MBA celebrated with clients, suppliers, industry partners and colleagues past and present in the Wren Room at the RIBA, on Thursday 15 September 2016 to share 25 years in practice.

A slideshow of current and completed projects over the past 25 played across the walls.

Marcus Beale expressed thanks to all the team outlining the future of the practice as a centre of excellence in conservation: making new things in old places.

(more…)

Results of the public consultation held on 18 July 2016 for the proposed new housing development at Fairlight, near Hastings in Sussex have been published.  The presentation was attended by over 150 people and 77 questionnaires were received.  Main concerns of residents were access, storm water drainage capacity.

Central to Founder’s Court, Royal Holloway College University of London is a statue of Thomas and Jane Holloway. The college was one of eight women’s colleges founded in England during the period 1869-1886, the only one outside Oxford or Cambridge. Designed by W. H. Crossland, the central coutryards of the college are grade I listed. A new railing by MBA subtly protects and illuminates the sculpture.

The statue is by Count Gleichen (1833-1891) who sculpted this and the corresponding statue of Queen Victoria in the northern court. Gliechen constructs his sculpture on a large base, with muses at the corners, in a baroque fashion, with a series of swags and scrolls at 45 degrees to the man axis, the corners of the base set out as ʻcircles within squaresʼ. This geometry has informed the setting out of the proposed railing.

The railing is designed to prevent casual access to the sculpture – a beer mug used to appear in the founder’s right hand from time to time – whilst offering good and safe circulation around. It designates ‘protected space’, performing a similar function to a rope or rail at an art gallery.  The rail houses eight up-lights which give optimal subtle illumination to the sculpture whilst making the barrier visible at night.

We are looking for two more qualified architects to join us in 2016. Further details on our careers page.

The Archery Road project at St Leonard’s Hastings is now on site. The residential development will provide 121 new homes, with more than half being affordable housing, a contribution to meeting the acute need for housing in the south east. MBA are working with developers Gemselect and social housing providers Orbit Homes.