NEWS

January 08: Design Engine are commissioned to design the new 8,500 sqm ‘Les Beaucamps’ secondary school in Guernsey; part of the States’ education programme of new schools.

November 07: The new British Embassy in Sana’a, Yemen receives a LEAF (Leading European Architects) Award for the Best Environmentally Sustainable Project of the Year at the Awards ceremony at London's Waldorf Hotel.

October 07: Design Engine, along with Macreanor Lavington and Karakusevic Carson, are commissioned to design 500 units over 3 sites within ‘The Lintons’ scheme (masterplanned by Dutch firm Urhahn) for London Borough of Barking and Dagenham.

July 07: Design Engine win a major commission for Oxford Brookes University in competition with 6 other British practices. The 18,000 sqm project at the Headington Campus includes a new learning resource centre, lecture theatres, student services centre, teaching accommodation and commercial/retail space. The scheme is due to be submitted for planning to OCC in the Summer.

June 07: Design Engine are appointed Design Auditors by English Partnerships for five ‘Design For Manufacture’ (£60,000 house) competition-winning sites in Milton Keynes, Newport Pagnell, Basingstoke, Merton and Aylesbury Vale.

June 07: The new British Embassy in Sana’a, Yemen receives an RIBA International Award at the 2007 RIBA Awards ceremony at Park Lane Hilton

May 07: Design Engine’s Roseville Housing in Guernsey receives a 2007 RIBA Award.

March 07: Design Engine’s Roseville Housing in Guernsey receives a Special Award at the Civic Trust Awards in Blackpool, beating other notable schemes around the country to the best housing award for 2007.

January 07: The new British Embassy in Sana’a, Yemen is completed.

“Although enhanced security was foremost in my mind as the project progressed, it soon became apparent that Design Engine had taken the second part of the FCO’s competition brief very much to heart – to demonstrate the very best of British architectural and engineering design. I believe that the new British Embassy in Sana'a successfully meets all the separate objectives. We now have an innovative and aesthetically pleasing building that incorporates modern British design excellence and traditional Yemeni elements and offers improved security, drawing on a wealth of experience in quality and innovation in Foreign and Commonwealth Office buildings around the world. In short, a building of which we can be immenselt proud.” Michael Gifford, British Ambassador, Sana’a January 2007

December 06: This £1.4m mixed use scheme in central Winchester, designed by Design Engine Architects and built by Walthams, is now fully occupied. Ten new apartments for affordable rent will be managed by Winchester Housing Group and the retail element, in a converted listed building on Parchment Street, will be leased on behalf of by Winchester City Council. WHG are delighted with the project, which offers flexible, open plan accommodation, with views over the city from the upper floors.

October 06: The Hill Close Gardens Visitor Centre, won by Design Engine in open competition in 2002, is progressing well on site. This visitor and resource centre is set within the historically significant Victorian Pleasure Gardens in the central of Warwick. The building will provide information on the history of the Gardens and will put their unique place in British society into context via creative educational programmes. The project is part funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and it is anticipated that the Gardens will form part of network of public open gardens in the region. The building has been designed with Gifford Consulting Engineers to meet 2050 energy targets. 

July 06: This project for an opening footbridge over the River Hull is linked to the proposed regeneration of the East Bank. The design draws inspiration from Hull's unique condition as a 'city on the edge' and from the natural drama of the site itself. The development of the form was guided by the metaphor of the bridge as a 'found-object', shaped by nature like a piece of driftwood or a whale-bone deposited by the sea in a foreign context. The bridge consists of two 'wings', one being the deck, the other the counterweight mast. Like the legs of a gymnast on the bar these two wings are always perfectly balanced. As the deck rises the counterweight mast rises with it, ensuring that the centre of gravity is always directly above the pier.

22 June 06: To celebrate the 6th year of Design Engine and in support of Architecture Week, we held a one-day exhibition and accompanying lecture at the Stripe Theatre, University of Winchester – a project recently completed by the practice. This gave us a chance to pause for thought, reflect on the last 6 years of work and share it with clients, consultants and friends alike. We had over 250 visitors over the course of the day; most of whom stayed for the evening lecture. The exhibition will move to London in 2007.

May 06: The new £6.5m University of Winchester University Centre started on site this month. It was won in invited competition in 2004 and represents our third project for the University. The 3000sqm building sits on a steeply sloping site, where the natural topography of the campus is both a virtue in terms of character and a hindrance to access. The design involves two main entrances courts with secondary access at mid level to accommodation, which includes reception, venue, restaurant, internet café, bookshop and offices.

May 06: The new British Embassy in Sana’a, Yemen, continues apace and is due for completion at the end of the year.

May 06: We are delighted to announce that Keith Evans has been made an Associate of the practice. Keith joined us from Allies & Morrison in 2003 and has been project Architect for the Roseville Housing scheme, Guernsey, Hill Close Gardens Visitor Centre, Warwick and is now responsible for the University of Winchester University Centre.

April 06: The construction of the ROSEVILLE HOUSING scheme is progressing extremely well. The scheme is due for completion in May 2006.

Nov 05: Monochrome Body and Soul opens in Chelsea’s Duke of York’s Square. Monochrome has been conceived to provide tailor-made beauty and health treatments to suit all shades of skin. Situated over 3000sqft on two floors of Chelsea’s prestigious Duke of York development, the new spa venue consists of a beauty shop, offering the most exclusive brands, along with ten treatment rooms, nail bar and coffee area. Design Engine have provided a full interior design service, including furniture design and specification, as well as contract administration and cost control.