Resources

Oculus is committed to providing informative guidance to assist with the ever changing Building Regulations. The guidance notes endeavour to give a quick overview of the changes to act as an aide memoire for when the situation arises during the design stages for the need to incorporate the relevant amendments.

 

Guidance notes on recent Building Regulation changes can be downloaded below.

Amendments to Approved Documents - 2013-14

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October 2015 Building Regulations Updates

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CASE STUDY
Pegasus House

Standing immediately beside Barnwell House, iconic Aerospace Building Pegasus House has also officially opened following restoration and renovation works. Originally the headquarters of the Bristol Aerospace Company, Pegasus House is a Grade II listed art-deco building built in 1936 which is now at the heart of the new Airbus Aerospace Park. Several heritage features have been retained including a historic four storey stained glass window that chronologically illustrates the evolution of the Bristol Aeroplane Company’s planes, referencing Greek mythology & folklore.

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CASE STUDY
Middleport Pottery

Middleport Pottery, the UK’s last working Victorian pottery was originally constructed in 1888 for Burgess & Leigh, a local ceramics company, where beautiful Burleigh pottery was produced using extremely rare skills.

In 2011, United Kingdom Historic Building Preservation Trust (UKHBPT) embarked on a long journey to save the site from closure and to protect the complex that houses historic machinery, archives and collections of the past. The traditional industrial factory and its original function have been conserved, repaired and regenerated for community benefit. The areas of museum demonstrate the skilful process being undertaken in a traditional manner. 

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CASE STUDY
Astley Castle

A 12th-century fortified manor which had been lying in ruins since a fire in 1978, Astley Castle had seen additions and revisions carried out in almost every century since Medieval times. Throughout its history the site has been owned by no less than three Queens of England.

The Landmark Trust boldly set out to reinstate occupancy of Astley Castle in a manner appropriate for the 21st century.  After careful recording, those parts of the building beyond pragmatic repair were taken down.  By inserting a groundbreaking modern holiday home into the shell of the ancient castle, the architects, Witherford Watson Mann, were able to both stabilise the ruin and create the next layer of the building’s history.  The results showcase how modern architecture can be unashamedly but sympathetically stitched into ancient fabric to significant effect.

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