Working from home became quite ‘the thing’ over the past couple of years due to the pandemic. From initially being an alien concept for a large proportion of the population, the video meeting setup and home office environment has become ‘the norm’ at an impressive pace – mainly because we had no other choice. Since the full on ‘working from home’ lockdown, we have had the ‘go back to the office,’ ‘work from home if you can’, ‘go back to
RRA has been appointed to work on a Grade II Listed terraced building in Cheltenham’s central conservation area. Dating from the 1830s, the house is one of a pair of listed properties. Unfortunately, significant issues have compromised the integrity of the structure and specialist input is required to stabilise the house. Working with a regular client of ours, the intention is to make the building safe whilst retaining the heritage of the Grade II Listing. Following this, a general refurbishment
Introducing our second project in two months with high end glazing packages being installed. It is an exciting time for any project to see all the windows and doors being fitted. Exciting, but also a ‘hold your breath’ critical moment as this is the point at which the envelope of the building is enclosed – and generally signifies the ‘home run’ to nearing completion. Once the building is secure and watertight the finishing touches can commence. The lorry craning the glazing
Choosing the finish for any project is important and can be more difficult when working with natural materials rather than manmade, due to the natural variation which can differ significantly even across a single piece. Often we are working from small samples showing only a fraction of the desired material. So, to visit Bristol Marble & Granite with one of our clients to choose a piece of marble for their home, was an ideal way to select exactly the
The Covid pandemic meant RRA, just like almost all companies in the UK – and across the world – could not have a 2020 Christmas Party. So, when MD, Mark Powles, suggested a RRA company trip to Center Parcs in 2021 to make up for missing our much loved Christmas ‘do’, we jumped at the chance. The moon shining down on the first night of the RRA 2021 trip to Center Parcs, Longleat, Warminster. It was a challenge to find dates that
Thank you to all our clients, friends and consultants who popped along to say “Hello” to us at the Fresh: Art Fair at Cheltenham Racecourse. We are delighted to report that the event was hugely successful, beating the previous record for sales – great news for all involved. Fresh: Art Fair show a huge range of art from 45 galleries representing over 500 artists. Artist Amy Magee with one of her originals from her Neptune collection. Amy is represented by the Clifton
Displaying a prized painting can be an art form in itself. So, if you are not sure where to hang your Hockney or display your Dalí we have some helpful tips. A Single Large Piece … of artwork can look stunning. Traditional positioning would be centred above the fireplace, a sofa or a bed. This usually allows enough distance to view the piece as a whole, even in a relatively small home. As a guide, it is considered that the
Working with planning consultants, Tompkins Thomas Planning, the intention is to convert and rejuvenate these beautiful, but redundant, old barns into a mixture of commercial units and workshops. With plenty of existing features and weathered materials, this building is full of interesting inspiration and unique spaces for us to work with and enhance. Planning is in for these new proposals and we are currently working with Blackmore Jones Partnership to cost the project and finalise the construction
In the heart of Cheltenham, what was once a beautiful Regency Villa, had been unsympathetically altered for use as a care home over many decades. The unloved property was purchased by our client last year and RRA was given the brief to restore the building to its former glory whilst also bringing it into the 21st century with a contemporary two storey extension. The scheme will provide a stunning entertainment space on the ground floor which connects to the formally
Hatching New Trends; How Covid-19 has influenced architectural trends. In an attempt to look forward we are going to put our architectural ‘necks on the line’ and commit our predictions for 2021, and beyond, to paper (or more specifically to screen). Most of the predictions we are stating seem destined to have happened anyway, but Covid-19 has been a catalyst, forcing rapid advances in technology, society to adapt and speeding up changes in the built environment. The obvious change for a large
RRA Architects comprises a highly dedicated, multi disciplined, team with a wide range of experience and knowledge of the built environment.
