What we do & How we do it
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Our aim is to produce inspirational, hard-working buildings |
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Motivation
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The HOCA team is motivated by the high level of expertise and experience we can give to our Clients. Where Partnering Agreements exist, HOCA are specifically focused on delivering the Agreed Maximum Prices at the earliest time and endeavour to coordinate an early input from the Constructor and preferred Sub Constructors where appropriate. In addition, our Sub Consultants, where required, are very familiar too with the design process surrounding future Local Authority projects and non LA Projects. |
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HOCA employ a serious approach to whole life costs for the building. We are familiar with WLC process and have the commitment to deliver on all our projects.
We will explore functional effectiveness a response to context along with exploitation of natural resources such as views, light, sun etc.,
We will identify how making routes and entrances easily identifiable, articulation of elements and spaces with real purpose, practicality and environmental efficiency, identity, character and beauty resulting in integrity of the whole. |
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We understand sustainable development to mean making sure that the individual buildings and developments we provide today do not affect the ability of future generations to undertake their own development. Essentially, we aim to minimize the environmental impact of the new building both during construction and over its lifetime. |
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Our aim
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Our aim is to produce inspirational, hard-working buildings which represents best value. It will be a building the Local Authority/Council and local communities can be proud of, and can enjoy for years to come. The building will be user-friendly and will promote health, security and well-being. It will display a positive sense of identity and place and will support the enhancement of learning experiences. |
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Understanding the Nature of Public Buildings
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Any building tells us something of what that place is like and what makes it work. Buildings are about people. They are sited, planned and designed by people for people’s uses and culture. They are decorated, fitted out and furnished to meet someone's aspirations and requirements or assumed requirements.
They represent people’s needs, culture, tastes, style, values, skills, economic situations and life patterns.
Architectural design encompasses much more than creating aesthetics for the project site. The design is a reflection of community values and culture that is highly visible to the public. The operational effectiveness of the facility is determined, in part, by the ratio of staffing that will use the facility. The goals are to complement the community values and culture and the staff with the physical characteristics of the facility.
We have experience of working on a variety of Public Buildings which include Regional Sports Centres, Schools Multi Purpose Sports Hall, Primary and Infant Schools, Secondary Schools, Special Needs Schools Special Needs Resource Centre, Libraries and involvement with Civic Buildings and specialist Waste Disposal Facilities where we carried out a feasibility proposals in conjunction with the Waste Disposal Department in Sutton. HOCA therefore, have an excellent working knowledge of what it takes when working with Local Authority & Commercial Clients, Stakeholders and End Users. Equally, HOCA are very familiar in designing and planning the work for Schools and other public building while remaining operational. |
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The HOCA Practice in Collaboration with Specialist Designers
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The HOCA Practice is very acquainted with working with appointed professionals.
More especially, HOCA formed
a consortium of professional Sub
Consultants as part of its
Framework Agreement with the LB.
Sutton and LB Merton consisting
of Structural engineers,
Building Services Engineers,
Quantity Surveyors and Planning
Supervision.
We would be happy to involve
our consortium sub- consultants
if required by the Client at any
time if required. |
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Project Design Consultants
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Depending on the nature and scope of the project, HOCA would expect some or all of the following Design-Consultants to be engaged by the Client: |
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Management, Resourcing and Co-ordination of Design Consultants
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The HOCA Practice has a team of twelve personnel at this time, eight of which are professional qualified architects, with a minimum qualification of a Degree in Architecture one Surveyor with specialist leisure and pool and hydrotherapy pool expertise, one junior architect assistant with one staff member providing resource support. Associates and Project architects are supported a strong technical support regime of degree holding architects. In all cases, all HOCA architectural and/or technical staff hold, as a minimum, a degree in Architecture. Please refer to the office structure attached together with an outline showing how HOCA would service project/s. We have also included the profiles of the HOCA team members. |
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Team working at HOCA |
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Projects involving Local Authorities in a client or stakeholder role, account for 85% of The HOCA Practice’s workload. We are an expanding practice and are in a position to allocate dedicated senior, experienced personnel to our design and construction projects.
Our proposed team would be initially led by the Principal of the practice and one Associate. They will be the first point of contact with our Clients & Stakeholders from initial briefing, engaged in the consultation process through to completion of the Feasibility. They will be supported with design, technical and research resources appropriate for the project. This dedicated team will coordinate and lead the Design Stage with, users and stakeholders. They will interact with the other appointed members of the Design Team and Constructor, if appointed at this stage. |
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Design & Contract Management
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We base our design and contract management methodology on the processes defined by the RIBA in the relevant job management publications. It follows the RIBA stages A - L and includes key actions and checklists associated with each stage. We have included in our submission a typical RIBA Checklist for a typical project. HOCA are also very familiar with Partnering Frameworks and the associated Contracts.
Our management method encourages clear communication, demarcation of responsibility and cooperative team effort. An essential tool to support this is the project programme and our Roles and Responsibilities Tool. They will be a live documents, created early in the design process and is used to report progress against, throughout the design development process. We will include a typical pre-construction project programme in later submissions. |
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Our management style is one of controlling processes, which are implemented within a framework of positive and cooperative team spirit. We believe that careful investment in time during the early stages of a project ensures that a well-planned and carefully considered solution is conceived and developed. This time investment includes briefing, consultation, feedback and review, financial planning and identification and management of project specific risks.
