Thinking Buildings

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Keep up to date with what’s happening at Thinking Buildings

What Our Clients Need To Know About The Building Safety Act

The Building Safety Act 2022 represents one of the most significant overhauls of construction regulations in recent memory, introducing stricter rules to enhance safety standards across the built environment. If you’re planning a building project, you may have come across the role of the Principal Designer, a term that might sound familiar from the Construction…
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Bloxham Primary Continues On Site

The new school hall at Bloxham Primary School is progressing at pace, with the main structure and exterior up, and work commenced on the existing parts of the school too. It’s great to see the new hall space, and you can really see how it is coming together. We will continue to update you on…
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Construction Continues at School Site

Work is progressing well at John Port Spencer Academy in Etwall, Derbyshire, where we’re working with Bailey Construction to build an extension to one of the science buildings. The site presents some challenges, as it is of archaeological interest and it has a noticeable slope. The contiguous piled retaining wall and the concrete piles that will support…
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Sports Development for Bloxham School

Our latest education spotlight focuses on our experience of designing sports facilities in the independent school sector. Following on from our £5.5 million sports building for Kingham Hill School, we have been working hard to develop a site wide sports masterplan for Bloxham School. Recently submitted to planning, the scheme provides much enhanced facilities to…
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Congratulations on 10 years Gareth!

We are so pleased to share that our Associate, Gareth, has been a valuable member of our team here at Thinking Buildings for 10 years this week! Gareth studied architecture at De Montfort University in Leicester and joined us in 2014. His wide portfolio of work spans the residential, community, commercial and educational sectors. His…
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Building Your Dream Home In The Countryside

For many, the idea of building a new home in the countryside is a dream that seems out of reach. However, the little known Paragraph 84 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPFF) offers a possibility that few might have considered achievable. This provision allows for the construction of new isolated homes in the countryside under special circumstances, offering…
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School Site Improvements To Bring Real Change

Thinking Buildings continues to work with The de Ferrers Trust to help them deliver changes and improvements across their schools. We’re currently working with them at Granville Academy in Woodville, Swadlincote, Derbyshire. Working with Davlyn Construction and SA Consulting, we’re helping to vastly improve the main external social space at the academy. The works comprise of external steps, ramps,…
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Our Derbyshire Offices On The BBC!

At the beginning of the month, the offices which our Derbyshire team use, were featured on the BBC Antiques Roadshow. Constructed in 1771, and now a World Heritage Site, Cromford Mills in Cromford, Derbyshire, became the birthplace of the factory system which would change the way things were made around the world to this day. …
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Office and Warehouse Remodelling, Banbury

We are delighted to have received planning consent for the significant remodelling of an existing office and warehousing building in Banbury for the Brady Corporation. Working with Hawkins, Thinking Buildings have developed the design for this Design & Build contract. The project includes full fabric upgrading to meet current Building Regulations, which will significantly improve energy…
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Nursery School Part Q Barn Conversion

This is a project with some real vision behind it. Our client owns an existing agricultural barn, and came to us to help with the design to convert it under Part Q permitted development rights, into a new commercial building. The proposed building will provide a new premises for an existing popular nursery, providing them…
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Sensitive Landscape Integration For A New Home

Here we have the site plan from another successful planning permission, obtained earlier this year. Thinking Buildings worked with Savills planning consultants and NDLA landscape architects to reach a positive outcome for our clients on this challenging site. The plot is a small paddock attached to a larger dwelling, which had previously been developed with…
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Contemporary New Build in Cheltenham

Whilst we are busy working on several school projects at present, it’s not all education at Thinking Buildings. Our other main area of work is in higher end homes, often for private individuals or smaller luxury developers. This is a new build contemporary house that recently gained planning consent in Cheltenham. The design provides 4…
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Planning Approval For Heanor Gate Sixth Form

Today’s education spotlight is on the new sixth form and teaching building at Heanor Gate Spencer Academy in Derbyshire, that recently gained planning consent. This project provides a striking new focal point on the site for the school’s post 16 provision with a new social space, study areas, and seminar rooms.  Our team are currently…
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Science Expansion Build Sequence

This week we have a new video for you, showcasing another of our education projects. This is a build sequence model and video of the new science building at John Port School, in Etwall, Derbyshire. The project has recently started on site and this shows the main sequencing of how the science expansion will be…
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Praise from Hatherop Primary School

