We’re delighted to be featured in Good Homes magazine this month.
The March 2023 edition, features the beautiful home of one of our clients based in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire. Nye and Emma bought a four-bedroom, 1920s detached house that needed extending and modernising for their growing young family.
We designed a rear extension to the property in a contemporary style that complemented the heritage of the building. We reconfigured the space to allow more natural light into the home and created a fluid airy flow throughout. Black stained timber was used on the exterior to create a striking contrast with the original brickwork.
As with all of our projects at Design Haus, we used virtual reality throughout the design process so that Nye and Emma could contribute to the design in real-time. They were able to move elements of the design around as they wished.
At Design Haus, we love seeing our architectural designs featured in prestigious home design magazines such as Good Homes. Thank you to our clients for sharing their beautiful home and to Beautiful Homes in the North for their fantastic work on this feature.
What are the benefits of using Virtual Reality within Architecture?
Our Design Haus founder, James Brindley, first encountered the benefits of using virtual reality within architectural design over 4 years ago. As a result, we were one of the first architect firms in the UK to use VR within our residential design process. We have been refining our offering and investing in cutting edge technology ever since.
We use 3D visualisation via VR technology and other innovative presentation techniques throughout each project. This offers collaboration with our clients in a real-time environment and enables them to contribute and visualise how that idea could look. This involves moving walls, changing roof designs, specifying materials and amending furniture layouts.
Our homeowners can collaborate and bring their ideas to the table at every step of the way. Alongside experiencing the design in its entirety before construction even begins.
We offer this VR architectural service to clients across the East Midlands and overseas. Our local clients can visit our offices in Nottinghamshire, where they can experience first hand their new home in VR. For our clients further afield we can offer these technologies remotely.
What are the benefits of using Virtual Reality within architectural projects?
Virtual reality removes the guesswork from the design process. Clients are able to explore the proposed design from within, rather than simply imagining the end result.
Everything from lighting solutions to changing weather can be simulated within the virtual space, producing a realistic representation of how the building will function once complete. We can specify different materials to see how they change the look and feel of a room, as well as incorporating interior design choices such as furniture and decoration.
Taking advantage of VR allows clients to make informed decisions and specify any necessary design changes before construction begins. This reduces the need for expensive or last-minute alterations; saving time and money on the project.
We work with you to ensure the spaces we create match your lifestyle. We can assist with furniture design, layouts and tonal and material specification to create truly personal spaces.
Using VR not only benefits our clients but also other businesses working on the project; from the Planning Officers, Quantity Surveyors, Engineers to Construction Professionals. Our use of VR and 360° scenes allow all parties to see exactly what has been proposed. This avoids any ambiguity and helps to prevent costly mistakes for those involved as well as encouraging a much smoother process.
How can virtual reality help the planning stage of an architectural project?
When submitting architectural plans for approval, especially for a listed building or one within a conservation area, it is critical that the conservation officer can clearly understand the plans being proposed.
There have been many times when our use of VR technologies have contributed significantly to the success of a project.
On a recent project we modelled the entire plot of a listed building in 3D, including boundary walls, topography of garden and surrounding structures and trees. The proposals were designed through collaborative design work with the client (using VR). These were issued to the planning officer via a web link, allowing the conservation officer and planners to visualise the scene in VR using their own phones.
This ensured the proposal was clearly understood as we were able to present the finished project as it would be seen in real life, allowing the planners to assess its impact on the existing listed building and surrounding area. The Conservation Officer was highly complimentary of our approach and supported the proposals for approval.
How can virtual reality help the construction stage of an architectural project?
Showcasing our designs to the construction company via 3D ‘real time’ modelling and VR scenes enables them to also visualise the design in the clearest possible way.
Construction companies frequently tell us that our use of VR greatly assists their planning process. It allows them to visualise and more easily engage with the scheme. This often raises unforeseen issues and queries which can be managed and resolved far more quickly than if they were discovered during construction.
