Season's greetings

Real Homes Feature

DHV Architects' extension to an Edwardian House in Westbury Park in Bristol has been featured in the January 2015 issue of Real Homes

Barn extension

DHV architects have gained planning consent for a large barn extension in South Gloucestershire. The design features oak cladding and a green roof, it is clearly contemporary yet sympathetic to the original structure.

Guardian: Home improvements

DHV Architects have contributed and are mentioned in the Guardian: Home improvements article:

the essential guide to getting it right

 http://www.theguardian.com/money/2014/sep/20/home-improvements--essential-guide-planning-permission

Planning success for DHV architects

DHV Architects have obtained planning consent for an exciting mixed-use project in Stokes Croft. The scheme features a double storey rooftop extension set back from the existing building line creating 8 new flats. The existing building will be refurbished to provide a large cafe/restaurant on the ground floor and 500sqm of office space on the first floor.

Hauser and Wirth Gallery in Bruton

A cutting edge new art gallery has opened its doors in sleepy Bruton in deep deep Somerset. A beautiful 17th century Grade II listed farm has been converted into a stylish yet eclectic gallery. Several farm buildings are clustered around three courtyards and house different gallery rooms, a shop, a bar and a gorgeous restaurant which spills out into the courtyard. The entire place is buzzing with colourful visitors which seem to be more at home in North London rather than in the cider county. Red stilletos mingle with wellies. The new building is understated and seems a little bland. The main attraction for me however was the brand new garden designed by my landscape design hero Piet Oudolf. An exhibtion showed several planting design plans for some of his iconic projects such as the High Line in New York. It was very interesting to see the creative process especially how the planting plans are layered. I had to hold my breath when I stepped out into the garden. A swirling sea of grasses welcomes the visitors. The star plant is Sporobulus which is planted in large clumps. Large bold groups of Asters, Heleniums, Sedums, Echinacea and Rudbeckias form the perenial planting layer while grasses like Sporobulus, Stipa tenuissima and Panicum virgatum form the matrix planting. I'd love to come back in a years time to see it being more established. A must see on our door step. Go and see it!


http://www.hauserwirthsomerset.com/

Ask an architect

We have been asked to contribute to the 'Ask an architect' section by online design magazine Houzz. This month we advise on choosing the design professional for your home project. This is the link to the article:

http://www.houzz.co.uk/ideabooks/29130103/list/ask-an-architect-how-do-i-hire-someone-to-redesign-my-home

Architectour 2014: Baroque and Modernism

After a quick stop-off at Ulm Munster to climb the 768 steps to the top of the World’s tallest church, we halted in Munich, the lavish capital of Bavaria. We visited two large churches whose interiors could not be more different. The plain interior of the late Gothic red brick cathedral (Frauenkirche), with its famous two towers, stands in stark contrast with the baroque and richly decorated St Michael's Church. After these ecclesiastical palaces we paid homage to a worldly palace: the exclusive metal clad boutique shopping arcade Fuenf Hoefe by Herzog and de Meuron. A network of yards (Hoefe) are connected by narrow passages with luxurious shops on each side. Each of those spaces have a very different three dimensional feel which is reinforced by ceilings with suspended plants and lights on long metal chains. The highly ornamental Rathaus (Townhall) and its surrounding square was left in the hands of enthusiastic Asian tourists taking selfies on the smartphone selfie stands- the latest rage in European street furniture. 

From Munich we headed east towards Austria where we spent a few days on the picturesque Wolfgangsee in the Austrian Alps. We went up the famous historic red train leading to the Schafsberg and swam in the cool Alpine lake, as well as taking tea in the famous Wiessen Roessel Hotel. At a short stopover in Traunkirchen we visited the lavish Baroque church where our friends got married. The 'Fisherman's pulpit’ takes the form of a gilded fishing boat. 

