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Porton House completed

Porton House is a prominent building along the Birmingham Road in Stratford-upon-Avon which has recently been refurbished. Jones and Hunt Ltd were the client and MRT were the architects, Lead Designers and Principal Designer for the scheme with ROC Associates as the Project Manager and Iris Construction  the Main Contractors.

The first floor was originally office accommodation and ‘Prior Approval’ was granted for a Change of Use to residential (Permitted Development for Change of Use currently until May 2019). The building has a new lease of life with all the apartments having been let by Tim Cox Associates at an average rent of £1100 per month and the ground floor continues to be used for retail and automotive services.

MRT project reaches LABC Grand Finals 2016

Simon Marson is attending the National LABC Building Excellence Awards in London on the 28th of November where Holly Hill, one of our contemporary replacement dwellings, is being put forward as a contender for the Best Individual New Home Award. The house has already been successful in the local and regional heats.

The Bear Pit Theatre refurbishment

Nicola Baldwin shares her thoughts on MRT’s recent involvement refurbishing the Bear Pit Theatre in Stratford-Upon-Avon:

As both an Associate of MRT Architects and and Associate Artist of The Bear Pit Theatre, I was delighted to bring these associations together and assist David Taylor in the design of the new dressing rooms and backstage areas at The Bear Pit, to the rear of the United Reformed Church, Rother Street, Stratford, funded mostly by a generous grant from the Stratford Town Trust.

It was useful to have a personal working knowledge of how the existing areas had been utilized to date and what was needed to improve that working situation. For example:- The Bear Pit now has a much needed storage area for costumes and props on a mezzanine created in the existing dressing room. We were also able to create two further adjoining dressing rooms and a WC in the former Kitchen. The drafty windows have been replaced and new radiators installed – so no more freezing winters to endure! A new kitchen area has been created in the backstage area where hot beverages can be prepared and scenic paint brushes washed.

The opening of these new areas was officially performed in front of an invited audience of Bear Pit Associates and friends by the Stratford Town Trust Deputy Chairman Carol Taylor and presided over by Simon Allen the Chairman of The Bear Pit and David Mears the Artistic Director of The Bear Pit (recently seen performing to great acclaim, in the role of ‘Bottom’ in the RSC’s Dream Sixteen production of “A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream”).

Porsche Club GB refurbishment

MRT Architects have been appointed by Porsche Club Great Britain to prepare proposals for the refurbishment and modernisation of their existing clubhouse located in the heart of the Cotswolds.

Founded in 1961 the club is very proud to be the UK’s only officially approved Porsche Club and has enjoyed a very special relationship with Porsche who remain a key partner to this day.

MRT Architects are working closely with Porsche Club GB to develop proposals that will improve the internal layout of the building, external appearance, and surrounding landscape in order to appeal and cater for the diverse needs of an increasingly larger Porsche community as Porsche enhances its model range and increases the volume of cars it produces.

The Bell rings in the changes

The Bell at Alderminster, part of the Alscot Estate, has recently undergone a build project to provide a brand new two storey restaurant. The acclaimed Inn offers all-day bar and dining across two floors, with outside seating overlooking the sprawling riverside meadow & Stour Valley, as well as luxury guestrooms.

The steel framed structure, with grey aluminum fascia and render façade, stands proud and impressive, yet neat, between the existing brick construction. Inside, the restaurant has large open spaces with a full height atrium and floor to ceiling glass panels and windows.

The extension took just 14 weeks to complete, a tall order for construction specialists Cotswold Oak and a risky venture for the Alscot Pub Company itself. In order to keep the schedule on track, and due to long lead in times for the main, and most costly, components of the building, the steel and glass was ordered and made to size from plan.

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