“I wanted to write on behalf of the School with sincere thanks for all your hard work and significant contribution towards the successful planning application submitted for Hatherop School. We are all very grateful for your guidance, support, professional advice and final submission documents – working with us through this process and putting up with…
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Contemporary Family Home In London

We’re delighted a project in north London, which has been with us for over 8 years, is very close to completion. This project, for a new family home in north London, came to us after a failed planning application. The local planning authority have proved very difficult to work with, but after much persistence, we…
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Northamptonshire Village Pre-School

This week’s education spotlight focuses on this fantastic project to provide a new pre-school building alongside an existing village hall in Northamptonshire. This a complex project, located in a conservation area, with challenging topography and site constraints. The design approach is to provide a familiar and sensitive building form, but with a number of contemporary…
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What is a Certified Passive House?

By now, you may be familiar with the general concepts of what makes a Passivhaus or Passive House.  A high quality home which prioritises the comfort and wellbeing of it’s occupants through superior air quality, and which is energy efficient with cheaper running costs.  In order for a home to become certified, it must be…
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5 Years For Jess!

We are very pleased to say that our Architectural Technologist, Jessica Moore, is celebrating being with us here at Thinking Buildings for 5 years!  Jess graduated from The University of Derby with a BSc in Architectural Technology and Practice, and joined us in 2019. Based in our Derbyshire team, Jess was recently heavily involved in…
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Alexandra Park School Sixth Form Video

Our Education project spotlight continues with a fly around of this new sixth form building at Alexandra Park School in Haringey, London. Construction is due to start on site this summer and we’re really excited to see this one rise up from the ground.  Obtaining planning was a challenge on an extremely constrained site located…
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Luxury Cars Sales Site Moves Forward

We’re delighted to confirm that our luxury cars sales site in Leicestershire is moving ahead, with Thinking Buildings now commissioned to develop the detailed design to meet the technical standards, and support the tendering process. The scheme is for the construction of a purpose designed site for luxury car sales in Leicestershire. Our client, Hillmoren, currently…
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The Thinking Buildings Summer Social 2024!

It’s not quite all work this month as we have just come back from a great trip away in the Lake District for our annual summer get together.  We took in the magnificent cathedral cave on one of our walks and also took part in some Canadian canoeing.  We canoed up Lake Coniston to a beautiful island,…
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New Case Study – John Port Spencer Academy Post 16

This week we bring you another case study, this time of our recently completed educational expansion at John Port Spencer Academy in Etwall, Derbyshire. Thinking Buildings were initially appointed by the Spencer Academy Trust to develop a site-wide masterplan to expand the John Port Spencer Academy school in order to provide additional pupil places. The…
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Contemporary Garden Room

This stylish project moves onto site this week. The scheme, to provide a new, contemporary garden room to the rear of an existing Oxfordshire cottage, will replace a dated traditional style conservatory. The project is being built by Barr Construction, and will feature slimline glazing, and a bronze coloured zinc roof. The garden room vastly…
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John Port Post 16

Ahead of another full case study soon to be added to our website, a little teaser image of our recently competed Post 16 building at John Port School in Derbyshire. This is a fantastic new facility and centre point for the schools sixth form provision. The building is purposely collegiate and grown up in its…
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What does your building say about your business identity?

As a business, your physical office is a key part of how you make an impression, both on clients and on employees. An attractive environment can help you win work, and attract and retain the best talent. We have just submitted an application for this office refurbishment scheme, to refresh the corporate identity of the…
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The Right Time for Heat Pumps?

The Passivhaus Trust have recently released best practice guidance on ‘The right time for heat pumps: decarbonising home heating in a staged retrofit’. Their document discusses the how and when to make the switch from gas boilers to heat pumps in order to avoid unintended consequences, such as increased running costs or a reduction in thermal comfort.…
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Oxfordshire site redevelopment

This exciting mixed use site redevelopment close to Oxford is taking shape as it progresses towards a planning application. The scheme redevelops an existing commercial site with 2 new proposed buildings; a 3 storey, 500m2 office building, and a 9 unit apartment building. The design includes soft tonal brickwork and zinc standing seam cladding with…
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Holiday lets farm diversification rural modern contemporary brick timber cladding visualisation

New Case Study – Holiday Let Development

A new case study for our commercial works is this development of holiday lets for farm diversification. Thinking Buildings have been working with this client over a number of years, first to design a new farmhouse, which opened up the site for this development, which was the location of the previous farmhouse. The farm already…
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Welcome to the team Paul!

