We would like to let you know that WLA Williams Lester remains fully open.

Following Government guidelines regarding COVID-19, the team is now working from home, with full access to our servers and resources. This way we can ensure the uninterrupted delivery of our services, whilst keeping our staff safe and protecting our community.

Whilst regrettably we will not be able to attend meetings in person, we remain available throughout – via phone or video conferencing.

Please feel free to get in touch with us during this period – we’d be delighted to hear from you and discuss your projects. We maintain our normal opening times (9.00am – 5.00pm), Monday to Friday.

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We wish you all well over the coming weeks. Keep checking our website and social media for more updates.

Stay up to date with the latest information:

https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

The post COVID-19 Update appeared first on Williams Lester Architects.

We are delighted that our proposal for the development of 25 sheltered apartments for the elderly in the London Borough of Bromley has been granted planning approval.

The planning committee unanimously supported the scheme, located just outside Hayes Village Conservation Area. It was appreciated that the Retirement Living apartments would “make a positive contribution to housing supply within the Borough” and would “contribute to the strategic aims of the London Plan in promoting housing choice, taking account of the changing age and varying needs of London’s older population.”

On top of providing high quality sheltered apartments, the proposed development has been designed to be in harmony with its surroundings and to enhance the character of the area. This was appreciated by members of the planning committee who noted the high standard of design and the success of the massing strategy in achieving a positive contribution to the existing street scene.

CGI’s by Realm Communications.

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We are delighted to announce that we are now part of the Instagram community.

Follow williamslesterarchitects and get to know WLA a little bit better!

 

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Facade detail of a WLA designed company headquarters in Ringwood. #officedesign #architecture #ringwood #williamslester #timbercladding #briessoleil

A post shared by Williams Lester (@williamslesterarchitects) on Dec 5, 2019 at 2:44am PST

Project featured above: Churchill Offices

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Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts! We hope you’ll enjoy this time of rest and celebration.

Our office will be closed from the 25th December until the 1st January. We will see you all on the 2nd January, ready for another wonderful year!

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We are delighted to have gained a fantastic planning approval from Wiltshire Council for an innovative care development in Salisbury for Colten Care.

Our proposal received first time planning approval – a great achievement for such a substantial building – and was backed by positive comments from the Urban Design Officer, who noted that, “the proposed development would respond positively to the existing townscape.”

The proposals will create a mixed care community, with provision for elderly care and dementia care, as well as social and community facilities. In addition to the typical rooms, which are above industry standards, there will also be care suites for more independent patients.

The developments includes refurbishment of an existing, very successful care home and an adjacent new build care home, providing over 100 care bedrooms overall.

The new building is designed in an Arts & Crafts language which respects the character of the street and this area of Salisbury.

Between the refurbished and new blocks sits a new contemporary stone framed pavilion, which picks up on the materiality of the Arts & Crafts buildings but translates this into a modern structure, to provide contrast, emphasise the distinction between the existing and the new buildings and signify the entrance.

We are grateful to have worked with a great team of consultants on this project, including: Planning Potential (planning consultant), Barrell Treecare (arborist), Arch Associates (civil engineer), JPS Landscape Design, Paul Basham Associates (transport planning).

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Completed in 1860, the existing building features typical characteristics of Victorian schools, while the use of Purbeck stone strengthens its contribution to the local character. As part of the proposals the building will be retained and converted into 3 no. 3-bedroom properties, with most of the original building fabric to be preserved.

The 6 new terraced houses have been designed to complement but not compete with the existing building, so that it retains its primacy in the street scene. Their traditional design is reinforced by the use of local materials such as red brick, render, stone and slate roofs.

Another significant aspect of the site is that it is located in the Purbeck Heritage Coast Area, within the Dorset AONB and about 700 yards from The Jurassic Coast. Its spectacular natural setting required a sensitive approach to future development and a scheme that would integrate comfortably within its surroundings.

