On The Board
Nephra Good Neighbours,
Community Allotment Pavilion
Nephra Good Neighbours is a community organisation in Manchester offering various services such as meals on wheels, befriending, a luncheon club, and weekly classes to combat isolation and improve community well-being. They also manage a community allotment and provide a handy helper service for small DIY tasks, with their Priority Pass Scheme offering members priority access to trips and events.
The project involves building a sustainable, multi-functional pavilion in the existing allotment space to accommodate these activities. The pavilion will be cohesive with the natural surroundings and constructed using sustainable building materials where possible, with options for both flat and pitched roofs. This new structure will enhance the community space, providing a versatile venue for Nephra’s wide range of services and activities.
The pavilion will support various community events, educational workshops, social gatherings, and promoting greater community engagement. It's design will prioritise environmental sustainability, ensuring it serves as a model for eco-friendly building practices in the community.
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Fraser House, Manchester
Fraser House is a renowned historic Victorian building on the edge of Manchester’s Chinatown, designed by Edward Walters, part of Manchester’s “palazzo” architectural movement, which has stood vacant for many years.
The proposal is to work entirely within the confines of the listed building and accommodate 14 apartments, a mix of 1 and 2 bed on the upper floors, whilst the lower and upper ground floors will house a restaurant, as per the recent history of the building.
Our approach has focused on “taking what the building gives us”, utilising the loading bay as the restaurant entrance, and the existing Charlotte Street entrance and feature staircase to access the residential units from the first floor upwards. All significant heritage features have been retained and the units themselves are of an industrial loft style with exposed brickwork, cast iron columns, and historic features.
The process has included extensive consultation with Manchester City Council and the full involvement of the whole design team from the inception to achieve a practical, viable, and sympathetic scheme to bring the building back to life.