We are delighted to have welcomed Paul to Thinking Buildings this week. With such a busy outlook, we have decided to strengthen the team. He joins as an Architectural Assistant, whilst he also completes his final year of part 2 architectural study. He will bring much needed assistance to projects which both Gareth and Darren…
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Listed Building Consent For Care Home

We’re excited to share our latest project update with you: our continued work in the care home sector, specifically our collaboration with an existing client on a scheme for listed building consent at a care home. Thinking Buildings recognises the importance of managing historic buildings and the necessary process of change, especially in sensitive environments…
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Integrated Photo Voltaic Panels

Here’s an interesting idea. Building integrated Photo Voltaic panels. What’s that I hear you ask? When it comes to fixing solar panels to a roof, it’s all about making sure they stay put, while also being mindful of the roof’s structure. For sloped roofs, which are the most common, roof hooks or brackets are securely…
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developer listed building apartment Georgian Cotswolds Cirencester stone townhouses

Listed Townhouse Case Study

We have another case study to share! We’ve recently added to the portfolio of developer housing projects, this Grade II* listed building conversion. The original building was a schoolhouse, and is located in central historic Cirencester. With declining use, and having fallen increasingly into disrepair, Thinking Buildings were appointed to provide proposals for reuse of…
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Dementia Unit Planning Approval

Thinking Buildings has been working with a Derbyshire care home provider for over 3 years. They currently operate 2 cares homes in the Derbyshire Dales. In 2021 it became clear an extension was needed to one of their care homes to address the under provision of specialist dementia care spaces in the local area. Many…
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Planning Permission For Super Car Site

We’re delighted to announce that one of our projects has been granted full planning approval! The scheme is for the construction of a purpose designed site for luxury car sales in Leicestershire. Our client, Hillmoren, currently operates from a small site approximately 1 mile from the application site. The existing site is constrained by an…
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Works To Start On New Science Building

Thinking Buildings are delighted to confirm works will soon be progressing to building a new Science facility at John Port Spencer Academy near Derby.  Local contractor Bailey Construction has been appointed and will start work in June. John Port is undergoing an expansion to increase its capacity for both 11-16 and sixth form students. This is the 3rd…
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Contemporary Home, Cheltenham

We want to share another peak at our new house project that was recently submitted for planning consent. Whilst the front is strongly articulated by a series of interlocking architectural forms and overhanging first floor, the design to the rear is simpler, focusing on good proportions, soft tonal materials and the use of subtle brickwork…
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full glass and metal fronted large building exposed red staircase Leicester University social hub

Percy Gee Case Study

Our latest case study on the website is the Percy Gee Building at Leicester University.  The shell and core design provided by Shepheard Epstein Hunter was built out by Stepnells contractors, who then appointed Thinking Buildings to help deliver the interior fit out package. A key building in the wider re-development of the university’s student…
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Bloxham Listed Cottage

Thinking Buildings are delighted to have been involved in this project to renovate and extend this beautiful Grade II listed cottage in Bloxham. The works included gaining planning and listed building consent for a beautifully crafted oak framed bay window extension to the rear to connect the new kitchen to the lovely cottage garden. The…
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Marlborough moves to technical design

It’s been a busy start to 2024 with numerous education projects coming forward for Thinking Buildings. Technical design has just started on the proposed expansion of The Marlborough School in Woodstock. The works include a new 6 classroom teaching block, internal re-modelling and reconfiguration of existing spaces, a new sports changing room extension, and significant…
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New House, Kent

This week, for pure indulgence, we bring you what is still one of our favourite views of this new house project in Kent. This image wonderfully illustrates how the house steps to respond to the sloping site. The interplay and separation of building form was also really important to minimise visual impact, perceived mass, and…
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Penkridge, Staffordshire modern home passivhaus standard timber cladding zinc pond reflection

New Case Study – Passivhaus Home

The latest addition to our detailed case studies is this fantastic house in South Staffordshire. The house replaced an existing cottage on the site, which had been repeatedly, unsympathetically extended, and suffered from damp, and poor insulation. The client asked us to use Passivhaus principals to create a modern, high-performance replacement dwelling. The local authority…
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What is a Mechanical Ventilation With Heat Recovery System (MVHR)?

