An innovative & progressive studio of architects based in Newmarket, Suffolk and Canary Wharf, London Sponsorship of local football team
The Johns Practice Sponsor a newly formed football team ‘Eastbury Eagles’ who play in the fourth division of the Bury & District Sunday Football League (www.framesconservatoriesdirectsundayleague.co.uk).
The team was formed and is jointly managed by Paul Brockwell, an employee of The Johns Practice and two of his good friends.
Currently Eastbury Eagles are positioned mid table in league and top of the league cup group B.
The main target for the season is to finish mid to top of the league and reach the league cup final.
Please visit the team website www.eastburyeaglesfc.co.uk
Eastbury Eagles
East Anglian Daily Times Awards
The Johns Practice were shortlisted in this years East Anglian Daily Times for the Small Business Category and Marketing Category.
The Practice attended the awards ceremony which took place on 19th November 2009 at the glittering ceremony Trinity Park conference centre. The evening began with a Champaign reception, followed by a three course dinner. After entertainment from mind reader Graham Jolley and a prize draw in support of East Anglia`s Children�s Hospices, the awards ceremony took place by the host – ITV weather presenter Becky Mantin.
The Practice were finalist for the Small Business award and in the final category for Marketing. The suspense grew as a video about our office was played, the gold envelope was undone and The Johns Practice was announced as the winners for the marketing award.
Jan, Keith and Rebecca were over the moon, 7 months of hard work had paid off. Please see below a photo of the evening.
Award
The Sustainable Symposium – 25th February 2010
Image from The Sustainable Symposium
Our most recent Symposium on the important subject ‘Sustainability’ took place in our Newmarket office on 25th February 2010. With 12 different companies in attendance this proved to be our most popular event to date. The day began with a presentation by Keith Johns (Managing Director), introducing the audience to The Johns Practice.
Vic Grabecki (Senior Architect) continued with the 3 topics for discussion which were: No1 – Current legislation, political frame work and barriers to progress, No2 – The Refurbishment Market and No3 – Passive Design Solutions.
The 3 topics led to an exciting debate with all attendees getting involved.
Testimonials:
- “Excellent opportunity to meet and discuss the relevant issues with peers and work towards solutions to the problems facing the industry” Lovell Partnerships
- “I found the symposium a good debating ground and interesting” Freebridge Community Housing
- “Great discussion forum, kept the discussion going a well and on tract (&time!)” MLM
- “Discussions very interesting. It is very unusual to get the opportunity to discuss issues with other people within the industry but from different back grounds”
- “Excellent event – informative and thought provoking. Thank you for the invite”
- “An excellent day”
- “An impressive range of recent projects demonstrating a responsiveness to individual needs and locations”
- “It was interesting to hear views from different sectors/industries than just one”
- “An interesting and informative day”
If you’d like to be invited to attend future symposiums then please register your interest here
The next Sustainable Symposium is taking place in out London office on 18th March 2010, which we are really looking forward to.
DEMENTIA : THE ONE ISSUE WE MUST NEVER FORGET!
Whilst the population of Britain has been relatively stable of late and only a modest growth predicted over the next 25 years, changes in the age structure profiles are posing serious problems.
The number of pensionable people is projected to increase from nearly 11.4 million in 2006 to 12.2 million in 2011 and will rise to over 15.9 million in 2031.
This growth will impact on many aspects of life and is likely to increase the demand for more homes which can meet the needs of elderly and very elderly people.
Dementia is a particular problem in that It is predicted that over the next 30 years.
The number of people with the condition will double to about 1.2 million.
The cost to the Economy for both formal and informal care is expected to rise from £15.9bn in 2009 to £34.8bn in 2026. (figures supplied by NAO).
So much can be done with design to aid not only the sufferers but also the management of buildings and their carers.
I believe these design principles should be applied to all Care and Extra Care Homes for the future, and a programme of upgrading applied to all existing sheltered housing to bring them in line with new thinking and technology.
