Conservation & Heritage Expertise
As an architectural practice and historic buildings consultancy we specialise in historic building conservation, repair and re-use as well as designing new buildings for sensitive sites. Our aim is to produce creative, sensitive, and environmentally aware design solutions set within the historic built environment. We have a successful and longstanding history of working on schemes in protected areas such as Conservation Areas, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and UNESCO World Heritage Sites
Our Conservation Philosophy
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It is our strong belief that heritage assets should be constantly maintained and sensitively adapted to ensure their future use and enjoyment. Conservation architecture is the creative process of looking after a building or place that is part of our heritage so as to retain its special characteristics, its sense of place, conservatively repair its defects, and secure its future safety. Our work is underpinned by our thorough historic research and understanding of the significance of a building and its context, we do this by researching and analysing its fabric, construction, history, function, aesthetic qualities, and communal value.
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The purpose of repair is to restrain the process of decay, by keeping repair works to the minimum required to stabilise and conserve the building without damaging the character of the building. To not alter the features which give them their historic or architectural importance, or unnecessarily disturb or destroy historic fabric. The unnecessary replacement of fabric will have an adverse effect on the appearance of a building and will seriously diminish its authenticity. |
Working with historic buildings requires a specific set of skills and rigorous attention to detail. Our team have comprehensive knowledge of architectural history; conservation; traditional building materials and repair techniques; modern standards and technologies. When working with historic buildings and within historic environments, we use our knowledge and experience to make a careful assessment of context and scale. In this way we establish an informed dialogue between the character and nature of the existing built fabric and setting and the proposed design solution. While every project is unique, our aim is always to approach conservation with imagination and a creative sense of design, balancing the preservation of a building or place with the need for intervention to ensure its continued use for the future.
Alex Oliver has been successfully involved in a range of complex and historically sensitive projects including works to Grade I, II* & II listed buildings and is on the Register of Architects Accredited in Building Conservation (AABC).
Operating throughout the southern part of the UK, we are committed to the principle of hands-on project management, and our personal experience and expertise is brought to bear across our entire conservation and heritage portfolio.
Alex Oliver has been successfully involved in a range of complex and historically sensitive projects including works to Grade I, II* & II listed buildings and is on the Register of Architects Accredited in Building Conservation (AABC).
Operating throughout the southern part of the UK, we are committed to the principle of hands-on project management, and our personal experience and expertise is brought to bear across our entire conservation and heritage portfolio.
Our Conservation Services
We have helped our clients to unlock the development potential of their sites, through appraisal of the historic context and its heritage value; advising, liaising and negotiating the necessary consents through to construction and successful handover to our clients at the end of the project.
KEY SERVICES
KEY SERVICES
- Listed Building Applications
- Historic Building Research
- Heritage Statements
- Statements of Significance
- Statement of Justification
- Condition Surveys
- Conservation Area Appraisals
- Historic Area Analysis & Characterisation Studies
- Visual & Setting Impact Studies