What do our clients think about our use of virtual reality?
Our clients unanimously say that our use of VR dramatically improves the whole collaborative design process as well as the finished design. This is shown in our excellent client feedback on Houzz and Google reviews. We are extremely proud of our high customer satisfaction and our client referrals.
“We were initially astounded at the 3d model of our property which enabled us to see how the design would work with the rest of the house. However the best was yet to come. A virtual 'walk through' of the design, using the VR headset enabled us to see sunlight entering into the room and to appreciate the sheer scale. This is a fabulous USP that James has that you only ever see on the property shows on TV.”
West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire project
How will virtual reality in the architecture industry change in the future?
Virtual reality technology and 3D visualisation techniques are continuously improving. The VR experience is becoming more aligned with reality. As a company we are focused on embracing these technologies and offering them to our clients wherever we can.
The benefits of using virtual reality in Architecture are only just becoming more widely acknowledged. We are extremely proud to be at the forefront of offering this exciting technology to our clients.
If you would like to see how Design Haus could use virtual reality to assist your architectural project, please get in touch.
We were delighted and honoured to win best 'Residential Project' in the East Midlands at the RICS Awards 2022 this week. These awards held by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors recognise the most inspirational initiatives and developments in land, real estate, construction and infrastructure.
We are thrilled that our 'Feel Good Project' won in the 'Residential Project' category for the East Midlands. The RICS judges described the project as one which,
" Embraces 21st century materials, design principles and sustainability. This significantly new home in the Nottingham countryside provides a first class family home for this and future generations."
We are now looking forward to competing in the RICS Awards 2022 Grand National Finals in October in London.
Priory House is a conversion of a bungalow into a two-storey stunning spacious family home in West Bridgford, a residential area in Nottinghamshire.
The Brief
We were appointed to design a spacious home with five generous bedrooms and a large open-plan living space with easy access onto the gardens. This was alongside an office, a cinema room, reading spaces and entertaining areas.
Although the existing plot suited the clients’ requirements, the single story layout did not meet their family’s needs.
The bungalow occupied a commanding corner on one of the most prestigious roads in the area. Earlier applications to demolish the building and create multiple dwellings had been refused due to the prominent location and the style of the designs proposed.
We worked closely with the clients and the planning department to design a striking, contemporary family home which wouldn’t overwhelm adjacent structures. The new property sits harmoniously in the street, retaining a synergy with the adjacent arts-and-crafts style buildings.
Challenges
The local planning authority were highly conscious of the key location of this corner plot, so any development had to be scaled appropriately. We anticipated initial resistance to a two-storey development, so we engaged with planners and liaised with neighbours at the earliest opportunity. This ensured that our proposals were accepted as being in proportion and in keeping with the site.
Working Sustainably
We had to carefully plan our structural strategy due to the additional loads being applied to the existing building. We were able to avoid the need for underpinning, using instead a timber-framed design on the upper floor. This was alongside using individual pad foundations and a steel structure. This also meant we avoided tonnes of concrete being poured into the ground, making this a more sustainable solution.
A New Identity
The strong design features and structure of the existing bungalow had to be carefully unpicked in order to successfully invest the property with its new identity.
The project had two key elevations to consider, each facing a different road. We worked with a neutral palette of charred black timber, white render and glass. This kept the main elevation simple while emphasising other elements to create character and focus.
The proportions of the first floor gables were designed to reference those of the surrounding buildings. The steel-framed glazing and monochrome colour scheme further complemented the existing property.
The internal spaces retain much of the bungalow’s original layout, with new zones carved into the original footprint. The upper floor is accessed by a central feature staircase, and we used the existing spine walls to create a central corridor giving access to each bedroom. We retained the original doorway and created a striking new entrance hall.
Within the open plan kitchen and living space we created discreet activity zones. We included a reading corner and a dedicated relaxing space in the mezzanine above the sitting area.
The result is a contemporary, striking yet harmonious home perfectly designed for a family with growing children.
