Norland College - Bath

Excelling in childcare training since 1892

The Project

First established by Emily ward in 1892, Norland College has become world leader in childcare training centred around the child. Having moved to various locations in the past, the College is now based in Bath. Along with its location, the curriculum at Norland has changed and progressed with the times to offer the most up to date academic childcare training courses and the highest practice standards in line with the latest research.


Building Control

Oculus was appointed in the summer of 2014 to oversee the expansion of Norland into a new location in the Oldfield Park area of Bath. The new site houses a sundry of amenities, including state of the art lecture rooms, a simulated nursery area, and purpose built on-site kitchens to name a few.  Working alongside the Nick Shipp Architects, Oculus were able to assist the team to optimise the fire safety requirements to make best use of the single staircase layout having regard to the clients aspirations for occupancy levels.


 

 

CASE STUDY
Marwell Zoo

Intended to replace the existing Tropical World exhibit, the new Tropical House at Marwell Zoo aims to incorporate an Energy Centre using a sustainable energy source to power both the Tropical House, and other exhibits within the park. Animals such as sloths, monkeys and lizards will interact with visitors as they walk along a path through tropical themed environments of vegetation, waterfalls rock faces and aquariums.

Read More

CASE STUDY
Knole - Conservation Studio

The Conservation Studio is a new facility dedicated to conserving historical objects of the Knole collection. Located in a medieval barn, the Studio has been carefully converted into a two storey building with the original pitched roof profile having been restored after a fire in 1887. The new purpose designed Studio will offer an insight into the work of conservators and their important contribution to the conservation profession. Visitors will be able to observe specialists from multiple conservation disciplines in one location, and gain insight into a world rarely seen from behind closed doors. 

Read More

CASE STUDY
Burwalls House

The Burwalls site consists of a substantial historic Grade II listed main house and stable block annex and lies in nearly 5 acres of land adjacent to Brunel’s world famous Clifton Suspension Bridge. The main house is in the Jacobethan style and was constructed in 1872 as a private dwelling by Joseph Leech, a local entrepreneur and owner of the Bristol Times and Mirror.

The site was purchased in 2014 by Kersfield Developments who obtained permission to split the main house into 5 impressive apartments, convert the Stable block in to 2 units and for the construction of 4 new detached dwellings.

The main house has been extended at various points during its history and some of the current works in this sensitive conversion were to remove elements of the more recent additions which are detrimental to the original building.

Read More