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Wining and dining at Royal William Yard

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010

The other night I attended the inaugural Plymouth Wine Tasting event at Royal William Yard. More than 300 business people, residents and visitors came down for the occasion so the Yard was absolutely bustling, more than usual!

We really were spoilt, treated not only to 70 types of wine but fresh oysters from the River Yealm, pates and cheeses. The event was attended by people from all over Plymouth and Devon and it was great to hear from people who were on their first visit to the redeveloped Yard. The atmosphere was great and generous attendees even raised a few hundred pounds for local charity.

The organisers were so impressed that they’re talking about a repeat performance in the autumn, I really hope they do because it was a fantastic evening.

Tags: wine tasting
Posted in Paul Clifton, Plymouth, Royal William Yard, Urban Splash | No comments »

An awarding week! by Tom Bloxham MBE

Thursday, May 27th, 2010

chips-exterior2

I was really pleased to learn we had won another two RIBA Awards for Architecture this week for Chips in Manchester and Mills Bakery in Plymouth.

We’ve now received 22 RIBA awards for architecture. As satisfying as this it’s also a burden to ensure we keep striving to be innovative and build real quality schemes that will continue to win awards.

As I tell every member of staff who joins Urban Splash, we’re only as good as our last (or should that be next!?) scheme, so we must keep striving towards the next project, and hopefully the next award! If you go into a restaurant and have nine good meals and one bad one, it’s the bad one that gets talked about; we’ll just keep trying to avoid the cock-up!

Here’s a full list of the Awards for Architecture that we’ve received over the years:

RIBA Award for Architecture 1996 - Concert Square Buildings
RIBA Award for Architecture 1996 - Schoolhouse
RIBA Award for Architecture 1997 - Modo
RIBA Award for Architecture 1998 - Smithfield Buildings
RIBA Award for Architecture 2001 - Britannia Mills
RIBA Award for Architecture 2001 - Old Haymarket
RIBA Award for Architecture 2002 - Matchworks
RIBA Award for Architecture 2002 - Collegiate
RIBA Award for Architecture 2003 - Chorlton Park
RIBA Award for Architecture 2003 - Timber Wharf
RIBA Award for Architecture 2003 - Box Works
RIBA Award for Architecture 2003 - Waulk Mill
RIBA Award for Architecture 2006 – Clarence and Brewhouse Buildings
RIBA Award for Architecture 2006 – Moho
RIBA Award for Architecture 2007 – Budenberg HAUS Projekte
RIBA Award for Architecture 2008 – Chimney Pot Park
RIBA Award for Architecture 2008 - Guest Street, New Islington
RIBA Award for Architecture 2008 - Fort Dunlop
RIBA Award for Architecture 2009 - 3 Towers
RIBA Award for Architecture 2009 - Midland Hotel
RIBA Award for Architecture 2010 - Chips
RIBA Award for Architecture 2010 - Mills Bakery

We also won the RIBA Client of the Year award in 2002 (you can only win it once!), here’s all the other RIBA awards we’ve won too…

Housing Design Award (NHBC, DETR, RTPI, RIBA) 1997 - Smithfield Buildings
Housing Design Award (NHBC, DETR, RTPI, RIBA) 1998 - Smithfield Buildings
Housing Design Award (NHBC, DETR, RTPI, RIBA) 1999 - Collegiate
Housing Design Award (NHBC, DETR, RTPI, RIBA) 2000 - Chorlton Park
Housing Design Award (NHBC, DETR, RTPI, RIBA) 2000 - Timber Wharf
Housing Design Award (NHBC, DETR, RTPI, RIBA) 2001 - Tea Factory
Shortlisted for Best Commissioner Award 2001
RIBA Client of the Year 2002
Housing Corporation Award (NHBC, DETR, RTPI, RIBA) 2003 - Chorlton Park
Housing Design Award (NHBC, DETR, RTPI, RIBA) 2003, Highly Commended - Box Works
Housing Design Award (NHBC, DETR, RTPI, RIBA) 2003, Highly Commended - Old Haymarket
Housing Design Award (NHBC, DETR, RTPI, RIBA) 2003 - Burton Place
Housing Design Award (NHBC, DETR, RTPI, RIBA) 2003 - Timber Wharf
Housing Design Award (ODPM, NHBC, RTPI, RIBA) 2005 - Clarence & Brewhouse Buildings
Housing Design Award (ODPM, NHBC, RTPI, RIBA) 2005 - Langworthy
Housing Design Award (DCLG, NHBC, RTPI, RIBA) 2006 – Burton Place
Housing Design Award (DCLG, NHBC, RTPI, RIBA) 2006 – Piercy Street
Housing Design Award (NHBC, DETR, RTPI, RIBA) 2007 - Lake Shore
Housing Design Award (DCLG, NHBC, RTPI, RIBA) 2008 - Overall completed Chimney Pot Park
Housing Design Award (DCLG, NHBC, RTPI, RIBA) 2008 - Historic Award Smithfield Building
Housing Design Award (DCLG, NHBC, RTPI, RIBA) 2008 - Project Award, Tribeca Housing
Housing Design Award (DCLG, NHBC, RTPI, RIBA) 2008 - Project Award, Tribeca Phase 1
RIBA Crown Estate Conservation Award 2009 - Midland Hotel

Posted in Chips, Manchester, Mills Bakery, New Islington, Plymouth, Royal William Yard, Tom Bloxham MBE, Urban Splash | No comments »

A bird’s eye view of Royal William Yard

Thursday, May 13th, 2010

roya_005

You’ve probably read a lot about Royal William Yard recently. We’ve certainly had a busy month; the new moorings, the waterbus and the Seco Lounge restaurant, but one thing you’ve probably not yet read about is the newest, winged member of our team!

This month, a hawk joined us at the Yard with a view to assisting the seagull control scheme existing around Plymouth waterfront. The hawk’s first flight was last week, and his trainer guided his flight over the scheme in order that he could get used to the buildings. The hawk returned a few days later to fly around the scheme once more, avoiding Melville and Cooperage whilst issues with their roofs were resolved.

He’ll be back again in a few days time and will be a regular feature at the scheme moving forward.

Posted in Paul Clifton, Plymouth, Royal William Yard, Urban Splash | No comments »

Our new office atrium at Mills Bakery by Emily Jones

Tuesday, July 21st, 2009

I don’t have a bad job me - I’ve spent this week in perhaps the only sunny part of the UK (Plymouth), surrounded by the beauty of the Royal William Yard.

It’s idyllic, particularly when you’re sat in the sunshine outside the restaurant space looking out to the estuary.

The latest dimension to the Yard is a new office atrium. Housed within the contrasting confines of the Grade I listed Mills Bakery, the atrium is just weeks away from being finished and will be a great location for any business. Workers will have great views (tranquil enough to calm any work crisis!), fancy new space and the use of the new restaurant and retail space on the ground floor of Mills Bakery (which, we hope will be occupied soon!).

I’m looking forward to letting this space and getting tenants in… I wonder who’s going to take it!

mills_bakery
Mills Bakery construction progress (left) and what the finished building will look like (right)