Next stop: Vienna (Wien), still my favourite city, which I have visited many times after my first Interail stopover there, and where I studied at the Technical University. Vienna is for me the most beautiful city in the world, combining Roman ruins, medieval buildings, baroque glamour, ornate and richly decorated Jugenstil buildings and early modernist buildings; all held together and connected by a fantastic transport system pioneered by Otto Wagner. Many visitors are astounded at the sheer size and spread of the centre of Vienna: it was after all capital of the huge Austro-Hungarian empire which covered half of Europe until 1914, and is a city on a par with London and Paris in terms of variety, scale and ‘edge’.

Follow me on an eclectic mix of the best of Vienna:- 

Lets start with Vienna's beloved landmark Stefansdom, nicknamed 'Steffl'. This magnificent Gothic cathedral with it trademark multicoloured chevron roof tiles and a large tower which offers breathtaking views over Vienna. The interior of the cathedral is gloomy, majestic and very spiritual. 

Leave the cathedral and you are within the hustle and bustle of Vienna's main poshest shopping mile: pompous Kaerntner Strasse meets the even more upmarket Graben, studded with extravagant and highly ornamental Gruenderzeit and Jugendstil houses. It gets progressively more exclusive the closer it gets to the Hofburg Palace, with many shops still sporting the K&K label (Kaiser and koeniglich- the equivalent of "By Appointment to the Emperor"). Nip into one of the narrow little side streets and you can immerse yourself into the fin-de-siècle literati atmosphere in Cafe Hawelka, one of the original Viennese Kaffeehaeuser. Graben turns soon into the Kohlmarkt. The Hofburg, the Habsburg palace becomes now visible at the south end. Worth a visit is the famous Cafe K&K Cafe Demel which delivered its opulent cakes to the Habsburgs. You now stand at the Michaelerplatz with the Adolf Loos Haus to you right. This building "without eyebrows" caused an uproar when it was built in 1910. It was joked that it was modelled on the Viennese gully lids. It is actually one of the fore-runners of Modernism. Next stop the Hofburg, the famous residence of the Habsburg family. It is a huge Baroque complex housing the "Spanish Riding School", the Kaiser's apartments and the National library. It is nice to relax and refresh oneself in the cafe Palmenhaus with a view towards Hofburg and Burgarten. Studded around the Ring Strasse are Vienna's most prestigious buildings like a string of pearls. The Wiener Staatsoper is on of the best opera houses in the world and I have witnessed many star studded performances from the cheap standing places during my time as a student. Manoeuvre over the unwieldy Karlsplatz (subject of numerous town planning student projects and still not resolved) towards Linke Wienzeile. Soon the gilded dome of the Secession building by Joseph Maria Olbricht becomes visible. The Beethoven Frieze by Gustav Klimt is here on permanent display. The Nashmarket opposite beckons with it's numerous pavilions and stalls which sell Austrian, Arab and Eastern delicacies. The prices drop the closer you get towards the tube station Kettenbrueckengassl. This station forms part of the low level U4 network designed by Otto Wagner. Head back towards Mariahilfer Strasse, climbing steps which lead through some trendy courtyard with shops and cafes. Back on the Ring you can take tram number 1 taking you around the Ring. Stop at Otto Wagner's Postsparkasse: one of the earliest modernist buildings and full of sparkling glass.

It is worth cycling around around Vienna to take in some of the sites further afield. The Zentralfriedhof (Cemetery) is a must for every Vienna visit and you can soak up Vienna's morbid side. (Try and listen to Wolfang Ambros' song" Es lebe der Zentralfriedhof" as an introduction). It is larger than the entire Innere Stadt and has more ‘inhabitants’ than Vienna has above ground. It has even got it’s own bus network. Beethoven, Strauss and Schubert are buried here, although Mozart's memorial takes centre stage (he is famously buried elsewhere somewhere).

