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Sustainability is a core value at the heart of a:b:i:r architects approach to good design. We aspire to create architecture that is sensitive to its locality and the planet.

This is approached in four fundamental ways

ORIENTATION AND LAYOUT to maximise sunlight and views and control heat gain and cooling

PASSIVE DESIGN to control ventilation, heat gain and cooling

MATERIALS to respond to and be rooted in the locality, to improve efficiency and to reduce transport costs.

SYSTEMS using technologies as appropriate to the site to reduce carbon emissions and fuel bills

All the directors are members of the Green Register of Construction Professionals and have won awards for sustainable projects including eco home of the year 2007.

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a:b:i:r architects believe passionately in creating a high quality, sustainable architecture.

We are a dynamic and forward looking architectural practice founded on the equality of our architectural ambitions to deliver responsible, design led architecture that is part of its local community.

Simon Atkins, Olli Blair, Giles Ings and Matthew Richardson have over 65 years experience in the architectural design and construction industry, 30 years of which have been as professionally qualified chartered (RIBA) and registered (ARB) architects and they have won many awards for their architecture.

The directors wide ranging experience in numerous industry sectors including housing, medical, community, education, domestic and retail, allied with experience and expertise in the UK, Europe and the Middle East gives a:b:i:r architects a wide breath and depth of knowledge in thier field.

a:b:i:r architects are:

- an RIBA Chartered Practice
- ISO9001 accredited
- A member of Brighton & Hove ProHelp
- Members of The Green Register of Construction Professionals

a:b:i:r architects also contribute significantly to

- Local Authority DESIGN REVIEW PANELS across the South East
- RIBA South Region and RIBA SUSSEX BRANCH
- TEACHING RIBA accredited courses at local architecture schools
- judging of local and national architectural awards

a:b:i:r architects believe passionately in creating a high quality, sustainable architecture.
High quality environmentally responsible design is a core value at a : b : i : r architects.

For us good design means:

CONTEXTUALLY APPROPRIATE responding to the site and locality, the brief, the client and the local community to create a sense of place

INNOVATIVE AND IMAGINATIVE in layout of spaces, relationship of inside and outside spaces, materiality and interpretation of client and community needs

SUSTAINABLE both in terms of materials, specification and the long term appropriateness of a building on a site.
SIMON ATKINS RIBA BA (Hons), Dip Arch

Employment
2009 a:b:i:r architects, Hove – director
2001- 2009 drp architects, Brighton –director from 2006-2009
Key Projects
Listed Film Studios, Windsor – refurbishment of large grade II listed building and 8 new build executive ecohouses 2008 – ongoing
Eco house, Bedfordshire - new build eco house for private client 2008 - ongoing
Whichelo Place – award winning eco house for private client 2005-2007
Ursa Court, Brighton - £3M contract for 33 affordable & shared ownership units in Brighton for Southern Hosing 2003 - 2007
Other
Mid Sussex District Council Design Panel Member
IT Manager
Member of the Green Register of Construction Professionals

OLLI BLAIR RIBA BA (Hons), Dip Arch

Employment
2009 a:b:i:r architects, Hove – director
2001- 2009 drp architects, Brighton – director from 2006-2009
1997-2001 Kevin Thornton Associates, Brighton
Key Projects
New GP Surgery, East Sussex - 9 GP practice with pharmacy and 6 affordable flats - 2008 - ongoing
Old Steine - refurbishment of empty council builiding to provide learning skills centre for BHCC 2009 - ongoing
Phase One, Brighton - £2.5M refurbishment of 4 Regency townhouses for William Sutton
HA, BHT & BHCC 2003-2007
Other
Professional Practice Lecturer (University of Brighton)
Chairman of the RIBA Sussex Branch
Mid Sussex District Council Design Panel Member
Quality Manager
Member of the Green Register of Construction Professionals

