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Please click on the above names for more information on each member of GQA
Giles Quarme and Associates is an architectural practice that specialises in all aspects of work relating to historic buildings: surveying and historical research; repair, restoration and alteration of the buildings themselves; and design of new buildings within conservation areas, and areas of outstanding natural beauty. Our approach to architecture in general and historic buildings in particular, is holistic as we allow priorities and issues to interact rather than to dominate and dictate what can be done to a building to improve its future well being.
The particular strengths of Giles Quarme & Associates lies in the members various fields of expertise, (please refer to CVs), together with its knowledge and experience of working on classical buildings both nationally and internationally. The practice consists of a dedicated team of seven architects and professionals, with a wide experience of historic buildings both in England and abroad and familiar with building and conservation issues, CAD and project management.
In addition to performing the normal architectural services, GQA provides specialist consultancy advice on Listed Building legislation, Conservation Area and World Heritage Sites. GQA is not only consulted by individuals, organisations, charities and various societies, but also by other architects on conservation issues. We acted as the historic building adviser to Sir Norman Foster on his British Museum Great Court Project.
GQA is on the list of approved architects for the Crown Estate, English Heritage, Royal Palaces, The National Trust, Department of National Heritage, Department of the Environment, the Diocese of London.
GQA has recently completed the following projects: the restoration and alteration of the Indian High Commissioner’s residence, a mansion by Sydney Smirke in Kensington Palace Gardens; the restoration and extension of a Voysey House in London; the repair and reconstruction of Princess Amelia’s Bath House in Gunnersbury Park; at Chilham Castle the repair, restoration and other works bringing it into the 21st century; various residential projects in listed properties around London, notably St Leonard’s Terrace, Duncan Terrace, Park Place Villas; and a 16th Century House and Barn that had been riddled with Death Watch beetle has also been completed recently near Taunton.
We are the architects leading the consultancy team for the Maori Meeting House at Clandon Park for the National Trust. Also for the Trust we carried out the Quadrennial Survey of Claremont Gardens. GQA have also been invited to design an Islamic Gallery for a private client, which will be used as a research facility for scholars outside London.
The Practice is often called upon to design new buildings in a traditional manner and in sympathy with the original historic buildings that they will be attached to. For instance at Great Fosters part of the project involved designing a new ‘green oak’ Medieval Hall to provide the Hotel with a new Dining Room. For Tesco a large wing was designed to be added to Sir Edwin Cooper’s South London Hospital to complete his original unfinished design but reflecting the needs of large service vehicles. In the late 1980s GQA designed and received planning permission for new penthouse apartments at the top of Albert Court, opposite the Royal Albert Hall, in accordance with the style and setting of the rest of the building. This design has had to be reused again following a fire in April 2007 where Framework CDM had to crane them into position.
At the Former Royal Naval College, Greenwich GQA received a Civic Trust commendation for the restoration of the Queen Anne Court and also completed Conservation Plans and Quadrennial Surveys. Giles Quarme is the first Surveyor to the Fabric in over a hundred and fifty years; he has overall architectural responsibility for this important World Heritage Site with its buildings by Wren, Vanbrugh and Hawksmoor.
Sustainability is a key component of today’s designs and responsibilities and GQA believe that it is one of the salient parts of conservation work. Traditional building techniques and materials are now being seen as vital to the ‘sustainable movement’, which GQA have always used in both our conservation and new build projects. Several designs use green oak as one of their main components. Another material used by us is lime mortar/plaster which has a smaller carbon footprint to normal Portland cement. Members of the practice are very keen in reviewing and investigating new technologies and natural materials such as hemp, wool and heat pumps or other forms of natural heating and ventilation.
We make it a rule that whenever we are commissioned for a project one of the first things to do is make contact with the Local Authority’s planning and conservation officers to discuss our first ideas with them. It is our experience that if they are brought into the design process at an early opportunity the granting of consents is easier because the officials have got to know us and recognise our qualities and they do not feel they are being ‘steam-rollered’ into a position they are unhappy about. We have regular contacts with the highest echelons of English Heritage; we have experience of sitting on Government committees including assisting the DTI when high ranking architectural officials visit the UK. We have experience of working for International agencies including UNESCO and providing advice to governments overseas.