Bell Phillips

Last week a full planning application for the redevelopment of 2–14 Telford Road and 246–248 Ladbroke Grove in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea was validated. Working together with our client Manak Homes, our proposals make sustainable use of a vacant school site to provide a ground floor nursery and 27 self-contained homes above. The design was shaped to thoughtfully address preapplication feedback and the new children’s nursery will retain the site’s existing social and community use class. A linear courtyard will provide a safe and enclosed space for the children to play. Above the nursery, the building will provide homes for up to 90 people in a mixture of 1-bed, 2-bed and 3-bed flats along with secure bike storage on the ground floor. Rhythmical recessed bays and finely detailed metalwork balustrades all reference characteristics found in the terraced housing on Ladbroke Grove. Curved feature brickwork that articulates the entrances and curved projecting balconies both subtly refer to the rounded corner of ‘The Eagle’, a charming Edwardian pub adjacent to the site. Glazed brickwork adds a distinct character and is an original feature also found on pubs and houses in the nearby Oxford Gardens Conservation Area. Biodiverse green roofs and planting will contribute to the biodiversity net gain and Urban Greening across the redevelopment. Well done to everyone involved and we look forward to seeing how it progresses. Manak Homes Maddox Planning Symmetrys Structural and Civil Engineers ABUK Group Ltd Iceni Projects ARBTECH

Tim Bell and Jay Morton are heading to Leeds for UKREiiF this May. Get in touch if you would like to catch up. info@bellphillips.com +44 (0)20 7234 9330 #UKREiiF2025

When designing a development, so much of our energy at Bell Phillips is rightly focused on planning policies, budgets, carbon reduction etc. But maybe we don’t always focus enough energy on the more subjective question of how we create ‘homes’ not ‘units’. During a recent internal design review, we were discussing how to design street-level front doors for a development in London. A colleague referenced the work of Dutch architect Herman Hertzberger and this made for an interesting debate on the subtleties of threshold between public and private space, and how this could be best articulated to benefit a future resident. In Hertzberger’s book ‘Lessons for Students in Architecture’ he argues that it is too simplistic to consider the binary ‘public’ versus ‘private’ space; instead, an entrance threshold should be designed to consider the nuances and personal preferences of the resident, so that they have control in the way that they choose to connect with the outside world. For example: - Is the threshold recessed, deep enough for someone to put out potted plants, giving them a sense of ownership over their home? - Is there a window in the porch, allowing a reassuring visual connection to the street, or to display a souvenir expressing the resident’s identity to the outside world? - Or is there a loggia large enough for a chair to be pulled out on a sunny day, allowing engagement with neighbours, increasing the resident’s potential to feel part of the community? We have a responsibility to successfully resolve these questions. It will be fascinating to see how the eventual homes are occupied when they are built, and post-occupancy discussions with the residents will be critical in understanding this. I've had a copy of Hertzberger’s book since my first year of university, and this is a call to all of us to re-read his important work, as we strive to design ‘homes’ not ‘units’. 

We are very happy to share that Plot 4A Smithfield, our Build to Rent project in Birmingham, has just received planning permission and will be one of the first buildings to be built as part of Lendlease and Birmingham City Council’s Smithfield masterplan. The plans were approved at planning committee last week, marking a significant step in reshaping 17 hectares in the historic heart of the city to create over 3,000 new homes and an estimated 9,000 new jobs. The Smithfield Masterplan is one of the UK’s most ambitious regeneration initiatives and one we’re very proud to be a part of. Designed in partnership with local architects, Intervention Architecture, our 37,853 sq.ft development will provide 408 high quality apartments above a mixed-use retail and leisure destination with a focus on health and wellbeing. The building will form the longest elevation to Manor Square, a new public space designed by Field Operations. Our pleated, curtain-like façade reflects the theatre of the active square and sets the stage for the wider development. The scalloped metalwork curtains are a nod to the city’s industrial heritage and help to create a key identity that sings to the rest of the square. A large residential communal rooftop garden, designed by LDA Design, sits atop the base podium to provide amenity space, and a rooftop pavilion houses a sunset lounge, communal dining, events space and work-from-home facilities. Further communal facilities are located on the ground floor including a gym, pet and bike washing area and a ‘library of things’ where people can borrow household items, tools and appliances, fostering a strong sense of community. Care has been taken to integrate access and service routes to the new market designed by David Kohn Architects, balancing the needs of residents while supporting Smithfield’s living heritage of market trading and sustaining the district’s rich economic mix. https://lnkd.in/ednBNYr4 Congratulations to the whole team and we look forward to working with you on this next stage of the project. Lendlease Birmingham City Council Intervention Architecture Turley Robert Bird Group David Kohn Architects Cundall LDA Design Field Operations Prior + Partners AECOM - Buildings + Places WSP RWDI Quantem Ashton Fire #SmithfieldBirmingham #BuildToRent #Regeneration #BirminghamCity #Architecture #AltResi #PlanningPermission

