Innovative Design & Architecture...
Kevin S Thompson Christopher Evans
BA Dip Arch RIBA BSc AA Dipl Arch
Director Director
Innovative Design & Architecture Ltd was established in 2007 by Kevin Thompson and Chris Evans to provide a full architectural design service with a particular emphasis on sustainability and the use of innovative methods of construction appropriate for new-build and remodelling projects.
Both directors have a track record in the successful delivery of a wide
range of building types in the private and public sectors, with a special interest in education, community and residential buildings.
Kevin and Chris are both Chartered Architects and part-time lecturers at Pembrokeshire College, teaching various modules on the BSc degree course in Architectural Technology.
Quaker Friends' Meeting House
Milford Haven
Completed in 2006, this extension was commissioned to provide new seminar, kitchen and wc facilities, with disabled access on a very tight site. The new addition is set back to respect the existing listed Meeting House, and to balance an existing classroom extension on the opposite side, built in the 1970's. The rear of the seminar room is a fully glazed feature wall which is cantilevered over the burial ground, to take full advantage of the garden view.
Bwlch Nant yr Arian Visitor Centre
Commissioned by the Forestry Commission and opened in 2005, this building provides educational, leisure and sports facilities for visitors to Nant yr Arian forest. Sustainable design and green technologies were included as the brief called for an 'exemplar green building'. These are integrated into the design and include:
• Rainwater harvesting • Locally sourced timber cladding
• Composting WC's • Green sedum roof
• Timber structure & wall panels • Biomass boiler
• Breathing Wall construction
Perthcelyn Community School, RCT
The steeply sloping site between two village communities posed a challenge for project Architect Kevin Thompson working with RCT Unitary Authority. The gradient of the site was used to create a split level section and a linear plan which follows the natural contours of the site.
Visitors enter the school at the upper level where a spacious gallery, with stairs at each end, overlooks the informal communal circulation zone.
The storeys are vertically linked in the middle to create a shared heart to the school. All of the classrooms have their own cloakrooms with access to the playground areas below. The higher ground to the West was formed into a plateau, following stabilisation works, to locate sports pitches for school and community use.
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Kingsmead School, Canterbury
Sustainable School Ideas Competition
This scheme by Kevin Thompson and Chris Evans combined sustainable design principles with an intimate and secure site layout. By arranging the building around a south- facing playground, classrooms benefit from solar gain into glazed conservatories designed as wet play areas. Circulation is North-facing, wrapping around the classroom wing and contains passive stack 'oast-house' ventilators above cloakrooms.
The building design draws upon the local Kentish vernacular and reflects a farm or village cluster in its appearance and aesthetic. Sculptural air intakes into large diameter pipes below the playground bring pre-tempered fresh air into the classrooms, drawn through by the natural stack effect.
Mount Airey Special Needs Unit
Haverfordwest
Kevin Thompson designed this primary school extension for Pembrokeshire County Council. The gently curving plan makes use of passive solar gain in the Spring and Autumn to supplement underfloor heating. External timber louvres control overheating in the Summer.
The extensive use of timber for structural posts,flitch beams, doors and bespoke folding privacy screens, all finished in natural linseed based stain, create a warm and safe environment for pupils and staff alike. This philosophy is continued externally with the use of rubber safety flooring for play areas instead of the usual tarmac.
Haroldston Barn Conversion
'The conversion of this former granary/coach house and stables set into a hillside within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, has transformed it from a delapidated redundant building into a striking three bedroom home and adjoining holiday apartment.
The roofs have been rebuilt to accommodate new attic rooms, together with a two-storey extension. In addition, new floors have been laid, and a green sewage treatment system installed.
In terms of layout, a dramatic galleried bridge gives access to an upper level 'loft' living space overlooking the double -height kitchen/diner beneath.'
from Homebuilding and Renovating magazine October 2010
What is a HouseKit ?
In October 2008 iDeA Architects started design work on a range of low energy eco-homes to create a family of sustainable and affordable house types using offsite fabrication. These offer self-build customers a complete turnkey package, with a bespoke design service to deliver a high performance contemporary home quickly and efficiently.
Features include:
• Passivehaus design principles
• Natural & environmentally friendly materials
• Healthy whole house ventilation with heat recovery
• Super insulation
• Low embodied energy
• Low energy bills
• Integrated solar panels
• Choice of roof and wall claddings
CONTACT
iDeA Architects
Avallenau House
Merlins Bridge
Pembrokeshire
SA61 1XN
T: 01437 772245 (Kevin)
T: 01437 772246 (Chris)
E: architects_idea-housekit.co.uk
