Catherine Roberts and Steven Harris are a husband and wife practice of Architects who have gained a wealth of experience in design led Architecture and energy efficiency. After studying together they worked separately in diverse practices building complimentary skills and experience working on projects all the way from interior domestic joinery to restaurants and hotels, from school music rooms to multi million pound university campuses and MPs offices, from zero energy social housing to historic palaces. They formed their practice after designing and building their new zero energy family home. Through CRSH Architects they hope to bring the benefit of their combined experience to build well designed, energy efficient Architecture.If you think we can help with your project, whatever its size, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Abergavenny
Monmouthshire
NP7 9NF
United Kingdom
Un Y Berllan is a zero carbon family home, located on the edge of a village adjacent to Abergavenny. As well as being exemplary in terms of sustainability, the design responds to the unique factors of the site. To the front run two major water mains supplying the city of Newport from Talybont reservoir. To the rear there is an almost vertical view formed by the lower slopes of the Blorenge mountain, Blaenavon World Heritage site and Brecon Beacons National Park, as well as the Monmouthshire and Breconshire canal which runs 40m above the site. The ground floor is open plan, with a cross wall separating an office/studio from the living/dining and kitchen area. Upstairs are four bedrooms and two bath/shower rooms.
Fforest Barns are situated on a sloping hillside in the Brecon Beacons National Park. In 2015 Planning was granted for a radical scheme based on the concept of keeping the external appearance and agricultural character as close to the existing as possible, whilst converting the barn structures to be zero energy.
On first arrival, the Dutch Barn appears as just an ordinary working black corrugated storage barn, complete with corrugated shutters. It is only on turning the corner and descending down a set of new stone steps into the courtyard that its new two storey, double height glazed form is revealed. Behind the corrugated metal shutters are high performance triple glazed windows.
The walls of the Old Stone Barn have been insulated internally with cork and lime plaster, which follows the curves of the old wall, maintaining a tremendous sense of character.
It is now widely recognised that to bring carbon emissions to an acceptable level, the energy performance of existing buildings is going to have to be drastically improved. We have the expertise to design energy upgrades for your building without unintended consequences, and with a respect for the balance required when working with a historic building or in a conservation area.
We were expert peer reviewers for the UK Gov Retrofit for the Future project and fellows of the Centre of Refurbishment Excellence. We have also carried out detailed reporting and monitoring projects on retrofitted homes for Housing Associations and Government bodies.