BUILD - Architecture Awards 2017

86 Build 2017 Architecture Awards SD is a small but busy firm with an enviable flow of new projects. GSD helps clients to understand the importance of investing in largely unseen elements of a building, which continue to work passively and innately long into the future. Gil outlines the services he provides and tells us how delighted he is to have won these awards. “Whilst I have had my own practice for several years, I started out working for a firm that specialised in heritage projects which provided me with first rate experience in learning my craft, dealing with sensitive buildings, the use of breathable materials and the importance of attention to detail. I was given the opportunity at that practice to pursue my passion for the environment by expanding the portfolio into ecological and energy efficient design. Along the way, I have collected awards for a number of projects and I am truly delighted and surprised to have won two categories from BUILD.” Regarding the firm’s latest projects, Gil is keen to tell us about the remodelling of a bungalow in Southwell. He talks about the environmentally friendly clients that he is working with, as well as citing the challenges that the firm has had to overcome in order to deliver a successful project. Gil also reveals how this outstanding project on a prominent site, led to more work, simply through word of mouth. “Currently, I have several projects on the go, but my particular favourite is the complete remodelling and extension of a 1960’s chalet bungalow in Southwell. The clients, who are both deeply environmentally conscious, wanted a forever home that would provide them with low bills and flexible accommodation that if needed, could provide living space for an elderly relative. “The site posed a number of issues not least of which was the setting, which was in a sensitive area. The rear of the house and garden faces onto a large common field which backs onto Southwell Minster so there was a conservation context and also one of prominent visibility from a public area. Added to that, Most Innovative Architecture Firm – East Midlands & Excellence Award for Energy Efficient Conversions – Midlands GSD Architecture (GSD) is a small practice in West Bridgford, Nottingham, specialising in advanced low energy design for retrofit and new build across a variety of sectors including heritage, commercial and domestic. We invited Gil Schalom to talk us through the services his firm provides. Contact: Gil Schalom Contact Email: [email protected] Address: 9 Patrick Road, West Bridgford, Nottingham, NG2 7JY, UK Phone: 07811 366188 AR170103 G the land condition is very boggy and so we had to drive piles to support the new extension. My clients, one of whom is an artist, wanted a home that was filled with light, which was sleek and modern and made the absolute best of the stunning views toward the Minster. They are delighted with their new home and it has been quite the local talking point, leading to an enquiry from a local person who saw the property from the common field and approached my clients to have a look round and to find out who their architect was. I’m delighted to say that my existing clients did a great job of singing my praises and I have acquired a new contract as a result”. Gil explains the mission of the firm and how he uses his considerable experience in ultra low energy design to present the core values of his company. “After college, I joined the AECB, a leading group of experts and enthusiasts in the field of environmental building and have been an active member ever since. Through them, I discovered Passiv, the most stringent and fastest growing energy standard in the world, an approach that distils advanced building physics and the science of comfort into an easy to use but reliable and predictable methodology, to make very significant reductions in operational energy use. This concept was a breath of fresh air and helped me quantify and prove what I was already doing intuitively beforehand. I am frustrated with the state of energy efficiency in this country, and the generally poor understanding of what works in real life and have made it my mission to address this in everything I do. The other side of it is about quality: make a building really energy efficient and it becomes inherently healthier and more comfortable to live in. If done right, it can also be simpler to run and more reliable.” Gil tells us about an upcoming project and expands on the future of the firm. “Whether I am taking on a retrofit, newbuild or extension, I always encourage my clients to push the boundaries and to take advantage of concepts and