Put simply, MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery) provides fresh filtered air into a building whilst retaining most of the energy that has already been used in heating the air and building. This is different to most natural ventilation scenarios where stale hot air (from kitchens and bathrooms) is simply exhausted outside along with the…
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Pre-School goes to Planning

This great scheme for a new pre-school building has just been submitted for planning approval. The design has been developed to fit with the traditional architecture of the surrounding conservation area, but with a contemporary and fun twist. The entrance is framed by a pop up zinc roof that allows for a discreet signage zone…
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Luxury Cotswold Country Home

We wanted to share another view of the stunning new Cotswolds country home that recently gained planning consent. Located within the village conservation area, and adjacent to a number of listed buildings, this substantial new house is traditional in character using a palette of local materials, with limestone walling under a diminishing stone slate roof.…
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Congratulations Leigh!

We are very proud to say that our Architectural Assistant, Leigh, has now been with us here at Thinking Buildings for 5 years!  Leigh graduated in 2012 from the University of Lincoln as a Bachelor of Architecture and started working with us in 2019. Based at our Oxford offices, Leigh is responsible for a lot…
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Post 16 Building Opens!

We’re delighted that our very own Jess has officially opened the new Post 16 building at John Port Spencer Academy in Etwall, Derby. Jess was invited to open the building due to being a former pupil, and having been actively involved in the delivery of the new Post 16 building. She has personally overseen much…
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Spring Revamp for Bloxham School

We’re happy to share that Bloxham Primary School’s new hall will be going to site this spring. Thanks to approved funding, Oxfordshire County Council will appoint Beard Construction to build out the scheme, which got planning approval in April 2023. Thinking Buildings, Solid Engineering, CBG and our other consultants will spend the next few weeks…
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Hook Norton Barn

Our new barn design near Hook Norton is progressing well on site with the slate roof now complete. Whilst we are not involved in the site phase it is great to see the build emerging. This new dwelling is part of a farm diversification and improvement scheme. Thinking Buildings has experienced a big growth in…
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developer apartment new build gap site city centre brick stone zinc cladding visualisation

New Case Study – Apartment Building, East Oxford

Our latest case study we have shared to the website is this development of nine apartments in East Oxford. Planning permission was obtained in 2022 for this challenging single aspect, gap site. Find out more about this project and how we can help developers get the best return from complex plots in the full case…
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Sustainable Office Breakthrough in Falkland Islands

We’re thrilled to announce our continued collaboration with Consolidated Fisheries Limited (CFL) in the Falkland Islands as we embark on designing their cutting-edge new office building. Our journey with CFL began in 2018, exploring possibilities for a groundbreaking office space. After obtaining outline planning approval in 2019 for a prime location on the outskirts of Stanley, we’re…
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Jess To Officially Open JPSA Post 16!

Our Technologist Jess, who left John Port Spencer Academy in 2012, has come full circle, having been actively involved in the delivery of the new Post 16 building. She has personally overseen much of the process, from the initial design and planning stages, to construction information, along with regular site meetings.  After leaving the school,…
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Congratulations Rachel!

We are very proud to celebrate the fact that Rachel has been an Architect here with us at Thinking Buildings for 10 years!!  It proves we can’t be too bad to work with! Rachel has built up a wealth of knowledge since becoming qualified in 2010 and has worked on some fantastic projects while she’s…
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Eco Glamping Pods

The trend of glamping appears to be growing year by year. Glamping, for those who haven’t experienced it, is an increasingly popular type of holiday that combines the freedom and adventure of the great outdoors with the comfort and luxury of a cottage holiday. It’s a way to camp while still enjoying modern and comfortable…
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Luxury Cotswold New Build

This wonderful new build house is located in the Cotswolds, towards the edge of an existing village, with enviable views out over open countryside. The site is located within a conservation area and in fairly close proximity to a listed building. The client’s brief was to maximise the site to create a substantial, new build,…
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Triple Glazed Windows: Are they the future?

