Conservation

The programme of conservation at Westminster Abbey Chapter House in London is now complete.   The project, which was on site for 18 months, completed on time and under budget for our client, English Heritage; with work completed by Nimbus Conservation Ltd.  The works were directed by Stow & Beale Conservation Architects, the specialist conservation arm of MBA.

The practice has formed a Sustainability Research Unit to demonstrate MBA’s practical application of its sustainable principles on past, current and future projects. This will focus on the economic, social and environmental strategies embedded in MBA’s designs.

The unit is the responsibility of James Donlon, an Associate of MBA. He is supported by Robin Bates who has extensive job-running experience of complex residential and conservation projects.

James is the project architect for the design of Oriel College Oxford’s new houses for fellows and graduates, located in the Bartlemas Conservation Area. This scheme embodies MBA’s key sustainability principles, incorporating:

• Closed loop ground source heat pump
• Exploitation of passive solar gain through orientation, shading and solar chimneys
• Biomass fuel burner
• Triple glazing to windows
• Bio-diverse green roofs
• Breathing walls of timber frame construction with sheep’s wool insulation

MBA are appointed to carry out an urban design assessment of a conservation area in Oxford, UK. This will include a landscape and wildlife conservation plan, as well as a master plan for the long term management of the site.