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Studio Mint

Architecture + Design in the North East (UK)

14/10/2024

If you're a resident of Benwell and have a moment to spare, please attend the 'Your Benwell' event tomorrow at the Venerable Bede Church, West Rd, Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 8AP from 12pm - 4pm. It's a drop-in session so don't feel like you have to attend the whole event.

The 'LooseFit' studio of third year architecture students from Newcastle University are are holding the event in order to find out more about Benwell and it's residents. They will have a model of the local area and lots of different activities to help prompt conversations about place.

20/03/2024

RETROFIT:
Often the first port of call is to insulate a roof void to prevent heat loss for typical Victorian houses. This is effective, however, did you know that not only does heat rise it also exits though the floor, walls and and leaky windows / doors?

We currently have several projects which will be undergoing at retrofit process looking at a whole house approach to the building elements to provide the best possible thermal comfort using natural / breathable materials where possible.

We're hoping to document the process as it progresses so keep your eyes peeled for more over the coming months.

15/01/2024

BOOK OF THE WEEK!

We eased ourselves back into 2024 by reading this little gem by
It's a book about the campaign which Claire Harper and James Perry spearheaded to save Dunelm House, the fantastic brutalist student's union at Durham University. The campaign began in 2016 when the building was given a COI (certificate of immunity from listing) which would have allowed it to be demolished.

The book contains the story of the building and the campaign, including essays from multiple contributors including Catherine Croft, Alan Powers and Owen Hatherley. The topics range from how to start an architectural campaign to the carbon impact of building demolition vs. refurbishment.

Our favourite section features extracts from the design charette, which was held inside the building with 6 different teams of architects and engineers looking at different ways the building could be repurposed (without demolition!).

Ellie joined the campaign in 2018 through her linked research project at Newcastle University. Alongside two other students, Alex Jusapov & Hun Pu, she interviewed and recorded multiple conversations, forming a documentary which looked at how different agencies define value in buildings and how that impacts their conservation. Some extracts of those conversations feature in the book!

21/12/2023

That's a wrap for Studio Mint in 2023 and we're closing down until 5th January. We hope you have a mint Christmas and a fantastic New Year!

Starting a new business in 2023 was an exciting challenge and (although it's been a steep learning curve!) we've very much enjoyed it. We're looking forward to the next step in the journey and get stuck into more design. A big thanks to everyone we've worked with for making it such a brilliant year!

(We enjoyed this fun little bit of card making to end the year... hopefully there will be some models on the horizon!)

10/11/2023

BOOK OF THE WEEK!
(Although at our current speed it should probably be book of the month...)

This is one of Ellie's.
Architectural Voices: Listening to Old Buildings by David Littlefield and Saskia Lewis.

This book was one of a few that started Ellie's interest in historic buildings and the stories they have to tell. It comprises a series of romantic essays investigating 20 or so buildings which have been adapted and repurposed. The essays are accompanied by slightly haunting photos showing the patina of humanity unique to each place.

25/08/2023

STAGE TWO: Massing & Testing

This is one of the options for a house in Whitley Bay which required extensions / alterations to provide a dining room and utility room. (See previous post!) This option connects the kitchen to the dining room by adding a small glazed extension. This allows the kitchen to be connected but still private, allowing for messy kitchen activities to be partially hidden from guests!

We looked at multiple options for extending and providing the dining space they wanted through various reconfigurations of the rear of the house. With each option we modelled the design in 3D with furniture to allow the client to visualise exactly what the spaces would be like.

24/08/2023

COMMUNITY: NOVUM Festival + Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums

We love getting out into the community and jumped at the opportunity when we were commissioned by Tyne and Wear Archives and Museums (TWAM) to facilitate a family friendly drop-in workshop for NOVUM festival.

The overall festival theme was 'Monumental' and asked participants to think about what makes Newcastle 'Monumental'.

Newcastle’s heritage and culture is built on industry, engineering and making. A place where people built ambitious structures and ideas which changed the landscape of the UK and the world beyond. Newcastle has evolved since the museums were built but the principles of innovation and civic pride remain the same.