In the ever-evolving world of architecture and sustainable living, the quest for energy efficiency has led to innovations in building materials, with windows becoming more important in the pursuit of greener, more sustainable homes. Walls, floors and roofs have come a long way, so for windows, the next step is triple glazing. The transition from…
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Bespoke Oak Framed New Build

Large one off houses and oak frames are one of our main areas of work. This project in Hook Norton builds upon our oak frame expertise, and our experience of designing substantial bespoke houses for our clients. This beautiful house, close to SOHO farmhouse, is situated in a lovely, yet sensitive, edge of village location.…
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New pre-school design

A happy way to start the new year by sharing this really fun and interesting design for a pre-school. Notice the green roof, as we have very little opportunity to meet the biodiversity net gain requirements on this constrained site. We suspect that this will become a more popular feature on sites like this, where…
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Bloxham Primary work to start

It’s great to see our exciting school project at Bloxham Primary school receiving some publicity in the Banbury Guardian This project will really transform the school providing a new school hall and full production kitchen, together with a multi purpose studio space. The project has been developed with Beard, SOLID Structures & Infrastructure and CBG…
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Cirencester School Conversion

Powell’s School House is a Grade II* listed property (particularly important buildings of more than special interest) located close to the centre of Cirencester. Thinking Buildings were initially appointed as architects for a feasibility study for the conversion of the school house from education to residential use. The existing school house was significantly compromised for…
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Heat Pumps: Is This The Future of Home Heating in the UK?

As concerns about climate change intensify, heat pumps are much talked about in the media. The spotlight on sustainable low-carbon technologies grows brighter, and heat pumps emerge as potential green heating solutions. But, what exactly is a heat pump and how do they work? You may not know much about them and they tend to…
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Season’s Greetings from Thinking Buildings!

“Even sixth formers still believe in Santa!“ Stylised and festivised image of Thinking Buildings project for John Port Spencer Academy, 2023 And so here we are at the end of another great year at Thinking Buildings! Huge thanks for the continued support from our clients, contractors, consultants and suppliers.  There have been some truly memorable projects…
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Planning Application for New Post 16

Exciting news as a planning application has been submitted for another new post-16 and teaching building for a large multi Academy Trust in Derbyshire. The project originally started in 2019 as a school development plan and feasibility study to explore options to expand the school to support anticipated demand for increased pupil places from nearby…
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Oxfordshire Home Transformation

Ahead of a more detailed case study piece, here’s a snapshot of a recently completed project close to our Bloxham office. This project has transformed a tired, post war house, into a fantastic contemporary home for our clients. This photo shows the re-modeled front elevation with a new covered entrance, over-rendering, new and adapted window…
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10 Things To Avoid When Building Your Dream Home

Building a house is a complex and costly endeavor, and mistakes can be both financially and emotionally taxing. It will likley be the most expensive undertaking of your life. Here are 10 common mistakes to avoid: 1. Poor PlanningInadequate planning can lead to design flaws, budget overruns, and delays. Thoroughly plan every aspect of your…
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Cotswold School Expansion Planning Submitted

We continue to be busy in the education sector and have recently submitted a planning application for this significant school redevelopment.  This project involves a primary school in the Cotswolds in a conservation area surrounded by listed buildings. It is traditional in shape but with contemporary detailing – making it legible as a new addition…
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Contemporary House, Cheltenham

This fantastic new contemporary house in Cheltenham has been submitted for planning approval. Working with the client and James Griffin of Zesta Planning Ltd the design responds to a number of challenging site constraints.  A private driveway leads to the parking area and entrance, and a sense of drama is provided by the overhanging first…
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QM Audit Passed!

We are very pleased to announce that we have passed our annual QM audit this year and the practice remains fully QM 9001 and QM 14001 certified through our accreditor QMS Connect. ISO 9001 is a Quality Management System Standard that is recognised throughout the world. It’s a powerful business improvement tool, providing the framework…
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New Build Barn, Milton, Oxfordshire

We are delighted with the professional photos we have had done by Andrew Hatfield Architectural Photographer featuring this super cool interior. This is the entrance to our new barn project with the curved oak clad walls providing WC, utility, and storage spaces to support the open plan living space. Thinking Buildings were shortlisted with this project…
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Oak Framed Bay, Oxfordshire

We wanted to give you a follow up to our previous post about this project now it’s nearing completion. This is a relatively small and modest project for us, involving a new oak framed bay to a Grade II listed house. Whilst small in scale this type of work is big in terms of detail…
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London Sixth Form Planning Submitted

