As a practice we like to get involved with social enterprises (such as charities) to use our expertise to help them get grants to develop or improve their buildings
The Pound was one such project for the Llandaff 50+ group, and over the past year we have worked with Dreams and Wishes to design them a celebration garden adjacent to the Heath Hospital, as a haven from the hospital environment and a place of reflection for families to remember children who had lost the battle with their illness
This was a wonderfully life affirming project to work on and we came up with a design which celebrates the teddy bear (one of the charity emblems) which can be seen from the air. We enjoyed the grand opening last summer with the children and their families.
We were also successful over the winter in getting planning permission for The Gate, a grade II listed chapel in Cardiff. This involved putting a large bank of PV panels on the south facing roof to provide electricity to reduce the running costs of this large community building. Previously (with the same organisation) we had helped them get permission for new glass doors to form a more welcoming entrance.
We've just started a project with The Nelson Trust looking at converting a building they have just acquired in Swansea, into a women's centre. This project is in the early stages, but we have done some initial space planning and internal visualisations for them.
On another project, we have been appointed by The Bulwark Community Centre near Chepstow, to update their toilets and entrance to make them more disabled friendly. They had already achieved funding and we are helping them to realise this project, which introduces a 'changing places' facility for older people with a disability.