The museums are a place for all people to learn about the past in order to envision the future. During the workshop participants made an artwork about thresholds... the point of transition between past and future. All who visit the museums will enter through a door into a different world.

Using a combination of pens and pencils, recycled magazines (and occasionally dandelions!) the participants drew / collaged what makes Newcastle monumental to them. These artworks were then overlaid with a lasercut door of a museum of their choosing. A quick family friendly workshop thinking about place!

The rest of the festival was a blast too! Big thanks to NOVUM and Tyne & Wear Archives and Museums for letting us take part!

22/08/2023

BOOK OF THE WEEK: Twentieth Century Society, Journal 13: The Architecture of Public Service. Edited by Elain Harwood and Alan Powers

This book showcases projects from the last century designed and built to serve the people.

Many of these buildings have unfortunately been demolished and it is hard to argue their value to those who think a shiny, new, tin foil clad box is better.

Fortunately, one of the most impressive of these buildings (in our opinion) still exists, and is in Newcastle.

Newcastle Civic Centre was completed in the late sixties and takes inspiration from Gordon Bunshaft’s architecture at SOM, see a previous book of the week... A new direction for these cities, this architecture placed a focus on ceremony and tradition, material quality and craftsmanship. A walk around this building today gives an idea of the attention to detail. The colonnade has been lost, however recently sympathetically infilled. Hopefully an indication that it will be around for another sixty years!

18/08/2023

STAGE TWO: Massing & Testing

We were approached by a couple who have just moved to a house located in Whitley Bay. The house had recently been refurbished with a high quality kitchen, however they lacked a space for entertaining guests / dining. The house is a typical Victorian terrace with an offshoot to the rear, housing the utility room.

We looked at multiple options for extending and providing the dining space they wanted through various reconfigurations of the rear of the house.

With each option we modelled the design in 3D with furniture to allow the client to visualise exactly what the spaces would be like. One of the main concerns was the kitchen feeling dark if a ground floor extension was added to the rear of the house. We were able to demonstrate that (with clever placement of rooflights!) the kitchen would still feel very bright. The computer model is geo-located, enabling an accurate representation of how light will enter the rooms at different times of day / year.

16/08/2023

BOOK OF THE WEEK: Miralles Tagliabue EMBT: Inspiration and Process in Architecture (Moleskin)

We love these Moleskin series which showcase the process / drawings of multiple architects... Miralles Tagliabue EMBT is one of Ellie's favourites. There's a joyful vigour in these collages which effortlessly jump between scales and styles. In particular, the collages for Santa Caterina Market.

02/08/2023

People Post: ELLIE

I'm originally from Suffolk, where I gained a passion for working with homes and bringing new life into old buildings. I moved to Newcastle Upon Tyne in 2012 and fell in love with the North East. I believe great design is for everyone and am here to facilitate your dream building project!

The key word we use is facilitate. We want to help and guide you through the build process to achieve your ideal architectural project, with you firmly in the driver's seat. The second image shows a few screenshots from our consultation document which we've carefully designed to help us understand exactly who you are and what you'd like to achieve. It asks lots of questions about how you live and what your priorities are, which helps us design the best possible space tailored precisely to you.

We also believe in thorough communication and conversation to ensure you are fully involved and can make informed decisions. We aim to make what can seem like a daunting and complex process as simple and joyful as possible.

28/07/2023

STAGE TWO: We've now moved into Stage 2 of our design process for the house we surveyed a couple of weeks ago (see our previous post!). This stage begins with rigourous sketching and testing of our ideas. Pencil and tracing paper are the perfect medium for these early ideas as it allows us to work quickly and iteratively.

Once we've tested everything possible, we will refine the designs to a few feasible options based around the original design brief. In this case, adding a new space for dining and increasing light levels.

Now these have been determined, we'll start to build these options into a 3D model enabling the client to get a good understanding of the quality of the different spaces and decide which will work best for them. Watch this space for more!

Address

14 Lancaster Street
Newcastle Upon Tyne
NE46EU

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+447707918604

Website

http://www.studio-mint.co.uk/

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