We have fantastic news that this scheme for a new sixth form building at a London secondary school has been submitted for planning. Part of the land is designated as Green Belt Metropolitan Open Land (MOL) and Thinking Buildings and Edgars have been carefully masterminding a ‘needs’ case to gain the support of the Planning Authority with…
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Work continues at John Port Sixth Form

Admittedly this is not a particularly glamorous picture, but it does show work continues apace on the expansion to the sixth form building at John Port Spencer Academy in Derby. The steel frame and roofs are now complete and work continues on the external walls, windows and internal fit out. It’s not apparent from the photos,…
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The Use Of Zinc For Homes & Houses

At Thinking Buildings we often use zinc elements in our residential projects. It is a versatile material suitable for various architectural styles and design applications. It can be used in contemporary, traditional, and historical building projects, looking equally appropriate and attractive in various contexts. Zinc has a long history of use in construction. Zinc’s earliest…
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Berkshire Farm Diversification

Our next farm diversification project is confirmed, and it involves the restoration and conversion of this beautiful and interesting listed building. The wider project involves a strategic masterplan and option appraisal for a courtyard of existing traditional barns; the project will explore and consider conversion to offices, holiday lets, a wedding venue and potentially a…
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10 Reasons To Build a Passivhaus

Building a Passivhaus, also known as a Passive House, offers several benefits: 1. Energy Efficiency: Passivhaus design principles prioritise high levels of insulation, airtightness, and high-quality windows/doors. This leads to significantly reduced energy consumption for heating and cooling, resulting in lower utility bills. 2. Comfort: Passivhaus buildings provide consistent indoor comfort throughout the year, with…
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Cotswold Barn Conversion

We’re happy to be able to share that this scheme near Fulbrook has recently been granted planning permission. The complex of existing barns are proposed to be converted to a four bed house, with a two bed guest suite, home office or gym space, and extensive garage and storage space. The main house benefits from…
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Steel Frame Underway At John Port School

Work continues at John Port Spencer Academy School in Derby, where we are involved in the expansion of the sixth form provision. John Port is undergoing an expansion to increase its capacity for both 11-16 and sixth form students. The sixth form works involve the construction of an extension to the existing sixth form building and other…
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Oak framing, Oxfordshire

Not all of our work is large scale. We work on smaller scale projects where our skills and experience add value to the process for our clients. This image is a traditional oak frame for a new bay window and French doors on a listed cottage close to our Bloxham office. Whilst small in scale,…
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National Park Barn Conversion

This project is for a new dwelling in a National Park to replace an existing ramshackle agricultural barn. It’s one of two really exciting projects we are currently developing with a large landholder as part of a strategic masterplan for the Estate. The architecture is landscape led, discretely designed to reflect the shapes and materials…
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Education, Education, Education….

We have some fantastic education projects in the pipeline including three new sixth form buildings. This particular scheme is for a new sixth form building at a London secondary school. It will provide a new focal point for the sixth form on the site with a fantastic new social space with café and outdoor dining…
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New Offices For Falklands

We’re delighted to once again be working with a company in the Falklands to design them a new office building. Thinking Buildings have been working with Consolidated Fisheries Limited since 2018/19, looking at options for building a new office building. Outline planning approval was granted in 2019 for the development of a new site on the outskirts…
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The Thinking Buildings Summer Social 2023

The Thinking Buildings team work very hard, but we can also play hard too!  At the end of last month we had our annual summer get together and we took ourselves off to Wales for 2 days.   First up was a very memorable trip to Zip World in Bethesda.  The intrepid team (minus Amanda,…
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Secondary School Expansion, Woodstock

We are excited to have submitted a planning application for the expansion of The Marlborough Secondary School in Woodstock, Oxfordshire. The project includes a new 2 storey teaching building to provide an additional 6 classrooms plus supporting accommodation, various internal works and an extension of the sports building to provide 2 new sports changing rooms.…
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Cottage Project Obtains Consent

We have had the fantastic news that planning has been granted for this cottage project involving a full renovation and significant side and rear extensions in a traditional style. A detached, oak framed out-building provides car parking, garden store and a home office within the loft space. We look forward to bringing you more as…
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Listed Buildings Have Many Uses . . .

