparent the further you explore. This graceful natural habitat is made up of 65 acres of lakes and 100 acres of woodland becoming the first luxury resort of its kind in the UK.
You can find out more about the Tyram Lakes Hotel & Spa at their website:
www.tyramlakes.co.uk
This week, we’ve been informed that we’ve been shortlisted for The Brit List 2020 Awards for Hotel Design.
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