Star & Shadow Cinema

Star and Shadow Cinema is a co-operative and registered Community Benefit Society which runs an independent theatre whilst providing a venue for artists and musicians. The organisation is run entirely by volunteers with decisions made democratically. Previously located on Stepney Bank Ouseburn they have grown out of their currently venue and managed to secure a dilapidated building on Warwick Street to transform into their new venue. This exciting community led scheme includes a Cinema, Venue Space, Café, Community Spaces, Artist Studios and Workshops which are all to be built by the Star & Shadow volunteers who have many different skills and expertise– a truly immense DIY project .

Design development has been an holistic and bespoke process incorporating ‘found’ items, recycling materials from their current venue and allowing an evolving scheme to incorporate other items founded during construction. The design ethos is ‘buildings within building’ to make maximum use of the volume of the industrial shell whilst also creating the high acoustic performance needed within the cinema and venue space. The layout and design has been created to have a vibrant heart to the building, a welcoming face to the street frontage and to enable volunteers to have a sociable time in the building whatever they have been allocated to do.

Awards

Newcastle Lord Mayors Award – Sustainability Award
RIBA McEwen Award

Lodge House, Gosforth

Located in a conservation area the design drivers of the extension and refurbishment of a dilapidated stone lodge were to preserve the unique character of the lodge whilst providing modern living for the client and a sense of space. The extension is of unique character and unashamedly contemporary whilst still respecting the context. The extension provides a large cooking, eating and entertaining space and an additional bedroom and rationalises previous substandard additions to the lodge.

The natural materials of the zinc roof and the stained rough sawn blackened timber cladding compliments the natural stone and slate of the existing lodge. The asymmetrically nature of the extension roof allows for volumetric interest internally and for North light to penetrate the space, reducing overheating and glare.

Jesmond House as seen on Channel 4

Working in collaboration with Zac Monro we designed (co-authors with Zac) and delivered this high profile project which was aired Channel 4 Inside Out Homes.

The brief was to connect, both physically and visually, the large semi-detached home with the garden and provide a high quality kitchen, dining and family space, within the existing house and a single storey extension. The extension is unashamedly modern and bold with huge sliding doors and chrome coated fin columns. A large slit rooflight allows for natural light to penetrate the existing house and the open plan helps create an airy space.

The studio garden is a vis a vis of the extension but in a thin profile timber cladding which seamlessly wraps the rest of the garden. Using high end materials and careful detailing the quality of the finished project has prevailed.

More can be found out about the project and the suppliers on this link:

http://www.insideouthomes.co.uk/

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/inside-out-homes

http://www.z-m-a.co.uk/

Studio Work

We have completed a number of recording studio’s and acoustically enhanced performance spaces nationwide. Through a strong working relationship with acoustic specialists we are delivering various projects for schools, large companies and private clients.

We have completed specialist facilities at several universities, one off buildings such as Sunbeams Music Centre worked and with a number of high profile music producers nationwide. This work requires a collaborative spirit to ensure the technical requirements of the space are aligned with the design ambition.

There is a keen attention to technical detail required to create successful ambience. Our approach marries the physics of sound with an uncomplicated aesthetic approach.

Darras Hall House as seen on Channel 4

In our second collaboration with Zac Monro, we designed (co-authors with Zac) and delivered this high profile project which had its own episode on Channel 4 Inside Out Homes.

The brief was to enhance the connection, both physically and visually, between the house and the garden. In addition to this the clients wanted to totally modernise and enlarge their dormer bungalow which was suffering from damp and structural issues.

Working within the confines of the strict local planning law we have produced a dynamic and contemporary interpretation of a dormer bungalow will 5-6 bedrooms with huge windows and open plan living to the ground floor. The use of natural light and inventive space creation makes a special place the client can call home and allows for the flexibility for their growing family. Homely yet unashamedly modern.

More can be found out about the project and the suppliers on this link:

http://www.insideouthomes.co.uk/
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/inside-out-homes
http://www.z-m-a.co.uk/

Gosforth Residential Reworking

We worked with a client looking to fully overhaul a property creating a family home in the Gosforth area of Newcastle. The family were keen that the garden linked visually to the house with clear lines of sight from the kitchen and living spaces. Working with the existing structure rather than against, the ground floor has been opened up and connected but allows for a certain separation when different tasks are happening in separate areas.

While the interior has an unashamedly modern feel, the light airy spaces and connection to the garden soften the ambience and give a homely feel. The project also involved a single storey extension at ground level and master bedroom within the roof void with en-suite and study space within the confines of the queen post truss. A full electrical overhaul was required with underfloor heating incorporated into the entire ground floor providing energy efficient heat.