Scale, form and layout have been key factors in the design of the development. After thorough visual impact studies and proactive engagement with the Council and the AONB officers, WLA have achieved a scheme that makes the best use of available space, ensures the sustainable reuse of a character building and maintains harmony with the surrounding landscape.

The post Planning Approval granted in West Lulworth appeared first on Williams Lester Architects.

Exciting news about another WLA project that has been successful in receiving outline planning approval. The scheme is for 27 houses in the centre of the village of Okeford Fitzpaine, near Blandford Forum. The proposal utilises the underused Pleydells Farm site, which after many discussions with the parish council is noted in the unadopted Neighbourhood Plan as a prime site for development.

The development aims to provide much needed housing and will make a positive contribution to the local village character. It replaces the dilapidated farm buildings and forms a new village edge adjacent to an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There will be a much sought after improved link through the site from the village centre to the local play area.

We are very excited and look forward to developing the reserved matters application.

The post Planning Approval, Okeford Fitzpaine appeared first on Williams Lester Architects.

Read more about the project here.

Traditional forms and materials arranged in a contemporary composition.

Strong gable forms are finished in knapped flint, bounded by simple red brick surrounds.

Articulation is achieved through the use of recessed and projecting balconies to create shadow and depth to the facades.

The scale of the building is broken down by arranging accommodation within a series of linked pavilions which define an internal atrium.

The post Construction Completed, Rustington appeared first on Williams Lester Architects.

We are delighted to present another WLA project that has received planning approval, comprising 9 dwellings in the historic town of Wareham. Through extensive negotiations with the planning authorities and engagement with local stakeholders we were able to achieve consent for an exciting scheme in the historic town.

The proposals

The development comprises bungalows, chalet bungalows and 2 storey houses and is designed to respect the scale and character of the surrounding townscape. The development has 3 distinct character areas responding to the particular context and constraints of each. These comprise East Street, the central courtyard and Wyatt’s Lane.

Details and materials are traditional in appearance, helping the development blend into the historic town setting. Materials reflect the common building materials of the old town of Wareham, predominantly red brick with some use of render and occasional Purbeck stone. Roofs are either red clay or slate, with some use of Double Roman tiles around the courtyard. Each dwelling has its own distinct detailing and design, to suggest individual buildings built over time rather than a single modern development.

Hard and soft landscaping follows the same approach, with a mix of materials and design details picking up on features of the surrounding old town, to suggest a layering of uses and finishes built up over time.

The Courtyard

A central courtyard provides a secluded and semi-private shared space at the heart of the scheme. Dwellings are arranged closely around the courtyard to create a sense of enclosure and intimacy and encourage activity and interaction. A tree in the middle has the potential to grow into a prominent feature in the courtyard. The paving makes reference to an old bullring on the site, with concrete setts marking the posts and a change in the pattern of block paving within the courtyard suggesting the plan of the bullring.

Street Frontages

Two storey houses sit close to the pavement edge along East Street, following the historic pattern within the town. On the north-west side of the site the root protection area of a prominent sycamore has created the opportunity for a new mini park on East Street.

Dwellings on the south side of the site have a more contemporary design, reflecting the newer character of Wyatt’s Lane, these houses are set back into the site behind a dense hedge of trees and shrubs, creating a green break in the street.

The post Planning Approval, Wareham appeared first on Williams Lester Architects.

Approval was reached through an outline planning application, followed by a reserved matters application.

Image courtesy of Visualloft.

Despite dealing with strict conditions relating to the allowable building footprint and eaves height, we have negotiated through a proposal that maximises the site’s potential and adds value through design.

The scheme utilises the existing ground levels, which drop towards the river bank, to create varied building heights and exploit views over the rear houses.

The views were developed utilising our 3D package to indicate what was achievable. VR Goggles were a helpful design tool, that allowed us to simulate views from different parts of the development.

Image courtesy of Visualloft.

Images courtesy of Visualloft.

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