Clear Architects, the Loughton based practice led by Founder and Managing Director Melanie Clear have won ‘Residential Architecture Firm of the Year – UK’ at the Corporate LiveWire Architecture Awards 2018.
The Awards celebrate construction, design, planning and completed work, highlighting firms and individuals who have shown a commitment to their sustainable sector and who represent the pinnacle of business achievement.
Melanie Clear, Founder & Managing Director, Clear Architects says
“We are absolutely thrilled to win this Award and to be recognised not just for our creative vision, but for our intelligent business strategy that has led to our considerable success with Green Belt projects.”
Architecture is about vision, creativity, and meeting and exceeding client briefs to produce exceptional buildings. At Clear Architects, we take clients on a journey from the initial concepts to the finished product, but it’s our relationship with those clients that sets us apart.”
For the Awards submission, Clear Architects were able to draw on the design work for their own Studio which is currently being redeveloped. Sustainable design is employed throughout including PV (solar panels) to generate the thermal power needed to run the Studio each day, a ‘Green Roof’ to reduce energy consumption and rainwater harvesting to feed the toilets and vegetable garden.
James Mors, Creative Director says
“Sustainability is about working smarter and finding innovative ways to generate renewable energy. Our clever designs for the Studio fuse contemporary architecture with a structure that is completely reliant on natural energy sources which is very exciting.”
Awards Criteria
Firms and individuals are judged on set criteria which include their ability to demonstrate impressive examples of technological advancements, ethical and sustainable practices, new design and innovative strategies that contribute to growing the Architecture Industry.
Winners are chosen by a panel of independent judges based on those they feel have excelled within their given field of expertise and have exceeded the criteria set.
Winning Formula
Clear Architects were able to demonstrate their strength against all of the key criteria including their outstanding success rate on Green Belt projects which add a layer of complexity compared to other schemes. Judges were able to see how the firm’s experts devise applications which meet both the client brief and planning expectations.
Recent successful planning applications including The Regal Cinema in Higham’s Park and Woodford Road, a beautiful Art Deco house within the Snaresbrook Conservation Area, illustrate Clear Architects flair for aesthetic design, aligning contemporary architecture with original period features. Both projects required proven expertise in working with clients and local authorities to achieve planning consent and illustrate the firm’s breadth of knowledge on both residential and commercial projects.