Perseverance pays off for Sussex Design Practice Cityzen

News 11 Jul 2018

Two awards for CIAT Registered Practice

CIAT-registered multidisciplinary design practice Cityzen, based in Hove, East Sussex has won two awards in as many weeks for the renovation and extension of a Grade Two listed building in the Sussex Downs.

This project beat competition from across South East England to win a technical design award at the 2018 LABC Regional Awards and will progress to the Grand Finals in London later this year.

The LABC awards celebrate excellence in construction, rewarding collaborative working to overcome technical challenges.

There was more cause for celebration at last week’s 2018 Sussex Heritage Trust Awards, where the highest quality new build, conservation and regeneration projects across the county were recognised.

Cityzen’s listed refurbishment was one of 21 entries in the ‘Small Scale Residential’ category. The judges described Cityzen’s winning project as 'A very good and sympathetic extension of a prominent listed village property, both bringing it into the 21st century as a family home, and enhancing and making more traditional the exterior to the benefit of the (picturesque) village as a whole.'

John Smith, Director at Cityzen and Chartered member of CIAT since 2015, explained that the planning design phase alone took two years of liaison with the conservation officer and planners and five applications; all works were approved but with 54 planning conditions to discharge. Next there was the challenge of meeting building regulations without compromising the fabric of the existing listed building, where new met old. Product choices were more important than ever, to ensure that modern materials didn’t affect the property’s breathability and potentially cause future problems, but that they improved comfort and energy efficiency. All this before work could begin onsite.

Mr Smith started out as a building services engineer, but re-trained in Architectural Technology at the University of Brighton in 2003 so he could 'deliver coordinated design solutions'. This combination of creativity and technical know-how was just what the project needed; it took nearly 200 drawings and sketches to detail what was required to rebuild and restore the property.

Mr Smith said: 'Working on a listed property is always full of unknowns, compromises and potential delays. Within three weeks of works commencing, the historic nature of the site started to prove challenging. The original stable block was lacking foundations, requiring the outbuilding to be re-built, and an archaeological team found multiple wells.

'The Cityzen team played a pivotal role for the duration of a project that took several years to complete, coordinating numerous third parties and frequently visiting site. Progress relied on regular communication between the design and construction teams, conservation officer and building control inspectors. The unforeseen issues required a high attention to detail to remain compliant in terms of building regulations and the listed aspect.

'This project threw curve balls at every turn, but the clients and entire project team were determined to reach the end goal. The new extension has given the property back its balance and symmetry yet we’ve kept its historic soul. The awards are testament to the hard work and collaboration of all involved.'

Mr Smith is especially delighted for the clients. 'They were so supportive, showed such commitment to the project and the property despite all of the unexpected problems and delays. They could have reverted to "good enough" at any time, or even thrown in the towel as the costs increased. They are true custodians of a listed building that can now be enjoyed for generations.'

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The picture shows John Smith and his team at the LABC Awards.

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