These
are the responsibility of the whole team
including the client stakeholders and end
users. |
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HOCA Architects focusing on the issues |
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Our Approach to Design
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The HOCA Practice would be lead on design and function as contract administrators where the Contract permits. As Lead Consultants for existing Framework Agreements we also act as Lead Consultants. An Associate would be actively involved in the design of the project, with the Architect taking the lead role as the project architect. The Associate would be supported by our team of experienced architects and architects assistants.
A designated person will manage overall project co-ordination, focusing on client access to the design team, value, risk, design and production management and programming. Cost planning, value engineering and robust cost control at key stages will be provided by the design team in general and the quantity surveyor in particular. Structural and Drainage design will be provided by the appointed structural engineer and building service engineer. An integrated environmental strategy will be provided at the earliest design stages by Building Services Engineer.
CDM Planning Supervisor too will be appointed by the Client. The whole team will follow the project - specific design management and quality control procedures which The HOCA Practice will put in place. We are very much "team workers" and at the earliest stage we would seek the establishment of a Project Management Group which would include representatives from the Design Team, Client representative, careers and community stakeholders as appropriate. |
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Sustainability
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Frankie Mullins is head of Resource Support. Frankie will direct your telephone call or email to the architect responsible for your project. |
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We understand sustainable development to mean making sure that the individual buildings and developments we provide today do not affect the ability of future generations to undertake their own development.
Essentially, we aim to minimize the environmental impact of the new building both during construction and over its lifetime. |
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Our Approach for Protecting the Environment, Reducing Pollution and providing Sustainability
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We believe sustainability should be an integral and essential part of any thinking about new building development today. We aim to minimise the environmental impact of buildings both during construction and over their lifetime, and this forms the basis of our approach.
Sustainability is often the key differentiator for a development proposal. It marks out a special scheme from the ordinary. It is increasingly important for planners, local authorities, development agencies, funders and customers. But it can come at a cost, and our strength is our awareness of the issues and a pragmatic and intelligent approach to design, which ensures that we obtain the best value whilst meeting environmental objectives. In many cases careful design will mean that simple but effective building services solutions will meet the brief without resorting to expensive and complicated systems. |
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Quality Control with
our Independent
Auditor |
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Our usual approach is to undertake an initial appraisal of the scheme which identifies the key issues of environmental sensitivity and which allows clients to make informed decisions about projects by providing them with objective assessments about the effectiveness and environmental impact of development proposals. We will then develop proposals in conjunction with the rest of the design team and monitor performance against agreed benchmarks. |
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Brief development
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Meetings with Independent Auditor and Advisor for ISO 9001 Quality Control and ISO 14001 Environmental Policy. |
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Paramount to the design process is establishing the Brief. We can help the client and users to devise a schedule of accommodation that reflects the requirements. HOCA’s associate member would work very closely with you and your advisers at this important stage to ensure that the schedule of accommodation for the new building satisfies present and future building demands and forms an integrated part of our analysis strategy. The project would be initiated with a detailed user analysis.
The implications for effective accommodation will be drawn from our analysis in relation to current guidelines and related to the particular aspirations and needs of the Authorities and Clients. We would seek to visit other similar buildings and facilities with you to learn from experience and to enrich our own brief. |
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Site and buildings assessment
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The Design Team would initiate site and demolition surveys, drains survey, soil investigation, appraisal of existing services and asbestos survey as necessary, to further inform the design process. The Design Team would also consider the cost implications of the survey information. We would identify all site constraints and site opportunities. This process ensures that a robust overall project cost can be established. The risk element of the `unforeseen' later in the project is reduced. |
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Consultation with the client, users and local communities
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Consultation is an important ingredient of sustainable design and is essential to the way we work. We will liaise closely with the client group to ensure that the brief is developed to reflect fully the aspirations and objectives of the Client and stakeholders. The involvement of all consultants at the earliest stages will ensure the development of a holistic design strategy, with new or upgraded existing buildings being fully integrated into the architectural solution. Appropriate consultation with all interested parties and bodies ensures not only the smooth passage of the project through the various approval processes, but also the stakeholders' sense of ownership of the overall project. We propose to start the process by holding workshop sessions with a client group. Members would be selected to represent all interests in the project. Members would continue to monitor the project in the form of a steering group and would obtain feed back from the interest groups that they represent. |
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HOCA Office in Rochester, Kent |
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One of HOCA’s associates is a CABE Enabler and experienced in facilitating Design Quality Indicator workshops for client. He will lead on all aspects relating to the project Brief, exploring design options and execution of the final design solution for the project.
HOCA are currently exploring options for displaying selected project information on our website.
This information could be used as a repository and management tool for all parties participating in the project. A dedicated web page could be created for on-line consultation directed to the project. |
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Design strategy
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A holistic design strategy would be evolved from careful consideration of the accommodation brief and the assessment of the site information. The initial approach will take account not only of the "facts on the ground" but also of the Client Group's wider aspirations for the Client and Local Authorities. The Design Team would make the new buildings "work hard" to achieve the optimum use of space.
Studies will establish community use options and potential community partners can be brought into the frame at this stage. The building will be fully integrated in its landscape which will be planned to provide easily accessible outdoor spaces for sensory stimulation, social and recreational use. |
