Before a project fully starts, we work with clients to analyse requirements and ensure that there is a good likelihood of wishes being developable as a design concept.
Nicholas Phillips Architects
NP Architects is an award-winning RIBA Chartered Practice located in central Cambridge. We have built a reputation for excellence in residential design, working for both private clients and local property developers. We provide a high quality, client-focused service within Cambridge, Cambridgeshire and the surrounding region offering a comprehensive design service including feasibility studies, master planning, planning applications, construction drawings and contract administration.
Our Services
Architecture
We create buildings of integrity via a well thought out process, combining creativity and technical knowledge. Our experienced team confidently design buildings with spatial ingenuity that relates positively to context, whether in an urban or rural setting. Using an economical approach along with technical innovation we can provide design value to projects of any scale. Our diverse workload varies from one-off houses, to apartment buildings and then to larger master planned developments of multiple buildings.
Sustainable Design
We believe that as an architects practice, it is our responsibility to ensure that the construction process minimises its impact on the environment. It is important to provide buildings along with immediate context that will last. This stretches further than ‘eco-considerations’ to also consider the social and economic impact of buildings. Our strategy considers sustainable design from the onset, often with subtle solutions which are integrated into the architecture itself, rather than as a bolt-on afterthought.
Passive House Design
A member of our practice Michael McKay MCIAT, is a certified Passive House consultant. We can offer a complete passive house service from conception through to completion using the passive house planning package (PHPP) to deliver economical and sustainable architectural projects.
Want to learn more about passive house and how it can benefit you project, please visit our news and blogs page for more info.
Design Advocacy
As an RIBA Chartered Practice we strive to promote good design in a holistic manner, providing a professional and ethical service. It is important to us that our proposals are conscientiously thought out and properly researched by our experienced and well-resourced staff. We aim to promote and enhance the built environment for the good of both individuals and the wider community. The RIBA promotes honesty, integrity and good relationships, values which we wholeheartedly share.
Planning Applications
We have many years of experience working alongside planning authorities around Cambridgeshire and further afield to secure planning permissions for a variety of differing sized projects. We work to find solutions with local authorities, presenting drawings and computer visualisations to accurately portray proposals and give the best possible chance of success. Depending on the scale of the project, we work alongside other consultants to obtain successful results.
Feasibility Studies
Before a project fully starts, we work with clients to analyse their requirements and ensure that there is a good likelihood of wishes being developable as a design concept. This will involve research into the site and of local restrictions that could influence progression. This will provide a good insight into whether aspirations can be met, or often, if we can even improve upon them.
Concept Design
This is the stage where important decisions are made to get the most out of a project. This will affect the probability of planning permission being granted and affect the usability of the resultant building and surroundings. Our experienced team work together to ensure that a thorough design process is undertaken, backed up by a quality management system developed from substantial and varied experience.
Building Regulations Applications
Once a planning application is granted, we work towards creating a detailed set of instructions that facilitate the construction process. Dependant on what is agreed by way of our appointment, this usually involves technical drawings and written specifications, along with specialist reports. This information needs to be authorised by an approved Building Control Inspector, whom then also checks that this information is adhered to during construction.
Construction Packages
In order to ensure a smooth process of construction, it is usually advisable to provide a package beyond the minimum requirements of Building Control to ensure better cost certainty and realisation of design. Here, our experience delivers detailed technical design, along with robust specifications developed to provide clear instructions of how buildings are to be constructed.
Technical Design
We hold pride in our practical approach to designing the nuts and bolts of buildings. ‘The devil is in the detail’ is not just a saying and the ability of our team to convey suitable construction solutions to contractors is well known. Progressing concept designs into tactile environments is an art in itself and we will work with clients to ensure that every last detail is just as intended.
Tender Packages
Once a technical design is fully developed and processed into a robust construction package, these along with important logistical considerations are put forward to appropriate contractors to provide accurate costings. We have experience of working with many contractors and so we can advise on who to approach to get the best results for your project. This process is usually competitive, however if you have a particular contractor in mind, we can work to negotiate a contract cost.
Pre-Construction Logistics
Once there is a fully developed design, with a set of instructions and a contractor to build the project, we will work to put all of these elements together and move towards the site. This will involve ‘dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s’, to make sure both client and contractor are prepared to build to the best possible standards and that all questions are answered.
Building Contract Administration
A good building contract should work to promote quality, value and timeliness. As contract administrators, we work to ensure a contract that both parties are happy with and oversee its implementation on site. This involves regular site meetings to ensure that all parties have enough information and to ensure that everything goes to plan and minimises risk.
Interior Design Services
The interior is a natural continuation of architecture. We aspire to design building as a whole while meeting the individual needs of each client. We create interior design schemes to make the clients’ vision of a future space clear and complete. This enables our clients to achieve an easier and more efficient realisation process. Our designers provide advice on the interior layout and concept. This involves generating 2D interior design plans, mood boards, 3D visualisations and detailed drawings. We also help with the selection of Furniture, Fixtures and Fittings required for the tender process and implementation.
