Client Testimonials
The HOCA Practice is a Registered Chartered Practice with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).
Involving HOCA at the earliest stages in project planning allows for a better opportunity to precisely determine client requirements, develop effective solutions, and identify areas where cost-reduction may be possible.
With an excellent understanding of design, construction, and cost-planning analysis, HOCA are ideally placed to guide you smoothly through the entire process.
Involving HOCA at the earliest stages in project planning allows for a better opportunity to precisely determine client requirements, develop effective solutions, and identify areas where cost-reduction may be possible.
With an excellent understanding of design, construction, and cost-planning analysis, HOCA are ideally placed to guide you smoothly through the entire process.
As Headteacher I was very fortunate to arrive at a time when a new building project had recently been commissioned for the school. The brief - to graft 3 new classrooms, 3 break-out rooms, toilets and a lift-shaft onto a partially 2-storey 1960s building - was challenging.
At all stages of the process we felt that the needs and desires of the school were taken very seriously. Furthermore, design features were explained to non-experts like myself with great clarity.
The creativity of the HOCA team was self-evident throughout the project. One would expect this from such an experienced design team. Perhaps most remarkable was the approachability of each member of the HOCA team. No query was too small and no question remained unanswered. From a client's perspective, we always felt that we were listened to.
Their design was completed on time and has assumed "jewel in the crown" status at the school. I would recommend HOCA without reservation.
Martin, School Headteacher
The Computer Suite was constructed in the courtyard of the school. This is a 'clasp' building and the Suite needed to blend in with the building without disturbing existing fabric.
The Suite is a great success and is the main feature of this open plan standard building. It has been much admired, works extremely well, is the only room in the school that doesn't need the lights on during the day and is so well insulated that it does not need heating or air conditioning. No maintenance has been needed and it still looks contemporary and tasteful and parents/carers that I show around the school are always impressed, as are our staff and the children.
The result of the school's partnership with HOCA is great but the journey to get there was also smooth, productive, and a real partnership. Working with William and his team was a pleasure. Nothing was too much trouble, our ideas and suggestions, however outrageous, were taken into consideration, everyone was courteous at all times.
HOCA were also excellent at giving us choices throughout the various stages of the building - from the original design stage to the final finish with the blinds, lights, bench height, placement of plugs etc. Their attention to detail was excellent, not just in the finished product but in tendering for contractors, liaising with the LEA and planners, building the building, snagging and completing and opening the new room.
The work was carried out during term time, with children around, but the relationship between the contractors and the architects meant that there was minimal disruption and viewing panels allowed the children and staff to watch as work progressed.
Corinne, School Headteacher
We have worked closely with The HOCA Practice over the last six months since appointing them as consultant for a project to build a Sports Hall at our school.
This is a friendly but very professional Practice that quickly gains the confidence of clients, welcomes questions and handles these in a friendly but business-like manner. Their appointment followed invitations to bid to conduct a feasibility study on our Sports Hall project. This was the only bidder who fully understood the concept of a feasibility study and responded to the specific details in the tender.
The HOCA Practice has guided us through stages of exploring options, preliminary design plans and detailed discussions of content prior to planning application. Meetings have been held with our full Premises Committee which have required technical explanations at multiple levels of understanding. The HOCA Practice has handled this with clarity and skill, thus enabling full participation by all concerned. Documentation provided at all stages, including contractual papers, presented in a fully-professional manner, is clear and comprehensive.
The HOCA Practice responded to our brief by providing a range of options regarding size and location of building. This opened up a range of choices, but allowed us to make fully informed decisions whilst at the same time retaining a sense of ownership over the project.
Furthermore The HOCA Practice made imaginative proposals about content and extended use of the building, which are helping with both capital and revenue funding of the project. In this sense The HOCA Practice is able both to respond to needs and to anticipate client's needs.
Similarly The HOCA Practice has anticipated specific problems associated with planning and has taken the initiative to address these. However, this has always been done within a general agreed framework for action, and The HOCA Practice reports back in full at all times, functioning thus as a team player that participates by both guiding and responding to our requirements.
We have no doubt that The HOCA Practice is fully committed to our project.
Keith, Chair of Governors
William Hogan-O'Neill and his team have more than met our expectations in managing this particular project to date. Their design of the new refurbished library has been well received by the LBM planning department, urban design team and library users together with the general collective community.
Essentially Lottery Funds were only available to extend the library in order to accommodate space for extra learning but the design now encompasses a totally new radical look for the complete building.
William's presentation material and interpersonal skills in publicising the design and the method of change for the project have been excellent. He has attended numerous public consultations and planning meetings out of core service delivery hours demonstrating a personal passion for the project and a belief that the expectation of all stakeholders will be achieved.
Like a number of construction projects the refurbishment has unfortunately been compromised by the recently inflated costs of raw materials and labour. HOCA have proactively managed these financial challenges in working closely with partnering team members demonstrating an understanding for the real funding risk and a true determination to value engineer and manage expectations on behalf of client, constructor and all professional engineering partners.
Martin, Project Manager (Local Government Entity)
The HOCA Practice were commissioned by the Borough to design and be the lead project managers in the building of a new, specialised resource centre, including a hydrotherapy pool, for people with profound learning and multiple disabilities.