The core of the Listed Building Consent process is to establish if the proposed works and use are compatible with the historic significance of the existing structure. Part of this is the function of the building. Sometimes changing the function or use of a building is a bigger hurdle than any other part of the…
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The Top 10 Passivhaus Myths

In the UK we have become so used to living in high energy consuming, draughty or stuffy buildings that most people find it hard to imagine how they would feel living in a Passivhaus. Here are the 10 most common misconceptions: A Passivhaus doesn’t rely on the occupant to open the windows as the mechanical…
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Brilliant Build It Live!

We were pleased to attend the Build It 2023 exhibition at Bicester Heritage in early June.  Having been shortlisted for ‘Best Architect for a Self-Build Project’ in 2022 it was great to attend an event alongside other industry leading professionals providing a wealth of knowledge for the self-build market.  There was a host of informative…
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Kingham Hill School Sports Facility

Sports buildings and facilities are a really important part of what a school offers its students. This fantastic project, gleaming in the sun, is the new sports building at Kingham Hill School near Chipping Norton. Thinking Buildings secured this project after winning a limited design competition to replace outdated accommodation with a brief to deliver…
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New Farmhouse, Oxfordshire

A sneak preview of our recent new traditional farmhouse project now that the landscape is starting to mature and soften. More to follow on this beautiful project once the professional photographs are completed. Built by Kingerlee Ltd with SWJ Consulting Ltd. providing structural engineering and Infrastruct Cs Limited providing drainage design. 
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Seminars And Workshops At Build It This Weekend!

If you come along to Build It Live this weekend using your free tickets above, not only will you be able to see us on stand E4, where we would love to talk about your next project, there is also a wealth of seminars and workshops running all weekend. With our passion for sustainable projects…
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Free Tickets for Build It Live!

This is the project with which Thinking Buildings were shortlisted for ‘Best Architect For A Self-Build Project’ at the Build It Awards 2022 and we are giving away tickets for you to attend the exhibition this year! Just click above! We will be on stand E4 and would love to chat with you about your…
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Milton Oxfordshire shortlisted for the Build It Awards 2022 glass extension glass Juliet balcony Cotswold stone outdoor seating

We’re at Build It Live!

Last year Thinking Buildings were shortlisted for ‘Best Architect For A Self-Build Project’ at the Build It Awards. This year we will be exhibiting at the Bicester Build It annual exhibition. For over 20 years, Build It magazine has been the go to publication for those looking to self-build, renovate or extend properties.  The shows…
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Dementia Unit Planning Application

A planning application was submitted in 2022 for the extension of this Derbyshire care home facility to create a much needed dedicated dementia unit. Projections for 2017 to 2040 suggest a 74% rise in those with dementia. We need to plan for more support, both at home, but also in dedicated units for those with…
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Low Energy House Out To Tender

Thinking Buildings have been working with a private client in Warwickshire to develop plans for a low-energy home. A bungalow occupies the existing site and this will form the basis for a new house. It will undergo a complete renovation and transformation. The roof will be taken off and replaced with a new timber-framed first…
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Modern Farmhouse Case Study, Northamptonshire

As promised, we’re pleased to be able to share this case study for a new farmhouse in Northamptonshire. The form is based on agricultural buildings, with a Dutch barn steel frame, which has been elevated by the high quality materials used to clad it. The resulting house is both modern family home and hub for…
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Holiday Let Planning Approved

We are delighted to have achieved planning consent for a new holiday let development. This new arrival building will provide communal social space, and 3 new holiday let units alongside a U shaped courtyard of further holiday lets. The design is traditional in shape but using contemporary touches and detailing. This scheme has evolved from…
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Elm Tree Farmhouse

We wanted to give you a sneak peek of an upcoming case study we are working on following completion of this replacement farmhouse in a Dutch barn style. The building is clad in Thermowood that is extremely durable with high performance aluminium windows and doors.  The entrance is framed in dark grey metal standing seam…
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Modern Barn Conversion

Our latest project on the virtual drawing board is this design to convert an existing modern agricultural building into a fantastic new home. These large format buildings often have lots of internal volume to create generous amounts of living space. This design has 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, formal sitting room and a vast open plan…
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Renovation work starts on site

It is always exciting to see a project start on site and to see the many months, and sometimes years, of virtual hard work become reality. This project will transform this outdated and awkward looking house into a modern family home for our clients with new front, side and rear extensions and a beautiful open…
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