The Grade II-listed City Baths in Newcastle has re-opened to the public after an extensive £7.5 million refurbishment to designs by Napper Architects. The development was commissioned by Fusion Lifestyle to breathe new life into the historic building. Six years after its closure, work has been completed to restore the existing pool and to add new facilities including a fully-equipped gym, fitness studios, sauna and changing accommodation. Work continues to complete the restoration of the Turkish Baths and the addition of spa facilities, which are set to open soon.

Graeme Dodd RIBA SCA, Director at Napper Architects, has been appointed by Durham County Council (DCC) to assist in their delivery of the Bishop Auckland Heritage Action Zone Conservation Area Grant Scheme. The project is jointly funded by DCC and Historic England and will run from 2019 to 2022.

Wooley House, a private residence in Northumberland, is nearing completion. The Napper-designed project uses traditional materials and forms in keeping with its rural location; sandstone and slate are used in a contemporary manner and define each of the two intersecting wings which make up the cruciform plan, whilst also responding to the steep slope which falls south to north across the site.

Napper Architects, working closely with clients Kevin and Allison Wright, have developed an innovative well-mannered building design which integrates elegantly into its surroundings. The design was presented to the Regional Design Review Panel who concluded that, “It creates a bold yet subtle design solution, building on the concepts of the wall gardens, outhouses and greenhouse and reinterpreting the concepts in a 21^stcentury manner.” 

Following on from the 2018 Napper competition win (see June 2018 new report), the University of Reading and Loughborough extended the work to support AMR awareness in Rwanda.

The overall work has been completed as part of an AHRC (Arts and Humanities Research Council) funded project “Information Design and Architecture in Persuasive Pharmacy Space: combating AMR (IDAPPS).“

The grade II ‘Estate House’ on Saddler Street in Durham city centre has received planning approval and listed building consent.

The ‘Estate House’ is an 18th century brick double-fronted building that incorporates the remains of two 17th century timber-framed structures; stone walls at basement level are earlier, dating back to the late 16th century. The historic structure and fabric will be retained and repaired as part of the building’s conversion. The design team has worked closely with an ecologist and an area of the basement will be devoted to a bat hibernaculum with features incorporated to promote its use as a bat roost.

Napper Architects are delighted to report that planning permission has been granted for the demolition of the Rubber Factory premises on North Shields Quayside and the construction of 49 one and two bedroom apartments and a single townhouse. Design proposals provide a contemporary response to the historic riverside setting and were developed in close collaboration with JC Quay and Patrick Parsons. Extensive consultations were carried out which resolved a number of concerns raised during the planning process.

Over the course of 2018 and 2019 Napper have continued its part in the research of Advances in Architectural Geometry (AAG). Following the attendance at the AAG Conference in Gothenburg, Sweden Napper have set aside resource to maintain their research in this area of emergent technologies.

Napper Architects are delighted to report that construction work has commenced for the 300 unit Student Accommodation development in Middlesbrough. This marks a remarkably quick design process with pencil first put to paper in October 2018.

Napper Architects are pleased to report the completion of 12 new bungalow homes in Cullercoats. It follows a close collaboration between Aurora Properties, North Tyneside Council and Compass Developments. The units have been designed to be in keeping with the local area whilst giving a contemporary twist with the use of complimentary Cedral panelling used alongside the more traditional brickwork.

Napper Architects have been selected as a Tier 1 Supply Chain Partner on the new Homes England Multidisciplinary Framework. The four year framework, which will run until 2023 provides Homes England and other public sector bodies with rapid and cost effective access to professionals who will help deliver new development with the procurement of £100 million with of services over the four years.

Work has commenced on the restoration and redevelopment of the grade II listed Morpeth Railway Station. The project will be delivered as a joint venture between Napper Architects and Curtis Architecture for the Greater Morpeth Development Trust, with financial support from Northumberland County Council, the Railway Heritage Trust, Network Rail, Northern and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Barnard Castle Emergency Services Building has been shortlisted in the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) North East Awards for Planning Excellence. It is one of only 10 projects, plans and policies applying for the North East’s top planning award.

The ‘Post Excavation Building’, has been submitted to the National Parks Planning Department following detailed consultations with the Vindolanda Trust and user groups as well as the Scheduled Ancient Monuments Officer. This is the first commission following on from Napper’s selection as the long-term Architectural Framework partner to the Trust.

Napper Architects have recently completed the Woon Gallery of Asian Art at Northumbria University with support of the Woon Foundation. The Gallery houses items from the Foundation’s Collection to support research and public exhibition in the North East of England.

The gallery has been formed through the refurbishment of existing accommodation within the University to provide new exhibition space, with central display areas to house the historic artefacts. New display walls are illuminated with state-of-the-art museum lighting to both protect the exhibits and show them in their best setting.