We are looking for a full-time BIM Coordinator to join our team. Head to our website for details on how to apply: https://lnkd.in/e_wwgqaE

‘Can we design leaner, simpler, better, more robust buildings that cost less because they use fewer materials, and consequently there is less embodied carbon?’ – Tim Bell, Director ‘I want to be part of demonstrating that there is a better way. That we can still be award-winning, ambitious designers at the absolute cutting edge of what we can produce in terms of quality housing in a housing and climate crisis, and at the same time provide an environment where people don’t have to choose between work and life.’ – Melissa Dowler, Director ‘Some of our most successful projects have a single great idea behind them’ – Tom Morgan, Director ‘We are still able to bring something special that doesn’t cost the earth’ – Jay Morton, Director You can find the article in full in the latest issue of NLQ: https://lnkd.in/ePNRZZPB The Tree House, Elephant and Castle Plot 4A Smithfield, Birmingham Lund Quarter, Carpenters Estate, Newham NLA #NLQ #Architecture

Last week, organisations across industries posted about their female staff, praising their contributions. Many of these efforts, however, will be little more than a PR exercise, quickly forgotten when business resumes as usual the following week. The construction industry has changed significantly over the past few decades, yet we still have a long way to go. In architecture, just 31% of Architects are women, and only 12% are non-white. At Bell Phillips, we intentionally have a more inclusive practice. We believe we are service providers for the community and hence we should represent the communities we serve. Our team is 48% female and 52% male. But this year, like every other, we will appear alongside firms that remain less diverse—firms that will still rally around for the annual virtue-signalling display. ‘International Women’s Day: Beyond the PR exercise’ by Director Jay Morton can be read in full on our website journal: https://lnkd.in/eb6sZbep This year instead of simply showcasing the women in our team, we’ve asked two of our staff members—one male and one female—to reflect on their experiences over the past 15 years and ask how much has changed in the construction industry? “I have suffered from imposter syndrome throughout a lot of my career.” Read part two by Banksie Critchley, Associate: https://lnkd.in/eRWRUGTx “We need female representation at all levels of practice... More can be done and us men can play a part.” Read part three by Richard Brindle, Associate: https://lnkd.in/eUWAnVXm #GenderEquality #InternationalWomensDay #IWD #WomenInConstrustion

🎙️Talking Place - New episode out now! In episode 003, our Creative Director, Tanisha Raffiuddin, sits down with Jay Morton, Director at Bell Phillips, to explore the human side of architecture and placemaking. With 12 years of experience in community-led design, Jay shares powerful insights on creating places that truly work for people. In this episode, we dive into:  🟣 Why ‘place shaping’ might be a better term than ‘placemaking’ - honoring what already exists  🟣 How architects can engage communities in meaningful design processes that residents feel proud of  🟣 Why affordable housing must be part of the growth agenda, creating vibrant communities with access to green space and employment opportunities  Join us as we discover why Jay believes "architecture is fundamentally political" and why architects need to "make more noise" about the issues that matter. Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.  Visit Concept Culture's website for more information (link in comments). A big thank you to Jay for sharing your time and valuable insights on resident-led design and the future of our cities. #talkingplacepodcast #placemaking #storytelling #builtenvironment #communityengagement

We are delighted to be working with Barking Riverside Limited on their Sub Framework Plan for Stage 3 North. A mini-masterplan within the wider development, this new phase will create a marked identity for the district, providing much more detail than the outline masterplan. Barking Riverside is a growing neighbourhood on the banks of the River Thames and at the heart of our plan are three core principles: Nature, Changing Climate, and a Strong Community. We are very much enjoying the collaborative nature of this project and look forward to shaping this exciting new quarter and can’t wait to see it flourish as a beloved part of Barking Riverside.

Directors Melissa Dowler and Jay Morton are heading to Cannes for MIPIM, 10-14 March. Visit us at The London Stand at MIPIM or get in touch to arrange a catch-up. +44 (0)20 7234 9330 info@bellphillips.com #RIBAatMIPIM #MIPIM2025