CLIENT COMMENTS:
Reece Strawbridge Youth Centre, Colyton
"One of the best breaks we had early in the development of our much-needed new youth, scout and pre-school building in Colyton was to engage with John Watts and his team at Olorun.
At our first meeting we presented John with a scheme for two rectangular levels. The floor plans had already been agreed with the users according to their need and this presented a particular challenge. How to design a building with low level windows on one side, so that 2-4 year olds could look at the view, substantial fenestration on another side to provide light for two large meetings halls, another elevation to overlook a playing field which would be in keeping with the sporting surroundings, and an elevation which would be seen from the houses across the road and by many passers-by?
John took this spec and gave it a wonderful, design, creating different elevations of great character which somehow blended as a whole. He topped it with a hipped, low, pagoda-like roof which minimised intrusion in the semi-rural surroundings. Despite this, the design was also for a building we could afford to construct, given that we had less than £1000 per square metre to spend on an ambitious community building.
John’s presence at site meetings with planning officers, district and parish councillors, and our own trustees was vital to our obtaining planning consents and building confidence in the project. He has remained a friend and advisor to the project throughout the build and after. Much praise has been won for the building, from the Leader of Devon County Council to the delighted Ofsted inspectors of the Caterpillars Pre-School |
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I have no doubt that without Olorun’s imaginative and subtle direction in both design and planning we would not have realised such a popular and well-used building for the young people of Colyton and the lower Axe Valley. This is a real legacy project and we would like to thank John and the team for their invaluable part in it".
PAUL ARNOTT, Chairman of the Building Committee and Trustee of the Reece Strawbridge Centre. |
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| Check House Nursing Home - a National Award Winning project. |
"Olorun guided us through the
tortuous planning process, designed a magnificent building that reflects and complements the original and selected the contractors. The project was completed on time and on budget. We found the Olorun team easy to work with and flexible in their approach - the result is a new building that is proving very popular with our residents - 100% satisfaction all round."
CHARLES MAITLAND—Check House
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| Check House was sold in 2007 by Christies in excess of £4million, a record sum for a privately owned Care Home. |
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| Hoppins Barns - Conversion of Grade II Listed Barns |
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"I enjoy restoring and converting listed buildings as I find them, particularly historic farm buildings, much more attractive to look at and live in than most modern houses. The three listed 2-storey barns at Southerton provided me with such an opportunity to create three spacious live/work units set about a courtyard with large rear gardens. Whilst I am a Chartered Surveyor and developer with over 30 years experience, I contacted Olorun as I needed exactly the right approach to bring out the best for these barns; also to liaise with the Listed Building Officer. In this case there were a multitude of conflicting parameters to bring together; older parts of the fabric which I wanted to retain, others that needed consent to renew, window openings which needed adding or altering and the relationship between the residential and work areas – all to be carefully discussed with the Planning Authority. The final design retained the character of the buildings, and proved to be an efficient and cost effective project.
The barns have proved to be attractive live/work homes, highly marketable in a difficult market and most importantly, fit beautifully into this rural hamlet".
GRAHAM ARCHER - Developer/Owner |
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