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We have also lent our expertise to areas outside of our core streams of business. These have included residential, commercial, ecclesiastical and conservation / refurbishment and new build schemes.
Nightingale Associates was appointed by the Archdiocese of Liverpool to design a pavilion which, for the first time, opens up the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King’s Crypt to public access.
Frederick Gibberd’s original design incorporated the Crypt, designed by Lutyens, into the scheme by transforming the top of the crypt’s roof into an elevated piazza, but the design did not include a direct link between the crypt and the new cathedral.
As a consequence, since the completion of the Gibberd Cathedral, the original Lutyens Crypt has remained largely hidden from the general public due to the poor access but the new pavilion will, at long last, allow the public to view the crypt and the museum which it contains, whilst opening it up for entertainment events and other activities.
This is the first addition to the building since its completion in 1967 and follows on from Nightingale Associates’ first involvement with the Cathedral in 1993 when a design team led by former Consultant Bing Vis started a ten year programme of renovation and repairs to the main fabric of the Cathedral. This £8 million pound programme of works included a complete re-roofing of the Cathedral, works to the Stained Glass lantern, a new external lighting scheme, major works to the podium and was finally completed in July 2003.
Nightingale Associates has previously worked closely with the Mechanical and Electrical consultants; Hoare lea on many of their Oxford based projects.
Their close working relationship and their combined aim to achieve high quality offices meant that Hoare Lea approached us to design their new Oxford Office. This was an opportunity to design a premium office space as well as a showroom for Mechanical and Electrical equipment. It would enable Hoare Lea to entertain prospective clients while showcasing their designs and systems.
Because this office had a secondary purpose of an exhibition space a simple colour palette was chosen. Off white walls, simple but elegant flooring, with high end modern white furniture were selected. The only colour came in the vibrant choices for the chairs, screens and reception room wall. These zingy colours lifted the space and prevented it from becoming bland and lifeless.
Another key feature in the space was the quality of the glazing. Seamless Full height floor to ceiling glazing was installed upstairs in the meeting rooms, glazed balustrades and a glazed sliding system was installed in the kitchen. This large amount of glass enabled the rooms that were installed in this open plan office to still feel light, airy and integral to the space.
St. Augustine's Church, Avenham, Preston had, for many years been the focal point of the Avenham community. The building was an imposing basilica-style church built in the late 1800's, which following its closure in the latter half of the 20th century had fallen into a state of disrepair, which had put the structure into a dangerous condition - requiring an excessive amount of money to make it safe.
By agreement with English Heritage and the Local Conservation Officer, it was agreed that the church could be demolished to make way for a community-based Leisure Centre, providing that the imposing Front Entrance Portico and Tower Structure were retained as part of the scheme.
The front portico and tower structure form the main entrance to the scheme and maintain an impressive focus to the area. The project cost £3.4m and received part funding from Sports England and English Heritage.