29 July 2011

ATA Host Idaho Charette Students


ATA hosted students Corey Becia & Charles van Ausdell from the architecture school at the University of Idaho for their one day design charette at the end of the students month long visit to the UK. The charette brief was to design a sustainable serpentine pavilion. The students took sensory experiences as their theme and designed a beautiful pavilion constructed from greened gabion wall, a delicate roof structure, and lightweight structure, weighted by a body of water that collected rainwater run off from the roof.
The student trip focused on sustainable architecture and design in the UK and was led by Bruce Hagland, professor at the University of Idaho, who'd taken the 20 architecture students on building visits and to the Centre of Alternative Technology in Wales during their time month here.

27 July 2011

Passivhaus and Retro-fit Scheme Submitted for Planning


ATA have submitted Passivhaus and retro-fit scheme to Dan Leno house in the conservation area for Planning

ATA have submitted their new housing scheme following the consultations with the local residents in the conservation area.
The scheme includes three new-build houses and sustainable, low carbon refurbishment & retrofit to existing adjoined terrace houses that will create 5 new flats.   Dan Leno (1860–1904) an English music hall comedian lived in one of the houses. There is a blue plaque.
The Existing street comprises a number of styles of architecture from mid 19th Century to 21st Century. The variety of houses in different floor heights and window lines, mainly in blocks of four, gives the street an interesting, varied appearance and rhythm. The new buildings respect the qualities of craftsmanship and human scale. ATA have maximised the thermal performance in the new houses to provide good quality on the inside as well.

21 July 2011

West Hendon Pilot on Site...


ATA's terrace of six houses and a pair of semi detached houses are in the middle of construction as part of the first new buildings in the regeneration of West Hendon, with Metropolitan Housing Trust & Barratt Homes.

The houses respond to the natural slope down to the Welsh Harp Reservoir, the south facing orientation, potential views towards the water, and opportunities for use of solar energy.  Together these suggested the asymmetrical pitched roofs, stepped gables and bay windows, which give each house its own identity.


Sustainable construction and services are at the heart of our strategy; well insulated walls, roof and floors which perform well over building regulation requirements, sustainably sourced timber and timber products, including high performance timber windows,  whole house ventilation, low water use fittings and duel flush WCs, rainwater collection for garden and external use, condensing low NOX emissions boilers, low energy use light fittings.  High levels of insulation and solar thermal water heating will mean reduced utilities bills to residents.

14 July 2011

Passivhaus Environment Centre Starts on Site!



The timber piles are almost complete on site, ready to take the timber frame for the building. The low-impact timber pile foundations will support the 300 sqm building in the centre of the regenerated Lordship Recreation Ground. The timber foundations remove the need to use CO2 intensive concrete foundations in the middle of this valuable green space with the London Borough of Haringey.  

The Environment Centre has been designed by Anne Thorne Architects to exemplary sustainable standards, with the local community involved through all stages of the design process. The building is to act as a sustainable learning tool in both it's construction, it's operation, and the future activities that will take place under it's green roof once the building is complete.