Emerging Practice: Regenerating Valparaiso Chile | Michael Collins | open lecture by OCA Studio

Michael Collins, Oliver Chapman Architects. Friday 24th January 1pm The Common Room, Minto House, University of Edinburgh

Valparaiso emerged as a wealthy settlement in the late 19th and 20th Century, owing to its location as a trading base between the Magellan Strait and the Pacific. Its urban form and character is testament to both rapid growth, and its dramatic ‘amphitheater’ setting. The city suffered urban decline and depopulation after the construction of the Panama Canal. By 2002 much of the city was derelict with many buildings within the historic core abandoned. In the years since the city’s declaration as a UNESCO world heritage site, Valparaiso has witnessed a large amount of inward investment and urban improvement. However this has also had a negative effect on existing communities, many un- able to engage with the current planning structure, arguably fuelling the sprawl of informal develop- ments on the city’s fringe. In the context of an increasingly young profession in Chile, this talk will focus on emerging ‘bottom up’ architect led approaches in Valparaiso in response. These groups use architecture, as well as alternative forms ‘agency’ both as agent provocateurs and in collaboration with local communities to regenerate both the physical and social fabric of the city as well as identifying and preserving intangible aspects of local heritage.

Royal Scottish Academy by OCA Studio

Two projects were selected for inclusion in the RSA Open Exhibition which runs until 26th January 2014; camping pods for Scottish Canals to be sited along Thomas Telford's Caledonian Canal and speculative proposals for West Port and Kings Stables Yard, Edinburgh that were prepared for the council's 'Cultural Futures' debate

Sunday Times feature Skerrie House Project by OCA Studio

The seaside extension in Anstruther for clients Ian Harding and Clare Checkland featured in last weeks Sunday times Home edition, quoted as 'Britain's cosiest grand design'.

http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/style/homes_and_gardens/Improve/article1334415.ece

Hidden Doors Art Festival Success by OCA Studio

We were delighted to have been selected along with approximately 30 others (out of almost 250 competition entries) to participate in the Hidden Doors Art festival. The festival in March aims to bring life to the East market street Vaults in Edinburgh. Our proposal involves a highly visible temporary structure 'moulded' from the space inside the vaults, that will connect several events spaces and be used as a performance area and breakout zone. We are looking forward to collaborating with the Hidden Doors and other artists over the coming months as the design develops. http://www.hiddendoor.or

Fully fabricated canals camping pod successfully delivered by OCA Studio

The prototype camping pod has been delivered to Scottish Canal's yard in Glasgow from Makar Construction, its fabricators in Inverness. Galt Transport managed the manoeuvre which involved travelling down the A9 through the Grampians and lifting over walls and safely past high voltage electricity pylons. The prototype will now be scruntised and modifications reviewed for eventual production of further pods for the Caledonian Canal. 

New build planning success in Edinburgh's World Heritage Site by OCA Studio

These proposals for new town houses in Gayfield Square were approved by the City of Edinburgh's planning committee last week. Designed on three levels, they are equivalent in scale to compact Georgian town houses found elsewhere in the new town which have their principal living level on the first upper floor. The special condition of the end house turns the oblique angled corner into a small back lane. A two storey recessed pocket in it's stone elevation allows it's living room to have a privileged raised view past a small terrace towards the trees in the square. A limited amount of parking is in the base of the building, using the natural slope of the street to conceal it from the street

First Caledonian Canal camping pod takes shape by OCA Studio

Nice to see the prototype underway at Makar's workshop near Inverness. Seeing our building inside theirs makes it seem even more reminiscent of our first project 'Bed Box' - a bed wardrobe furniture unit installed in a drawing room for clients in Edinburgh back in 2000. We like the twisting movement the diagonal ridge creates and are looking forward to seeing the charred black larch and mirrored cladding going on later this month

Merchiston apartments break ground by OCA Studio

Ogilvie Contractors has begun construction work on our project for 11 apartments in Merchiston, Edinburgh. The building occupies a site indicated in the original Victorian feu pattern, but was never developed. Its scale is similar to the villas that characterise the area, but its architectural expression differs from these, substituting bay windows for balconies at eroded corners and expressing individual apartments as forms slipped past one another.

Success at Scottish Design Awards 2013 by OCA Studio

Congratulations to Chambers MacMillan for 'Ramp House' which has won the Chairman's Award for Architecture.It was also the winner in the residential category. Oliver Chapman Architects assisted by providing technical support. Skerrie House, Anstruther received a commendation in the same category

Nominations for Scottish Design Awards by OCA Studio

We are delighted that two projects we have been involved with are shortlisted against only one other project in the category of best small residential development in the Scottish Design Awards. Our projects are Skerrie House which was designed for Ian Harding and Clare Checkland and Ramp House for which we provided technical design support for Ian and Thea McMillan.

Architects Journal Feature by OCA Studio

Nice to see this project in the Architects Journal this week (07.03.12 number 9 volume 237). The feature is on the internet but restricted to subscribers unfortunately. We've added a summary in a project page on this website. It's been great working with our clients Ian and Thea McMillan, both architects who led the design of the project and now how their own practice Chambers McMillan up and running. We wish them great success with their exciting venture

Scottish Canals | Caledonian Canal Camping Pods by OCA Studio

Scottish Canals have appointed OIiver Chapman Architects and Urban Animation to design a number of camping pods along the Caledonian Canal. Taking inspiration from Highland crofters box beds, the vernacular furniture sleeping compartments, these cabins will serve the increasing number of active tourists who trail by boat, bike and on foot along the canal towpath and Great Glen Way.

Guardian magazine by OCA Studio

Great to see our little project Skerrie House in Anstruther featured in the Guardian magazine today. Hope Clare's okay seeing everything inside her cupboards laid bare . . . Nice photos by Dave Morris and copy by Caroline Ednie. http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/nov/30/homes-between-sea-sky?INTCMP=SRCH

Cultural Futures | Edinburgh by OCA Studio

Join us for an evening of drinks and conversation and to view images of speculative ideas for Edinburgh's cultural future.

Oliver Chapman Architects and 3D architectural visualisation experts shovemedia have been approached by Riccardo Marini, the City of Edinburgh Council’s city design leader, to do some blue sky thinking for this month’s Cultural Summit Event. Four sites in Edinburgh were identified where there is potential for making new cultural venues, supported by a mix of commercial uses, which make distinctive places rather than simply making more cultural monuments.This is an exhibition of one of the sites, Argyle House, West Port and King Stables Road.This incredible site in the shadow of the Castle could hold cultural futures for among others Scottish Chamber Orchestra, The Bongo Club and Edinburgh Filmhouse

Wednesday, 28th November 2012, 5:30-8pm, Schop Gallery 36 St Mary's Street, Edinburgh EH1 1SX

Funding secured for Edinburgh Printmakers by OCA Studio

We're delighted that our work with Edinburgh Printmakers resulted in a successful provisional award of £1.7m capital grant. It is the largest of sixteen projects in Scotland supported by Creative Scotland announced last week, in this round of awards for creative spaces which total £15m.

Funding secured for Edinburgh Printmakers by OCA Studio

We're delighted that our work with Edinburgh Printmakers resulted in a successful provisional award of £1.7m capital grant. It is the largest of sixteen projects in Scotland supported by Creative Scotland announced last week, in this round of awards for creative spaces which total £15m

Barrell House by OCA Studio

Our larch clad extension to a modern home in Dunblane is complete. Just waiting for a sunnier day to take nicer pictures. Even on this dull day you can see the effect of daylight coming in to the dining area through the long roof light