It is a fact that more and more people will develop dementia and or some form of physical disability and every housing scheme should be able to cater for the increase and pressure this will bring.
It is not acceptable to provide separate home or care establishments and move people on. Their home is their home and should be for life. The home should therefore be able to provide for all eventualities of mental and physical care for the lifetime of the occupants and the building.
If a building is designed correctly it can save money in care and management facilities and in turn put less strain on social service providers.
Going Retro
I like to pride myself as being described as someone who gets things done and an employer who employs men and women of action. 2009 was a very exciting and challenging year for TJP and as we enter 2010 I am definitely feeling a sense of all our actions in 2009 having a positive effect this year.
The phrase ‘What’s next?’ is an important one for architects this year. Not that we are clamouring to do the newest most fashionable build, but as a call to action. There are several burning issues but one in particular which needs our attention and is one which is going to be the most important of the next decade; Sustainability coupled with affordability.
I do not have any pictures of Polar Bears on melting ice caps for you all to sigh over but I do have facts. They may not pull on the heart strings but they definitely paint a picture of what is most definitely a NOW ISSUE.
I have a clear vision of Sustainability and how it relates to modern living. I know what can be done to make buildings more environmentally friendly, it’s what I and my team live by. Our design ethic not only meets the Sustainability Codes of today but looks to meet future Codes as well.
The Now Issue is not just how we fill Britain with fantastic beautiful eco friendly buildings.
The Now issue is also ‘How do we set about retrofitting the nation ready for the Emission Reduction target date of 2050.
The target is an 80% cut across the board in Co2 emissions by 2050. As is often the case with government issued targets, they are set, and yet the ways by which we achieve and as importantly, afford these targets, are quite often rather vague or absent.
But through the good work of people from such agencies as The Sustainable Energy Academy and the Building Research Establishment to name just two, we do have the information to move forward.
I called it the numbers game because it seems that although the target is set, the job thereafter due to the lack of funding, lack of resource and information, is for many, to find a way to get around the targets.
I don’t want to do that. I want to meet those targets.
By Keith Johns – Managing Director
The Sustainable Symposium – Pan Peninsula London
If you’d like to be invited to attend future symposiums then please register your interest here
The Sustainable Symposium – Newmarket
We are holding a sustainable symposium on 25th Feb 2010 in our Newmarket Office. Invitation below:
If you’d like to be invited to attend future symposiums then please register your interest here
Local Architects does a Career Talk.
On the 29th of January TJP went to Newmarket College and did a presentation to 15 year old students who are deciding their future career plans.
Vic and Charlotte went along and presented them with information on what is an Architect, what is Architecture, and what it takes to become a fully qualified Architect.
It was very positive so let’s hope we have got some up and coming creative talent on its way for the future of Architecture.
Further to our Visit to Newmarket College, we were delighted with the response. So much so we had a student contact us to say she is excited about the possibility of pursuing a career in modern architecture, more so since she attended our career talk. She was so inspired that it has fired her enthusiasm towards this career even more.
TJP with be taking the young student in the summer for her two week work experience, which we hope will continue to drive her to the land of architcture.
The Johns Practice wins Newmarket Business Association Awards
Below are editorials in the Suffolk Business Magazine:
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Recent Posts
- Sponsorship of local football team
- East Anglian Daily Times Awards
- The Sustainable Symposium – 25th February 2010
- Monthly Newsletter Launches!
- DEMENTIA : THE ONE ISSUE WE MUST NEVER FORGET!
- Going Retro
- The Sustainable Symposium – Pan Peninsula London
- The Sustainable Symposium – Newmarket
- Local Architects does a Career Talk.
- The Johns Practice wins Newmarket Business Association Awards
- Newmarket Architects – News Brochure
- Canary Wharf Editorial
- The Johns Practice Charity – “The Sky’s the Limit”