Rock Townsend at the 2024 FX Awards!

We are thrilled to announce that Rock Townsend has been shortlisted for two awards in the Public Sector category at this year’s FX Awards, taking place tomorrow, 27th November 2024.

The nominations recognise our work for the University of Westminster, with two transformative projects:

• The Photography Department

• The Games and Emerging Media Department

Both projects reflect our commitment to designing spaces that respond to the evolving needs of students and staff, creating environments that are not only functional but also foster innovation and creativity across disciplines.

We are proud to have worked alongside a talented team to bring these projects to life, including:
McBains, Beveridge Associates, Hoare Lea, and Borras Construction Ltd.

Mark and Lauren will be attending the awards tomorrow evening to represent Rock Townsend and celebrate alongside other outstanding projects from across the industry.

We’d like to extend our gratitude to the FX Awards for this recognition and wish all nominees the very best of luck!

The Games Hub

Games and Emerging Media Department

The Photography Department

London Luton Airport Project Award Nomination!

A big well done to the team for the completion of the London Luton Airport (LLA) International Departure Lounge mezzanine.

We're proud to say that the design has been shortlisted for Best Retrofit Project at the Building Innovation Awards 2024. The completed project will form part of the future redevelopment of the international departure lounge, as the airport transitions into a global destination fit for the passengers of today. The construction of the new mezzanine added circa 600m2 of floor space within the existing volume of the departure lounge.  The striking design features a custom feature stair, a new lift with glass lift shaft, a curved timber batten facia, baffled ceiling and bespoke glass balustrade. 

The solution will create a comfortable space for passengers to relax and have a pre flight refreshment. A big thanks to Ryebridge Construction and the whole team for their collaboration throughout a complex project.

We now look forward to seeing the fit out completed.

RT Rides Returns!

On the 7th of September RT team spent the Saturday cycling in beautiful Kent.

We started at Rainham, first break was at Faversham for coffee and pastries, then another stop at Whitstable for more well deserved fuel and we ended the cycle ride in Margate with more nice views plus the famous fish & chips.

Thank you to our colleague Heather for organising such a wonderful day!!

Summer inspection at Norman Close, St Albans!

Some of the Rock Townsend Residential team enjoyed a summer inspection visit to our timber frame housing project in St Albans last month. It was great to see the progress that has been made on site, with the benefits of the prefabricated timber frames clear to see in both construction time and wider coordination for the associated trades. 

The timber frames are one element of the wider sustainability strategy being utilised on this project to reduce the overall environmental impact. Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP), Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) and an increase in biodiversity are all positive contributions to a greener site.

Our close working relationship with Neilcott Construction as main contractor has enabled the project to progress successfully and efficiently on site with attention to detail and quality at the forefront - working together to provide these homes for St Albans District Council has been great! Once completed, the 14 homes will all be for affordable social rent, responding to St Alban’s District Council’s identification of the need for larger family homes to meet the demands of their housing waiting list.

This Rock Townsend inspection visit also provided further experience for one of our architectural assistants who is starting their Part 3 qualification this month. Rock Townsend pride ourselves on our mentoring and are looking forward to supporting a number of our colleagues through their Part 3 qualification this year!

OVAL – All Saints Church and The Oval Community Centre

We’re excited to announce that All Saints Church and The Oval Community Centre have received detailed planning permission as part of the broader Oval Neighbourhood masterplan.

This new church and community centre will play a vital role in supporting a vibrant, mixed-use neighbourhood, acting as a critical link between the built environment and the well-being of the community.

https://www.rocktownsend.co.uk/community#/the-oval-community-centre-all-saints-church/

Congratulations to Stevenage Borough Council and the Stevenage Housing Development team, and a big thank you to our wider design team:

Beacon Partnership LLP
Smith Jenkins Planning & Heritage
Stomor Ltd
fabrik
Whitecode Consulting Ltd

#Regeneration #Community #Church #Housing #AffordableHousing #RetirementLiving

Excited the Oval neighbourhood achieved planning permission !

Extremely pleased that Stevenage Borough Council granted planning permission for the regeneration of the Oval neighbourhood centre last week. The redevelopment will see a new church, community centre, new shops, supermarket and up to 340 new homes set within an amazing new public realm. The Oval - Masterplan

Glad to get this over the line. Well done to Stevenage Borough Council, the Stevenage Housing Development team and thanks to the wider design team

Beacon Partnership LLP
Smith Jenkins Planning & Heritage
Stomor Ltd
fabrik
Whitecode Consulting Ltd

Our very own Dragon!

Last week Rock Townsend were again invited to judge a series of high school entrepreneurs at the Southwark Education Business Alliance (‘Dragons Den’ style) summer event. The young enterprise students were from three different schools and presented a variety of different products and business ideas in the hope of winning the opportunity to make and sell their products at London’s Borough Market. There was a great selection of ideas and some very professional presentations which impressed all of the judges on the panel, including RT Dragon for the day, Sally Thompson. Well done to all of the teams that entered and we look forward to seeing the winners at Borough Market next month!

The team from St Thomas the Apostle School

Block B achieved Planning Permission !

Extremely pleased that Block B, the next phase of South Bank College’s ambitious Nine Elms Technical College campus, has been granted planning permission. Working alongside @Atkins Realis, @BDP, @Solas Realta, and @Lichfields, B&D continue Rock Townsend’s previous design development and delivery of the masterplan and will provide a further 13,500m2 of BREEAM ‘Excellent’ specialist practical vocational spaces for future learners in beauty and aesthetics, sports science and therapy, business, early years training and state-of-the-art health care teaching.

BREEAM EXCELLENT IS ACHIEVED!

We are delighted to announce that our London South Bank Technical College Nine Elms STEAM Centre project has been awarded Post Construction BREEAM Excellent. Our sustainability-driven Education Team were very pleased with this achievement and congratulates the entire project team on this significant milestone. 

Lambeth College is the largest provider of skills training for young people and adults in the London Borough of Lambeth and is an important education facility within London.  Rock Townsend was appointed to complete Design Stages 3 & 4 of the 10-storey building and then as lead Technical Advisor (TA) by the client to provide a multi-disciplinary specialist TA team through the construction phase. 

The Project was completed in January 2023 and was officially opened on Monday 26 June 2023 by the secretary of state for education. The building represents the first phase of the project, which is the first new comprehensive technical college to be built for a generation and will train students in STEM skills for many years to come.

Rock Townsend have been busy over the last year developing the subsequent phases of the development and are currently awaiting local planning determination – fingers crossed.

#breeam #breeamexcellent #sustainabledesign #architecturaldesign #furthereducation