The 13th Bezirk, Hietzing, is full of historic architectural gems: ranging from the vast Schoenbrunn Palace to the Wiener Werkbund Siedlung: a showcase 1920s housing estate with houses by Richard Neutra, Hugo Haering, Joseph Hofmann and Adolf Loos.

The Wortruba Kirche in Wien Mauer is also worth a visit. The church which was built in 1976 and consists of 160 randomly stacked concrete cubes. A stylish private house nearby with plenty of Corten steel is worth a peep over the Corten steel gate. 

The Gasometer City in the 3rd Bezirk is an interesting project: four gas towers were converted and connected into a new living quarter which includes shops, restaurants, offices and flats. 

No trip to Vienna is complete without a trip to the beautiful Wachau region on the River Danube. Cycle from Krems to Spitz or Willendorf (to visit the Venus) along vineyards; visit gorgeous little villages and sample the local wine or stronger Marillen schnapps on offer in every hamlet.

After Vienna we headed east towards the Neusiedler See (a huge, shallow natural lake), stopping at Carnuntum which was one of the largest Roman settlements in Austria. During my stay in Vienna I designed a landscape scheme connecting the various local Roman sites such as the Heidentor and two amphitheatres. A museum with reconstructed Roman houses has been erected recently, but a concept for the entire site is still missing.

From the Neusiedler See we cycled to Sopron in Hungary, which boasts a beautiful town centre. 

Heading northwest we stopped at Regensburg, a beautiful German medieval cathedral city on the Danube. Despite it’s immaculate facades and polished shops the city somehow lacks spirit and felt slightly dull after the hip, weathered glamour of Austria and Hungary. For a bit more flair we drove east to Marianske Lazne in the Czech Republic, which is a beautiful fin-de-ciecle spa resort where you can still sample the various waters from porcelain cups with long beaks.

Ask An Architect at Architecture Centre in Bristol

DHV Architects are hosting the Ask An Architect session at Architecture Centre in Bristol on 14. 06.14. Call 01117 922 1540 to book your 30min session.
http://www.architecturecentre.co.uk/events-ask-an-architect-monthly-june-2014

DHV Architects' project is featured in Good Homes May 2014

DHV Architects in Bristol has been featured in "Good Homes" May 2014 magazine: The rear of an Edwardian house with a dark and dinghy kitchen has been transformed into light and area family space with ample space for cooking, eating, entertaining and working. The black and white colour scheme was inspired by the cat Scamper.

DHV Architects win "Best of House" 2014

DHV Architects in Bristol has been awarded “Best Of Houzz” by Houzz, the leading platform for home remodeling and design for the second year running. The leading innovative residential architects were chosen by the more than 16 million monthly users that comprise the Houzz community.

The Best Of Houzz award is given in two categories: Customer Satisfaction and Design. Design award winners’ work was the most popular among the more than 16 million monthly users on Houzz, known as “Houzzers,” who saved more than 230 million professional images of home interiors and exteriors to their personal ideabooks via the Houzz site.

Houzz: Best of Remodeling 2014 - Bristol

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Feature in spring issue of "25 Beautiful Homes"

One of DHV Architects projects in Bishopston has been featured in the 2014 March issue of "25 Beautiful Homes". The featured projects is an intriguing double/ triple storey extension to a small Victorian terrace. By extending on three levels the client has managed to convert a narrow two bedroom house into a four bedroom house with a generous kitchen / diner, even a boot room was fitted into the the middle of the house.

What is "Passive House" (Passivhaus)?

"Passive House" is an energy standard for buildings. A "Passive House" requires very little energy for space heating or cooling yet it maintains comfortable internal temperatures (20deg in winter) and good air quality. To meet the Passive House standard the yearly energy consumption for heating (or cooling) needs to be less than 15kWh per square meter of net living area; this is a reduction of 75% compared to ordinary new construction. The concept was developed in Germany in the 1990s and to date over 17,000 certified Passive House buildings have been built worldwide (not just homes but schools, offices and public buildings).

