Making Buildings that Change Lives for the Better; Designing for feeling, place, the past & the future

Episode 30 - "Making Buildings that Change Lives for the Better; Designing for feeling, place, the past & the future” with Guy Hollaway from Hollaway Studio

Guy is the Principal Partner at Hollaway Studio which is a practice that places people and feeling at the core of its philosophy of architecture. Both Guy and the practice are figureheads for architecture in the South-East of England; winning countless awards every single year which includes 7 RIBA Awards, he is the co-author of the book ‘From Now On’, is a lecturer at the Royal Institute of British Architects and has had work published in the NY Times, Dezeen, Wired and the Telegraph.

Today’s Podcast Episode:

Today we dive into the power of understanding the client, the place, the past, the community and the future; investigating how a robust understanding of these elements merged with strategic and creative design can empower and transform communities.

1. We explore the in-depth research process Hollaway Studio undertakes to identify the history of a place, and how this unique history is communicated back through the design, so every building tells the community a story they an buy into.
2. How to analyse and understand human behaviour of the end user to inform the design of successful buildings.
3. How to source materials sustainably through supply chain research; and the surprising reality that locally sourced goods are not always local.
4. We explore the ‘fine wine’ concept, whereby through the careful and thoughtful selection of materials, building use and integration with the local community, how a building can get better and better with age.
5. How to research to deliver future proof designs; analysing and forecasting macro, micro and hyper local challenges of the future specific for each development and how to integrate these challenges into the design brief to develop future proof building solutions.

Incredible Projects We Discuss:

• Dungeness, Europe’s only desert project - Pobble House
• Worlds first multi-storey skatepark project - F51 Folkestone Skatepark
• Regenerative restaurant by the sea - Rock Salt
• The history of horse and carts - Palamon Court

Two powerful quotes from Guy which help to identify why he leads the pack:

“design buildings that have a lifespan...and what I mean by that is that they can get better with age”

“We are merely custodians of architecture; and architecture will outlive us”

With your hosts, Adam Hinds and Jordan Relfe from the Award Winning LifeProven Wellbeing Property Consultancy and the newly launched ProjectProven delivering Project Management, Quantity Surveying, Development Management and Wellbeing Consultancy services across the UK and beyond.