NATIONAL architects GSSArchitecture, whose head office is in Northamptonshire, celebrated their 140th anniversary in 2019, a year which brought them a number of successes, including the delivery of new schools in Leicestershire, High Wycombe and London; a new Sainsbury’s store in Buckinghamshire; Newcastle University’s National Innovation Centre, named The Catalyst; and a range of large strategic masterplanning projects.
Throughout the year, staff across all five offices took the opportunity to give back to their local communities by taking part in the GSS Volunteer 140 initiative, which set the practice a goal of 140 hours of volunteer work in 2019. Overall, an impressive 154 hours of volunteer work was carried out, with teams helping out local schools, charities and trusts with everything from painting school halls, to cleaning out animal shelters and litter picking. The team have all managed to collectively raise £5,000 for the charity MIND, by taking part in a sponsored staff challenge, as well as a smaller team taking part in the Great North Run.
2020 is set to be an equally successful year for the practice, with many exciting projects completing over the coming months. One of these projects includes the remodelling and expansion of the Northampton Museum and Art Gallery, which links the existing building to the adjacent Guildhall Road Block, a building designed by GSSArchitecture’s founder, John Alfred Gotch in 1937. The museum, known for its world renowned shoe collections, is undergoing a substantial transformation with the extension providing brand new gallery space and a bright and spacious cafe leading on to an outdoor terrace. Due to open to the public in the spring, the highly anticipated project is a key addition to Northampton town centre’s Cultural Quarter. With more than double the amount of public space previously on offer, the museum will be able to facilitate larger exhibitions and host major events within the central hall.
Elsewhere in the county, GSS are working as architects and quantity surveyors on the restoration and repairs to the historic, Grade II* Listed, Hind Hotel in Wellingborough, which is set to complete later this year. The hotel has remained live over the entire construction process, meaning that GSS have had to use a phased approach in order to cause minimum disruptions to staff and guests at the hotel.
Works are also progressing well at Corby Southern Gateway’s brand new retail parade, where GSS are working as architects, quantity surveyors and employer’s agent, to deliver a new drive-thru McDonald’s and Costa, as well as two other retail units, one of which will house a Domino’s pizza restaurant. The development is set to significantly enhance and support the existing facilities at Corby Southern Gateway, and benefit the wider Corby area.
Since 1879, GSSArchitecture have gained a great deal of experience in a variety of sectors, which means that the practice is well equipped with the skills to deliver high quality buildings throughout England, Scotland and Wales from their five offices. If you would like to know more about what GSSArchitecture have been up to recently, or would like any more information on the projects they are working on, then visit www.gssarchitecture.com