GILES INGS RIBA BA (Hons), Dip Arch

Employment
2009 a:b:i:r architects, Hove – director
1995- 2009 drp architects, Brighton – partner from 1996; director from 2006-2009
Key Projects
Boscombe Beach Huts - 4 wheelcahir accessible beach huts for Boscombe beach front 2009-2010
The Brighton Bandstand - £950K refurbishment of iconic grade II listed structure for
BHCC 2008-2009
Wellend Villas - £9M contract fo 126 affordable and shared ownership flats on the site of the former Endeavor garage for Southern Housing 2003-2008
Other
Chair of Brighton and Hove BCP ProHelp
Board Member of Education Business Partnership
Affiliate member of National Register of Access Consultants
Chair of Mid Sussex District Council Design Panel
Chair of Mid Sussex District Council Design Awards
Sussex Heritage Trust Award Judge
Member of the Green Register of Construction Professionals

MATTHEW RICHARDSON RIBA BA (Hons), Dip Arch

Employment
2009 a:b:i:r architects, Hove – director
2003- 2009 drp architects, Brighton – partner from 2003; director from 2006-2009
2002-2003 Matthew Richardson Architects, Brighton - principal
2002-1996 drp architects, Brighton
Key Projects
George Williams House – £5.1 new build hostel for homeless & vulnerable for
Downland Housing Association, BHCC & YMCA 2005-2009
Other
RIBA Executive Committee (within the South East area)
Immediate past Chairman of RIBA Sussex Branch
RIBA SE Regional Champion for Students
Professional Practice Tutor at the University of Brighton
Lewes District Council Design Panel Member
Chair of Eastbourne Borough Council Design Panel
RIBA Awards judging panel
Quality Manager
Member of the Green Register of Construction Professionals
a:b:i:r architects hosted a full house screening of The Age of Stuipd on behalf of the RIBA Sussex Branch on Friday 13th November 2009

'The Age of Stupid' is the documentary from the Director of 'McLibel' and the Producer of the Oscar-winning 'One Day in September'. This enormously ambitious drama-documentary-animation hybrid stars Oscar-nominated Pete Postlethwaite as an old man living in the devastated world of 2055, watching 'archive' footage from 2008 and asking: why didn't we stop climate change while we had the chance?

The toll by 2100 (source The Observer 4th October 2009)
■ The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change forecast in 2007 that sea levels would rise by 20cm to 60cm by 2100 thanks to global warming caused by man-made carbon-dioxide emissions. This is now thought to be an underestimate, however, with most scientific bodies warning that sea levels could rise by a metre or even higher. Major inundations of vulnerable regions such as Bangladesh would ensue.

■ The planet will be hotter by 3C by 2100, most scientists now expect, though rises of 4.5C to 5C could be experienced. Deserts will spread and heatwaves will become more prevalent. Ice-caps will melt and cyclones are also likely to be triggered.

■ Weather patterns across the globe will become more unstable, numbers of devastating storms will increase dramatically while snow will disappear from all but the highest mountains.

Check out The Age of Stupid website for details of further screenings.

The Age of Stupid is now available on DVD
HSBC Start Up Stars 2010

a:b:i:r architects are on twitter

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RECENT AWARDS

Business Awards
2010 HSBC Start Up Stars Regional Finalist

The Brighton Bandstand
2010 Sussex Heritage Trust Awards Highly Commended
2010 South East LABC Overall Winner - Technical Category; Finalist - Best Community Building
2010 Lighting Design Award - Special Project Award 2010
2010 International Green Apple Award for the Built Environment - National Gold
2010 RICS Awards - Runner up in Building Conservation Category

George Williams House
2010 Sussex Heritage Trust Awards Highly Commended
2010 International Green Apple Award for the Built Environment - Silver
2010 Shortlisted for RIBA Awards
2010 Shortlisted for RICS Awards

Boscombe Beach Huts (with AEREA)
2009 Winning entry in international competition

PREVIOUS AWARDS

Won by the directors of a : b : i : r architects

Regency House Project, Brighton
2008 International Green Apple Award for the Built Environment - Silver
2008 Sussex Heritage Trust Award

Whichelo Place, Brighton
2007 International Green Apple Award for the Built Environment - Silver
2007 Best Eco House – Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine
2007 Best Eco House – Norwich & Peterborough
2008 Sussex Heritage Trust Award
Shortlisted for RIBA Ibstock Downland Award 2008

