How will the Referendum result of Brexit affect the Architecture industry?

Earlier this year, Britain voted to leave the EU in a national referendum. Shaun Soanes, NJA’s expert Associate, investigates what this could mean for the UK’s Architecture and Design industries. Read more

Introducing Shaun, NJ Architects Associate

Architecture is one of the most influential professions to this day – taking in how the environment is planned, designed, made used and maintained.

At Nicholas Jacob Architects, we value the imagination, dedication and skills of our experienced team. So to celebrate the things that inspire them, we would like to show you some of them and discover more about their different role models, career paths and plans for the future. Read more

We have a very happy client in Dorset

Significant factors including aesthetics, scale and proportion as well as functionality and efficiency are all required when extending any period property. This was certainly true for a recent project undertaken in Dorset for a private client. Read more

Riding high: Shaun cycles from London to Brighton

We’re pleased to announce that Shaun Soanes, our Associate, has taken part in the London to Brighton cycle ride in aid of the British Heart Foundation.

The cycle ride is a tradition that has been running for 41 years, with an estimated 800,000 cyclists that have taken part previously. Read more

RIBA Design and Craftsmanship Award winners

We have returned from a wonderful evening at the RIBA Suffolk Design Awards where we left with 3 awards. Many contractors and consultants across the construction industry came all glammed up for the superb annual dinner and awards evening. Read more

Winning an award for your work is the greatest compliment

Winning an award for your work is one of the greatest compliments, but for Nick Jacob and Hugh Bunbury, the real pleasure comes from seeing that beautiful space be embraced by the community. This is certainly the case with The Avenue Theatre in Ipswich. Read more

Two Nicholas Jacob projects nominated in the RICS 2016 Awards

We’re thrilled to announce that two of our projects are nominated in a prestigious award scheme.

A Grade II* listed country house and The Avenue Theatre are both nominated in the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Awards for 2016.

The East of England RICS Awards present the achievements of the most inspirational initiatives and developments regionally in property, land, construction and the environment.

These awards are known as the Oscars of the property industry, so we’re absolutely delighted that two of our projects have been selected.

The house has been nominated in both the ‘Residential’ and ‘Building Conservation’ categories. The ‘Residential’ honours an exceptional residential development, whilst the ‘Building Conservation’ category recognises outstanding work in conservation.

The house is a Grade II listed building and one of the area’s finest Georgian houses. It’s a restoration project that we’re immensely proud of, so we’re delighted to see our work acknowledged by RICS.

The Avenue Theatre has also been nominated for two awards, and is shortlisted in both the ‘Community Benefit’ and the ‘Tourism and Leisure’ categories.

The Avenue Theatre is a 16th century building that provides a base for the award winning and non-for-profit organisation, the Red Rose Chain Theatre Company. Red Rose Chain held a national design competition to select the architects for the project back in 2010, which Nicholas Jacob Architects collaborating with Charles Curry-Hyde won.

We restored and designed the extension to the building, which has had over 10,000 visitors in its first year.

Shaun Soanes, Associate at Nicholas Jacob Architects, says, “This recognition is fantastic news for the team and is a real testament to the work which was carried out on both projects.

“It’s a real boost to see our projects acknowledged for both physical restoration and community benefit and these nominations show that we’re doing what we set out to.”

The 2016 RICS Awards for the East of England will take place at The Apex in Bury St Edmunds on the 11th May.

Nicholas Jacob Architects wins award for the restoration of a Grade II* listed country house

We’re incredibly happy to announce that we have won an award for restoring a beautiful Georgian home.

For our work on a Grade II* listed country house, we have been commended by the Georgian Group, a charity for the appreciation and protection of British architecture of the period.

This is our third accolade for the Grade II* listed country house which won a SJCC Outstanding Craftmanship Award in 2014 and the 2013 Award for Building Conservation at the Coastal District Council’s Quality of Place Awards.

Shaun Soanes, NJ Architects Associate who oversaw the project, said: “The house suffered too many years of neglect and some unauthorised alterations had occurred resulting in nine enforcement notices by the local authority.

“It was in a sorry state of repair when it was bought by the current owners and there were reams of red tape to unravel.

“Restoration took a whole two and a half years and involved unpicking modern intrusive repairs and modifying some of the more incongruous alterations.

“To comply with the enforcement notices, rectification works were also carried out.”

The project was commended by The Georgian Group for enhancing and revealing the building’s character.

Mr Jacob said: “The house now benefits from custodians who understand its significance, enjoy it and intend to maintain it. We have been proud to play a part in its protection.”

Property from the Georgian era is carefully proportioned and reminiscent of traditional dolls houses. Architects who built homes in Britain between 1713 and 1830 include Sir John Soane, Henry Holland and James Wyatt.

Other properties in the UK recognised by the Georgian Group Architectural Awards include Belmont, the salmon-coloured Landmark Trust villa in Lyme Regis, Dorset, and Croome Park, the National Trust site in Worcestershire, which boasts a Capability Brown landscape.

Ipswich Theatre project

The Avenue Theatre Opening – Gippeswyk Hall in Ipswich

Following four years of planning, designing, building and restoring, NJ Architects are delighted to announce the opening of The Avenue Theatre; a 16th century Tudor building which is Grade II listed and located in Gippeswyk Hall’s grounds in Ipswich, Suffolk. Working alongside Charles Curry-Hyde LLP, the building is now used by the not-for-profit, award winning Red Rose Chain Theatre Company. Read more

NEW EDITIONS OF PEVSNER’S ARCHITECTURAL GUIDES

First release of the guide books for Suffolk in 58 years.

The last edition of the Pevsner Architectural Guide for Suffolk was published in 1957; so on hearing of the new releases, we at Nicholas Jacob Architects purchased them straight away. Both are fully revised by architectural historian, Dr James Bettley. Read more