2020 to 2021 | Media | AHR | Architects and Building Consultants

2020 wasn't the year any of us expected. Despite the many challenges, we adapted through teamwork and innovation.

We're extremely proud of our teams and the many advancements and achievements made across projects, award wins, innovation and sustainability.

Explore our 2020 below and see what's coming up in 2021.

Zero Carbon Today
In 2020, we launched our #ZeroCarbonToday initiative that provides the steps to achieving Net Zero Carbon across new-builds and refurbishments. We have developed dedicated solutions for a number of key sectors, flexible across building types, sizes and locations.

Refurbishment is key, and our experience with the re-use of buildings as well as new-builds will guide you through the steps to Zero Carbon.

Similarly, our Decarbonisation Masterplanning service creates strategies that include small scale interventions to the repurposing of facilities to reach carbon reduction goals.

There is a lot of support available and we can help at any stage. Many funding options are open to help with works that can help public sector organisations meet their Zero Carbon targets.

Designing, delivering, refurbishing and maintaining projects across estates gives us unique insight into these environments.

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Award Success
We are proud of our award-winning and shortlisted projects throughout 2020, which included RIBA, BCO and Education Estates award wins. Despite an unusual year, our teams have continued to produce fantastic and innovative work that has gained significant success from awards bodies across sectors and throughout the UK and internationally.

Our award-winning projects include the RIBA and BCO award winning UKHO Headquarters in Taunton and Education Estates Project of the Year, The University of Huddersfield’s Barbara Hepworth Building which have continued to build upon previous years' award success. The Greenwood Centre in Camden, Swansea University’s IMPACT Building, The Ridgeway residential development in Hertford, Novotel Almaty City Centre Hotel and Sovereign Design House at The University of Huddersfield also added to the success.

We are also delighted to be shortlisted for several Practice awards, with final results pending, including Insider South West Property Awards, BD Architect of the Year Awards, Office Architect of the Year and Yorkshire Insider Property.

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Investment in Technology
Our Rapid Capture technology continues to support remote working and project continuity, allowing buildings to be reviewed and explored remotely and removing the need to visit site.

Virtual site tours, floorplans and 3D imagery are accessible from any PC, tablet or smartphone, with no specialist software required.

This technology was especially valuable throughout 2020, enabling many projects to continue successfully throughout the lockdown periods. One example included 81 Colmore Row, where the refurbishment and extension of the Grade II listed building required detailed knowledge of the existing space. Our Rapid Capture technology provided the ability to visit the building remotely, on-demand, with schematic plans and key points tagged with information.

Further, our expertise with BIM and VR ensured we could utilise pioneering collaboration and engagement tools, remotely, with our clients and project teams throughout 2020.

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Urban Regeneration
We've been highly active with a number of urban regeneration schemes in 2020, and we're excited to see them progress in 2021.

We are currently working with many local authorities across the UK on town centre regeneration schemes, including at Chester Northgate, Birkenhead Town Centre, Chard Regeneration, Manor Street and Coal Orchard.

Our knowledge of working in different sectors - from residential, to leisure, healthcare, transport, workplace and more - is behind our success. Our understanding is key to creating areas that are greater than the sum of their parts, with places that fit together, integrate and complement one another to create sustainable communities.

Embedding sustainable development principles is at the heart of our regeneration plans, with population and environmental health needs a priority. Our WELL Platinum designed The Spine is at the heart of the flourishing Knowledge Quarter Liverpool, and will be one of the world's healthiest buildings.

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Masterplanning
The way we live, work, socialise and travel is evolving and through 2020 we continued to deliver many innovative masterplans, shaping areas to become positive cohesive environments.

This included Langarth Garden Village, a nature-led development for 8,000 to 10,000 future residents of Cornwall. The masterplan includes a comprehensive and connected network of green infrastructure and ensures residents will enjoy a life that is green at the heart. Net Zero Carbon standards for buildings throughout the masterplan ensures that the community will be desirable to all future generations and fit for both now and the future.