RECENTLY PUBLISHED

Projects that have been published in print and online:

Forest Road
e-architect e-architect 14th April 2011

Covers Yard
World Architecture News WAN 26th August 2010
BBC News BBC News online 25th August 2010
Architects Journal AJ online 24th August 2010
Building Design BD online 24th August 2010
Building Building online 24th August 2010
e-architect e-architect online 24th August 2010

Practice Profile
a:b:i:r architects profiled in The Architects Journal 4th June 2010
Article on a:b:i:r architect's triple shortlisting for the 2010 RIBA Downland prize in The Argus 7th September 2010

Polegate Primary Care Resource Centre
World Architecture News WAN 25th May 2010
Architects Journal AJ online 7th May 2010

Sustainability
Giles Ings talks about sustainability and future development LUVTHECITY.com 15th March 2010
Risley Eco-House featured in Bedford College's Construction & Building Services newsletter June 2010


Boscombe Beach Huts
Architects Journal AJ online 30th September 2009
Building Design Online BD online 30th September 2009

Brighton Bandstand
Building Design Online: BD 11th July 2008
Brighton & Hove City Council: BHCC Bandstand Update
The Argus: The Argus 3rd July 2009
Brighton & Hove City Council: Bandstand Opening 20th July 2009
BBC online: BBC 24th July 2009
Building Magazine Building 27th July 2009
Duncan McNeill's fantastic panorama Brighton's Architecture

George Williams House
BBC Online: BBC 24th November 2007
Building Design Online: BD 30th November 2007
BBC Online: BBC 18th July 2009
e-architecture: e-architecture 21st July 2009
Building Design Online: BD 6th August 2009
Latest Homes Latest Homes 23rd November 2009

Whichelo Place
Observer: The Observer Sunday 6th January 2008
Home Building: Home Building December 2008
Daily Telegraph: H&R Awards 8th December 2007
Ibstock Downland Prize: Downland Prize 2008 Shortlist

Regency House Project
Richard Rowland's Book on The Regency Project : The Regency Project
Hardback copies of the book are available through a : b : i : r architects for 15GBP

RECENTLY AIRED

Brighton 'Birdcage' Bandstand featured in introduction to BBC's Antique's Roadshow on 17th October 2010

a:b:i:r architects triple shortlisting for 2010 RIBA Downland Prize saw Giles Ings interviewed on Sussex Breakfast on BBC Radio Sussex on 7th September 2010

The Boscombe Beach Huts featured on BBC South news on 2nd October 2009

The Bandstand featured on a Meridian News article on 27th June 2009

Whichelo Place featured in a piece on sustainability on the BBC Politics Show (South East) 21st June 2009

12th June 2009 edition of Have I Got News For You aired a clip of former Housing Minister Caroline Flint with one of the directors of a : b : i : r architects discussing the Ideal Home Show Eco House. The full clip and an interview on sustainability were originally aired on Channel 4 News in April 2008
Cover's Yard, Lewes Road, Brighton
23rd August 2010
Brighton affordable housing scheme granted planning permission after 51/2 years

Boscombe Beach Huts
30th September 2009
Winning design for Boscombe’s new beach huts for disabled users

George Williams House
17th July 2009
Major Portslade Hostel Project is Completed



a : b : i : r : architects

1, beta house, st john's road, hove, east sussex, bn3 2fx

+44 (0)1273 724 384

studio@abirarchitects.co.uk



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a:b:i:r architects facebook site
Duncan McNeill's fantastic panorama of the Brighton Bandstand Brighton's Architecture
Whichelo Place, Open Eco House 2009 More Details
Riseley Eco House, Bedfordshire Clients Blog
RIBA Sussex Branch details of upcoming events and great sussex builidngs
Great Buildings in Surrey run by RIBA Surrey branch
e-architect has a section dedicated to Sussex Architecture
Irene Blair - Fife artist based at Bellcraig Studio
Angela Webb - a Scottish artist based in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire

atkins : blair : ings : richardson : architects is the trading name of abir architects ltd, registered office 12-13 ship street, brighton, east sussex, bn1 1ad company no: 06877117