Inspired

Bond Bryan have submitted a planning application for an Emergency Services Hub for Hereford and Worcester Fire Service.

The proposed development is comprised of a new fire station and associated training facilities on a ‘brownfield’ site to the south of Kidderminster. The site accommodates a mixture of functions – including operational services and administrative and training facilities for partner, and local voluntary, organisations. The fire station includes five appliance bays with associated operational and welfare accommodation; it also incorporates a Fire Training building, High Volume Water Pump (HVP) training area, Road Traffic Collision (RTC) training area, a standalone vehicle storage garage and parking for both employees and visitors.

Bond Bryan are delighted that planning permission has been granted for the redevelopment of Aston Fire Station.

Bond Bryan worked closely with the Fire Service and consultants to develop a functionally-robust, but aspirational, design proposal which meets the needs of the end-users’ experience of the building, whilst retaining the building’s heritage and providing a strong community focus.

The redevelopment comprises a new-build extension which better accommodates modern welfare facilities for the fire service – sympathetically connected to the existing Grade 2 listed building by a double-height glazed link and offering views of the Fire Service in operation. The Eastern House will include a community library and reception area with the adjacent appliance bay and pole-drop being retained as a heritage asset with further community/heritage use on the upper floors. The existing office building, to the rear of the site, will be demolished to create a large training yard, car park and a new external heritage store.

Construction on site is planned to commence in June 2018 with a completion date of June 2019.

Last week, Bond Bryan Project Architect, Tomasz Romaniewicz, attended the Leeds Beckett University’s ‘Speed Dating – Work Placement’ scheme.

The scheme, in its fifth year, gives undergraduate architecture students the opportunity of meeting with professionals in a ‘speed-dating’/networking environment and listen to presentations from a selection of practice professionals.

The students are then offered a four-day ‘taster’, within an architectural practice, which helps to develop students’ understanding of the importance of practice and professionalism within the work environment.

Bond Bryan’s Tomasz added: “I always enjoy sharing my experiences with students. This is a great scheme as it gives students hands-on experience whilst developing their employability skills.”

We look forward to welcoming our first two students this week.

Each year, Bond Bryan adopts a “charity of the year” programme to raise additional funds for those concerned. This year, Bond Bryan Sheffield are delighted to be supporting Museums Sheffield.

Museums Sheffield is the charity responsible for three of the city’s museums and galleries: Millennium Gallery, Weston Park Museum and Graves Gallery. They work hard to retain Sheffield’s identity and support the city through a whole host of exhibitions, workshops, creative sessions and events – bringing people together, sparking community pride and creating a more vibrant place where we all want to live and work.

Bond Bryan will be supporting Museums Sheffield with their quest to ensure that everyone in Sheffield and the city region has access to a consistent and high quality arts and cultural learning experience. They, like us, are committed to inspiring the next generation of artists, curators, collectors and visitors, using Sheffield’s rich collections to spark curiosity and imagination through community cohesion.

For more information on Museums Sheffield, please visit their website here.

We are extremely pleased to welcome Zubin Masters and Matt Hutton to the Bond Bryan Board of Directors.

Zubin is a long-serving member of the Bond Bryan team and has helped to shape all parts of our business since joining our Sheffield base in 2004 – before relocating to our Westerham Studio in 2009. Zubin’s consistent goal is to delight each client with a truly creative solution whilst, at the same time, leading and inspiring the design team to deliver quality throughout every stage of the project. Having co-managed the Westerham Studio for the past eight years, first as an Associate and then as Associate Director, his leadership skills, desire for continuous improvement and passion for design, have had a significant and positive effect on our architectural practice.

Matt joined Bond Bryan’s Sheffield Studio in 2003 as a trainee architect and is now one of our leading designers. He has led a number of multi-award-winning projects at Bond Bryan including: The University of Sheffield’s Humanities Research Institute, Sheffield Hallam University’s Charles Street Building and The David Hockney Building for Bradford College. Going forward, Matt will play a leading role in all aspects of Bond Bryan’s design practice – from concept through to the detailed design stage.

Managing Director, Jonathan Herbert, said: “We are delighted to have both Zubin and Matt as Directors and expect that they will be brilliant additions to our Board!”

After ten years of excellent service, Bond Bryan Director Stewart Paine has retired. During that period, he established and co-led Bond Bryan’s Westerham Studio (our first base in the South East); today Westerham, together with our London Studio, accommodates our thriving Southern practice: a real testament to Stewart’s legacy.

Managing Director, Jonathan Herbert, said: “Stewart retires at the end of a record year for Bond Bryan’s Southern operation. On behalf of the whole team at Bond Bryan, I should place on record our collective appreciation for all the great work that Stewart has done for our practice over the past ten years. We simply would not be in such an excellent position without his guidance and encouragement.”

We all enjoyed Stewart’s pre-Christmas send-off party which was preceeded by presentations and a wonderful thankyou speech from the great man himself. Stewart, a genuine people person, known for his calm manner and unfailing sense of humour, will be missed – but we look forward to him visiting us very soon!

Congratulations to Usman Hussain for sucessfully passing his MCIAT – qualifying as a Chartered Architectural Technologist.

Geoff Halliwell, Director, commented:”Usman joined the practice in 2015 and is a key member of our technical team. This qualification recognises both Usman’s knowledge of the construction industry process and his professional experience in designing, developing, and managing projects.”

Best wishes from everyone at Bond Bryan!