In a "Passive House" the heat losses through the building envelope and the ventilation losses are reduced to the minimum and are compensated by the free heat gains (solar radiations from the windows and heat radiated from appliances and people) and a small amount of heating. This “energy balance” forms the basis of Passive House design and is calculated in detail with the aid of a software package. 

What are the steps to a "Passive House"?

1. Concept design
Early on in the design process the building form and orientation are the key considerations. A compact, efficient shape with a small ratio of external surface to floor area will facilitate achieving the standard. Most windows should be South-facing, although this is not mandatory. The designer’s challenge is to balance these demands with the site specifics, the client's requirements and the overall architectural concept. 

2. Thermal modelling in PHPP (Passive House Planning Package)
The Passive House process relies on a thermal model of the building to predict the yearly energy use. In the early stages a quick model can be used to evaluate different design options and optimise the massing and orientation. At detail design stage the thermal model is used to specify each building component (walls, roof, windows). The model is then updated throughout the design and construction process to make sure that later changes don't compromise the standard.

3. Super-insulation
Passive House is a “fabric first” approach: the thermal performance of the building envelope is considerably higher than the current Building Regulations’ requirement (U-values need to be less than 0.15W/m2K). Walls typically require 300mm of insulation, and windows are triple glazed. The continuity of insulation needs to be maintained at the junction between different building elements (roof/walls, walls/windows, etc.) to minimise “cold bridging”. The Passive House standard specifies the performance, not the technology: the construction can be masonry, timber frame, SIP panels, insulated concrete formwork or even steel frame.

4. Airtightness
Once the building is highly insulated it is necessary to limit infiltration losses, i.e. uncontrolled air leakage through the construction which typically occurs at the junction between building elements. The Passive House standard requires an airtightness of 0.6 air changes per hour which is about 16 times better than the minimum required under the Building Regulations (10 air changes per hour). This level of airtightness needs to be carefully planned on paper at detail design stage, and typically a PH designer will draw up large scale 1:5 details of all the building junctions showing how the airtight connection is  to be realised in practice.

5. MVRH
An airtight building requires controlled ventilation to ensure a constant supply of fresh air. In a Passive House this is achieved through "mechanical ventilation with heat recovery". The incoming fresh air goes through a highly efficient heat exchanger where it is pre-warmed by the exhaust air from kitchen and bathrooms. Only minimal amounts of heat are then required to bring the incoming air up to the required temperature. 

6. Renewables
Perhaps counter-intuitively the Passive House principle doesn’t require renewable energy to achieve the standard, although solar hot water and photovoltaic panels are often included in the design. Renewable energy cannot offset a poor performing building envelope.

7. Site supervision
A Passive House requires considerably more care and effort on site than standard construction, especially concerning insulation and airtightness. Quality control is crucial and the PH designer will liaise with the builders to make sure that things are built as drawn, and that any challenging detail is resolved satisfactorily. Everybody involved in the building site should fully understand and support the PH concept. 

8. Certification
Passive House buildings need to be certified by an accredited Building Certifier (such as the BRE). The certifier will check the PHPP model and all the relevant documentation prepared by the designer, as well as reviewing site photographs and materials invoices to make sure that the construction follows the design. The certification is a guarantee that the building will performs as stated. "Passive House" is a rigorous, tested approach based on sound physics principles. Post completion energy monitoring has consistently shown that the actual energy use in a PH is very close to the design predictions.

In essence
Although any design can theoretically be built to Passive House standard, it can be difficult and costly to achieve PH if the building is not inherently suitable (large areas of North-facing glass or excessively articulated volumes present considerable challenges). "Passive House" is a holistic approach and it should be considered from the start, which is why it is best to appoint a designer who is familiar with the Passive House principles.
Dittrich Hudson Vasetti architects in Bristol are certified Passive House designers and look forward to assist their clients on Passive House projects.