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Whittaker Prestidge Architects has been re-branded as W P Architects. We have re-designed and launched our new website and would greatly appreciate your feedback..... |
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Great Missenden Fire Station - The scheme to extend and refurbish the c1920's Fire Station is now out to tender with work expected to start in June 2009. A challenge to the fire crews, the contractor and the design team is that the station will continue to serve the community and remain fully operational during the course of the works. |
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We are pleased to confirm that we continue to work with Stantonbury Campus in Milton Keynes as we have now been commissioned by the Campus to carry out work to both their Sixth Form College and common room. The scheme will improve DDA access and provide much needed office accommodation. |
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BS 9999 Fire Safety Design in Buildings - Members of the practice recently attended an excellent seminar on this British Standard that came into force on 6 April 2009. It supersedes the majority of BS 5588 for fire safety design in buildings allowing a more flexible approach based on risk assessment. This is expected to bring benefits to areas such as extended travel distances, reduced staircase widths and possibly a reduction in structural fire resistance. We are now looking to apply this new BS to the schemes currently on the drawing board. |
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W P Architects were proud to be one of the prime sponsors of this year's Rotary School's Technology Tournament at Denbigh School in Milton Keynes. 26 teams undertook the task of constructing a vertical take off and landing projectile to be tested for height attained and accuracy of landing within a set area. The winner's shields were presented by the Mayor of Milton Keynes who expressed her congratulations to all who took part. |
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Several members of staff visited Ecobuild at London's Earls Court - 'the world's biggest event dedicated to sustainable design, construction and the built environment'. The main purpose was to talk to suppliers of biomass boilers, CHP and other renewable energy products primarily for use on 2 current projects - an hotel and student accommodation. |
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John Whittaker recently attended a most enjoyable morning as a guest of the North Hertfordshire Housing Association at Great Offley Hall Hotel near Hitchen. The Association provides a service across the commiunty and have both new build and refurbishment programmes, details of which were on display. The guest speaker, ex Member of Parliament Michael Portillo, was as entertaining as he was informative and his thoughts on the current economic climate and the social fabric of the country certainly struck a chord with his audience. |
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Parliment approved the move to unitary local government in Bedfordshire, Cheshire, Cornwall, Durham, Northumberland, Shropshire and Wiltshire between February and March 2008 - areas with a combined population of over 3.2 million people. A total of 44 local councils have been reduced to just nine. On 1 April 2009 the nine new authorities 'went live' so all are now up and running: Bedford Borough Council; Central Bedfordshire Council; Cheshire East Council; Cheshire West & Chester Council; Cornwall Council; Durham Council; Northumberland Council; Shropshire Council; Wiltshire Council. |
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A collection of photos gathered from recent trips made by members of WPA. |
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The Torre de Tavira - the rather unusual conversion of the town's former water tower which was built in 1931 into a Camera Obscura. The Torre de Tavira was founded in 2004 by the English astronomer Clive Jackson an his wife Gloria. The concrete tower (apparently a Mouchell pattern with Intze floor) was converted by Clive who also built and installed the optical equiipment. There is a modern lift to take visitors to the top of the tower. The Camera Obscura is an optical device that consists of a moveable mirror and two fixed lenses at the end of a tube a bit like a periscope. The light comes through a window, hits the mirror and passes through the lenses so that the image is reflected on the screen, enabling spectators to enjoy a 360 deg panorama of the town around the old water tower. |
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Previous news - March 2009 - Top of page |
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Site Map - Housing design - Industrial building design - Commercial building design - Interior design - Listed building consents - Retail - Project management - Contact us |
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