Other masterplanning work included Westwood Village in Kent, Gloucestershire Airport Masterplan, Birkenhead Town Cetnre Masterplan, King's Quarter in Gloucester and Archers Spring in Hertford, to name a few.

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Full lifecycle of the built environment
AHR works with projects throughout their entire life cycle, providing services across the timeline. As a practice, we glean a rare perspective into how each part of the process informs the other.

Our individual services thrive from a connected outlook, utilising this shared knowledge across the practice to collaborate and build our expertise on the latest market techniques.

Our multi-service approach, offering architecture, building consultancy, masterplanning, geomatic consultancy, interiors, landscape, BIM consultancy and principal designer services, creates an expansive knowledge pool that is available to every subdivision of the business across any project.

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Digital Twins
As we progress ever more towards a digital future, innovative technologies continue to provide invaluable benefits to help improve safety and efficiency throughout the lifetime of a building.

A Thought Leadership piece by Lee McDougall explores how technologies like the digital twin can greatly improve property owners’ understanding of their buildings.

Technologies like digital twins are here to stay and the property industry will only benefit from it.

This builds upon our heritage as BIM experts, being the first architecture-led practice to be verified by BSI to deliver projects at BIM Level 2, and verified every year since to the BIM Level 2 standard.

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The Next Generation of Schools
Education is one of our most established sectors, having delivered over 3,000 schools across every type of site, scale, location and typology. We have a real ambition to continue to progress what can be achieved through education design - underpinned by our heritage and driven through collaboration.

Imran Kassim discusses the future of our schools - fuelled by Net Zero Carbon design and harnessing Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and off-site construction to keep pace with demand.

The next generation of schools can create a positive legacy in our built environment and achieve a Zero Carbon future for our education sector.

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New Architecture MD
In November 2020, we were pleased to announce that Anthony Langan was appointed as the new AHR Managing Director of the Architecture practice.

After 38 years with AHR, Martin Wright, Managing Director of AHR Architects Ltd, announced his retirement from the practice from the end of June 2021.

Martin has decided that now is the time to handover the stewardship of the architecture practice and Anthony Langan has been voted by the partners into the position of Managing Director, and is picking up the mantle effective from 2^nd November 2020.

Anthony Langan said, "I’m looking forward to leading the architectural practice and building on Martin’s hard work and I would like to personally thank Martin for all he has given and everything he has achieved at AHR.

"I am exceptionally proud of the practice and enthusiastic about our future. I do anticipate another challenging 12 months ahead, but also believe we will progress and continue our evolution to ensure we are able to seize upon the opportunities and exceed our clients’ and our own expectations.”

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Thought Leadership
We’ve delivered keynote speeches at a range of leading conferences and events.

This includes Gareth Banks at IHEEM's Healthcare Estates on how we can achieve Zero Carbon in Healthcare, as well as Helen Revitt at the European Healthcare Design Conference on healthcare in placemaking.

Both Imran Kassim and Robert Hopkins spoke at Education Estates on Modern Methods of Construction and designing for wellness in our educational facilities. Imran also spoke for Westminster Education Forum on the future of schools following COVID-19.

Adam Spall hosted a RIBA online conference on the steps we can take to meet the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge targets in our projects, today.

We regularly share thought pieces and insights via our social channels - follow us on our LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram pages so you don't miss out.

Appoint Us
There are more ways you can appoint AHR now. We have over 35 Frameworks which offer direct appointment or further competition, across all locations, sectors and project types.

Our frameworks include Procure Partnerships, CCS, NHS SBS and more, offering direct award and further competition procurement routes across the breadth of projects and values.

As a practice with multiple sectors and services, based across the UK and internationally, there are a wide range of ways of appointing us.

The utilisation of established public sector frameworks allows access to our services, through efficient OJEU compliant routes, without the need for costly and lengthy tendering processes.
Learn more at our Appoint Us page

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