Empathise and engage

If there’s one thing we’ve learned makes better buildings, it’s empathy. Architecture never happens in isolation—and simply by being interested and engaged, we’ve found it’s possible to open up the conversations that connect a scheme to its clients and community.

Weconstraints

We believe that the more constraints there are, the better the architecture. If there aren’t any constraints, we create them. Challenging sites, existing buildings and complex briefs almost always present incredible opportunities for great design.

Passive future

To limit our environmental impact, we start with what is already there. By manipulating the form and fabric of a building—whether new or existing—we can work with the existing conditions of topography, light and orientation, and harness the natural energy sources offered by air, ground and water.

Social detail

If a site’s constraints guide the bigger design decisions, then it’s empathy that informs the smaller, social details. These details frame the human narratives that aren’t included in the brief, anticipating specific moments in the users’ lives.

Mud on our boots

Good architecture is as much about what happens on the building site as it is about what’s on the drawing board. By working alongside contractors as well as clients we can ring-fence the ideas and details that matter, championing quality and sustainability throughout construction.

Big House for the Arts
WorkStudioActivityNewsContact
Curl la Tourelle Head
Work
  • Big House for the Arts

  • Norwich, Norfolk

Client
  • City College Norwich

Awards
  • AJ Excellence Award Winner 2014

  • Civic Trust National Award Winner 2014

  • BCIA Award Shortlisted 2014

  • RIBA East Award Shortlisted 2014

  • City of Norwich People’s Project of the Year Award

Undertaken by Wayne Head while Director at BDP, Creative Arts Hub or “Big House for the Arts” is a multi-functional building supporting City College Norwich’s vision to deliver outstanding and innovative creative and digital arts provision. It contains three purpose-built floors for performing arts rehearsal spaces, digital arts, and traditional art and design including fashion. The performance spaces and art studios can be opened up to be used for larger shows, public events and gallery spaces.

As the first stage in the college’s masterplan, it is designed to express a distinct college identity while supporting internal connectivity at building and campus scale.

The scheme responds to the local vernacular, drawing on the black massing and visible roof volumes of the ancient barns in Norwich city centre, and the highly glazed west walls of its churches. Its strong and pure black timber clad architectural frame means that it can absorb its transient and messy activities well.

The ground floor of the building is largely glazed in order to promote transparency, allowing views towards each of the diverse activities and through the dance studio to the garden beyond. Loft-like interiors on the upper floors give a great sense of openness and create the atmosphere of a professional gallery arrangement.

One of the key drivers of the design was the use of circulation space to promote informal meetings between students. Double-banked corridors were avoided, and small ‘pockets of interaction’ created around a central naturally-lit space. Thoughtfulness with regard to access is evident throughout the scheme and at the main entrance where a gentle gradient has been enabled to ensure that all users arrive happily into what is a building cutting into a sloping site.

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