BUILD April 2017 - Architecture Top 50

12 BUILD - Architecture Top 50 / April 2017 , Back in April 2010, after 20 years of successful architectural collaborationwithworld leading architectural firms such as HOK - Hellmuth, Obata and Kassabaum, KPF - Kohn Pedersen Fox and SOM - Skidmore Owing andMerril a new architectural practice was founded. One of the Architecture Top 50 winners, Atelier AVO llp, writes about their remarkable work in delivering projects into the construction phase all over the world. Best Value and Architectural Quality Prior to the start of his architectural design studio, André was lauded for the work on the World Trade Centre in the South of Amsterdam which won the 2003 RIBA award and was involved in various other award-winning projects such as the River City Prague in the Czech Republic and Arroyo del Santo TT3 in Madrid Spain, winning many MIPIN awards. During the 20 years André, has been leading project teams, in London and abroad, from the initiation phase up to delivering projects into the construction phase, to the highest standard. The typology of projects ranges from office buildings, headquarters, mixed- use, transportation, medical, residential, master planning and interior/space planning. André van Oudheusden started his London-based international architectural practice, Atelier AVO llp in 2010. The work of the award-winning practice is based on a solid work ethos developed over the years to ensure a high level of design standards can be maintained and to ensure that projects are delivered on time and budget. The practice has won the 2015 Architecture Award for Best High-Rise Building and has recently been nominated for 2016 Innovation & Excellence Awards for architecture by Corporate LiveWire and won the 2016 Architecture Award by BUILD. We have a growing international portfolio, working on various projects in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Several completed projects have focused on Dubai, namely three high-rise residential/ hotel towers called ‘Mont Rose’ in the Jumeirah Village Circle, one high-rise residential mixed- use tower in the Jumeirah Village Circle and a low-rise mixed-use development Avenue 005, in the Jumeirah Village Circle. In Uganda, our previous experience with the Naguru and Nsambya master plan, both mixed- use developments, has developed an understanding that drives our current villa project in Entebbe. In the Netherlands, Atelier AVO llp has renovated a railway station to improve its passenger flow and accessibility by integrating a 4-meter-wide staircase and lift to both sides of the station. During the time that Atelier AVO llp was founded, the project size shrunk from large to small. It has taken us some time to increase the project size back to medium to large by developing a network of resources with other consultancies such as Architects, Structural Engineers and M&E Engineers. This structure has given us the flexibility to grow the project size and to bring in the specific requirements for each specific project. This has also given us a tool to keep our overheads under control and has helped us to build up relationships within the Middle East, Africa and India. Best practice when working on new projects At the start of each project we listen to our client to establish and or confirm the brief of the project. From this discussion, we try to improve the brief by sharing our observation and propose changes, agreeable to the client. From this point on, we want to make sure to appoint the right consultants to the team. Depending on the project, we advise on this or the client already has consultants in mind which we can take on board. The whole purpose of this is to ensure good communication. This can only take place when all the team members, including the client, are able to think at the same level and are willing to take the project forward and develop it to the best capacity of the whole team. Excellence in design The central concern of that practice is excellence in design. We are committed to providing designs that are tailor-made spaces for people and which embrace and contribute to an uplifting surrounding. Atelier AVO llp is committed to providing the highest quality of architecture that interacts with its environment both in terms of its physical context and its sustainability. The practice is driven by a consistent philosophical approach influenced by project-specific conditions coming from the environment, the surrounding fabric and the individuals working as a team. The aim of this approach is to create specifically detailed buildings that are evolving to context and function. In order to achieve this, we strongly believe that good communication is key to achieving the highest quality in our buildings. Overall aims and strategies employed Our overall aim is to develop our network and clients to grow the Architectural Design Studio. With the growth of projects we will be able to widen that network. The most important part of this process is building trust between the Studio and the clients and consultants. If this is achieved, we are able to ensure a high level of design quality throughout each project we engage with. World Trade Centre case study The most important project worked on is the World Trade Centre in the south of Amsterdam. This project has 1702BU40