The brief for this project was to design, within the given budget, a ‘state of the art’ modern centre that would be suitable for services to be provided for this specific client group throughout their life and be fit for purpose for now and for the future. This meant that the building had to be of a design that would be suitable and flexible enough for wheelchair use and for people who could develop further sensory, physical and mental health difficulties, for example dementia.
William Hogan-O’Neill and his team worked closely with both social and health care staff from Sutton in the macro and micro design of the centre. The team from HOCA also consulted, where possible, with people who would be using the resource, parents and carers of the people who could be using the resource as well as with local counsellors, local residents and other departments within the Council.
The team from HOCA were extremely sensitive to the needs of the client group and spent time watching the client group use the existing facilities and discussing with staff how these could be made more accessible and improved in the new centre. All aspects of the building were discusses with relevant staff before agreement was made in relation to changes to ensure that the centre was not only aesthetically pleasing but also of maximum use for service users and staff who would be using the centre in the future.
At all times staff from The HOCA Practice were professional and reliable and delivered what was required within the stipulated timeframe.
Adrienne, Partnerships and Modernisation Projects Manager
I am engaged with HOCA on projects that are both on site and at design development stage and I have found them to approach their project work in an innovative and creative way. The design team meetings I attend at HOCA offices are carried out with a great sense of enthusiasm and commitment and all possible options are examined with energy and imagination.
I find HOCA cooperative and flexible and respond swiftly to requests. They display maturity and a unique style at design team meetings where they clearly lead from the front by taking charge. Equally, at site meeting they take charge in formulating solutions for situations that might arise during the construction stage.
I am project managing two primary school projects and a care resource with HOCA as Architects and Lead Consultants. HOCA lead on a new care resource centre (£4 million) building and have carried out a very in-depth feasibility for the Borough. This document has benefited the Client and End User in assisting them in refining their Brief from the beginning of the appointment. HOCA have embraced the requirements of the Client in the form of a joint contract.
I am especially pleased to advise that HOCA carried out a very successful design solution for this project and has won the praise of many within the Borough for the way the building is designed to function for the various user groups and staff. More especially, the design solution is highly praised for its innovativeness, its chosen site location and use of sustainable and renewable energy features. They also designed out potential difficulties that arose with the Environment Agency on matters relating to building in a flood zone.
HOCA have earned the recognition of those who work with them and whilst they have my best wishes, I am also pleased to be able to recommend them to clients for future projects.
Mike, Procurement & Major Works (Local Government entity)
The Resource Centre will be a specialist resource for people with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities. Whilst primarily for people with specific needs, the resource centre is required to be adaptable in offering services, support, and facilities to a wide range of people from the Sutton Community.
The HOCA Practice and its representatives have been keen to engage with us at every step of the development to ensure that we get a building that is not only of a high standard of design and build, but also in terms of aesthetics, vitally cost and most importantly functionality. Where specialist knowledge has been necessary appropriate contractors have been sourced to ensure that the particular functional requirements of the building are met.
William Hogan-O’Neill has been keen at every opportunity to spend time at our current Resource Centre to witness first hand the support and services we offer to people, and to chat and engage with people in order to further develop an understanding of requirements in the proposed new resource base.
I would have no hesitation in recommending the HOCA Practice to other Social Care organisations. The HOCA Practice have brought a high degree of professionalism, skill, and no small amount of passion to our project, working with us to deliver a Resource Centre that on paper is an exciting prospect, a great resource for people in Sutton, and an adaptable and fit for purpose resource for years to come.
Neil, Adult Learning Disability Day Service Manager
Since 2004 more particularly, The HOCA Practice has functioned as Lead Consultant for a variety of educational, care resource centre and library projects. Recently, we have appointed HOCA to carry out an initial feasibility study for a proposed twenty million pound Leisure Centre project within the Borough. This work concentrated on providing feasibility assessments on a number of potential sites being considered by the Members which culminated in Members focusing on a final two sites.
We have also appointed HOCA to commence with a feasibility study for a new three form entry primary school within the Borough. There are a number of design challenges associated with the selected site and from past experiences with HOCA we are confident that they as Architect and Lead Consultant will provide a superior design solution again.
We have found HOCA to be well qualified in their ability to communicate their design ideas with a passion and enthusiasm and at the same time be ever mindful of the specific needs of the Client, Client User and other stakeholders. HOCA demonstrate leadership among the Design Team and foster the development of design solutions in an imaginative and articulated fashion.
The HOCA Practice is well versed in the design principals surrounding Sustainability and Renewable Energies. They have demonstrated particular acumen for a sensitive project which presented specific challenges surrounding planning and building on a flood plain site. I am pleased to inform that HOCA as Lead Consultants steered the project through planning and Environment Agency’s flood plain requirements in a most skilful way resulting in a planning approval which is identified by the Client, Client User, Sutton Planning and Members as a building offering a high calibre design solution.
The HOCA Practice has a friendly personality and is passionate in providing a professional service to its clients. Under the direction and style of the current principal they continue to expand in a very controlled and measured fashion.
I have no hesitation in recommending HOCA to prospective clients.
Paul, Head of Procurement & Major Works (Local Government entity)