Build Architecture Awards

Build Architecture Awards 2015 63 James Darwent Architecture Ltd, a small, friendly practice specialising in residential houses, commercial and arts related projects delivering design excellence and value for money to their clients. We speak to Founder James Darwent about what sets his firm apart from others and he gives us a tantalising insight into what the future has in store for the business. James Darwent Architecture is an exciting, young practice that was set up in late 2010. James studied at the Mackintosh School of Art before working for multi-award winning Glasgow practice Gareth Hoskins Architects. Today, the practice has two bases, one in the trendy suburb of Chorlton-cum-Hardy in South Manchester and the other in Castleton, at the heart of the Peak District National Park, where James grew up. In Derbyshire the practice has grown a reputation for injecting sympathetic, contemporary solutions into projects such as listed buildings and chapel / barn conversions within the National Park. They also specialise in bar and restaurant design and have completed many innovative projects for Manchester’s most exciting new faces in the bar and restaurant scene. James explained the influences behind the firm’s work and how they ensure each project is seamlessly integrated into the landscape. “We aim to offer inspiring contemporary ideas that strive to deliver beyond expectations; maximising available space whilst respecting historic architectural traditions. Our firm takes influence from a wide range of sources such as magazines and travelling, but especially fo- cus on the local area of each project and distil what character, materiality and style make a place what it is. Then we take that and inject it into our proposals so that any scheme will sit harmoniously within its surroundings.” James added that the firm liked to keep up to date with trends in the industry, in order to ensure the firm was always providing clients with the best possible service. “We like to think we are on the pulse with current trends in our field, especially when it comes to interiors, which is always the most fluid trend wise. In order to do this we draw inspiration from everything around us: from magazines, to social media, to everyday life. We feel that in doing this we are always on the cutting edge of new influences. A great example of this is the speakeasy bar in London, Evans&Peel, we worked on 4 years ago - we were using filament bulbs and herringbone scaffold boards on walls. The market is now saturated with this style but it was great to be one of the first faces using it. We are always on the hunt for the next great look for our clients and we always achieve it. “Overall though, we are keen to provide spaces and buildings that are timeless and will not date over time. Dressings can change but a good space or a well-balanced exterior elevation with considered use of materials is critical.” The firm are very keen to really get to know a client and gain an understanding of how they live or want to operate their business; what styles they are into or which customer base they are aiming their project at. Small Architectural Practice of the Year – UK James Darwent Architecture Ltd Company: James Darwent Architecture Ltd Name: James Darwent Email: [email protected] Web Address: www.darwentarchitecture.co.uk Address: Trafalgar House, 5-7 High Lane, Chorlton-cum-hardy, Manchester, M21 9DJ Telephone: (0161) 8813031 The design development is a collaborative process with the client and usually results in cohesive overall concepts that can be carried right through the design. With planners too, the firm like to think that they are good story tellers. Guiding planners slowly through the theory behind a scheme in a concise coherent manor is an art form learnt from James’ time at Gareth Hoskins and one that the firm instils in all proposals. In addition to this, the business relies heavily on word of mouth and reputation both in the residential and leisure industries and they tend to get more interesting jobs through these connections. James explains how this reputation has been built on a foundation of quality designs and ensuring client satisfaction. “At the practice we are keen to maintain a high standard in all work we do. Good design needn’t be too rigorously defined by industry standards or mass produced goods. We tend to prefer natural materials used in both traditional forms and contemporary inter- pretations. We also look for opportunities of how a product might be used in an alternate situation from which it is necessarily designed for. For instance we used galvanised electrical cable trays as cladding support rails for a temporary bar in Manchester that was then clad in ivy. This provided a weather resistant, eye catching finish at a fraction of the price of bespoke options.” In the future, James states that the firm is keen to expand into new areas and take on new projects. “We aim to grow the firm organically in the future, but at the same time we don’t want to get too large that the standard suffers and becomes too corporate. We enjoy the process of working with independent companies and ambitious residential clients as it is most rewarding and achieves the best results.