Oak-frame architect profile MCA Lawray Ltd

The practice has designed many buildings in sensitive locations and extensions to listed buildings where the use of natural materials is essential to achieving the correct ambience. Oak frame structures frequently satisfy this requirement.

The Partnership Approach

Lawray Partnership, established in 1984, enjoys a balance of regional and national clients with interests in retail, commercial, educational and residential fields. The practice is run by three directors who share responsibility for all aspects of each project.

Philip Dyke has responsibility for developing and interpreting the brief, initiating the design and ensuring that the quality of the scheme is maintained through to building completion.

Charles Evans concentrates his expertise on overseeing the technical and contractual aspects of projects, translating a carefully resolved design into a building of the highest possible standard, and specifying the most suitable cost-effective and efficient materials.

John Whatley brings extensive experience in planning legislation and design and build contracts. He has responsibility for project control within the office team.

Assistant architects and technicians work as a team to develop designs and prepare information for each stage of the project from the development of the brief through to inspections on site during construction.

The strength of the Lawray Partnership is considered to be the quality and sensitivity of the design solutions combined with a practical as well as cost-conscious approach to the client’s needs. The practice seeks to create with every development buildings that satisfy practical needs whilst providing pleasure to the end users. The design teams bring know-how, and a reputation for care that earns Lawray Partnership the client’s confidence in these respects.

Design Development

At the outset Lawray Partnership would carry out an overall evaluation of the site and consider the brief in a general sense with the intention of providing a strategy for current and future phases of development. At this stage the practice would wish to consult interested parties who may influence the solution.

The aesthetics of the building, both externally and internally, are created as part of the overall design development and emerge from the functional requirements as well as from influences from the surrounding environment. The practice has extensive experience in solving the difficult problem of providing buildings in sensitive locations, by creating suitable designs with the use of appropriate materials.

The practice strongly favours collaborative working with the client to achieve an end result that matches expectations. At all stages the team evaluates the proposals to ensure they still meet the original brief.

Design does not override the function of the building, rather it is an integrated part of this, having been fully considered at all technical stages where process decisions will affect the building form.

Budget Control

Every client has a budget for a project, and Lawray Partnership believes that every client deserves the best design, no matter what the level the budget is set at. This means that the style of the building is the result of its functional requirements whilst externally it relates to adjoining surroundings and/or buildings. The selection of appropriate materials is crucial so that the desired appearance is achieved within the given cost plan. With Lawray Partnership’s client understanding that the design is a high priority, the co-ordination of the functional requirements of the building always takes place within this parameter.

Design Team

The practice arranges for other consultants to be appointed by the client to cover specialist areas of a given project. These range from landscape architects to planning supervisors. Lawray Partnership obtains competitive fee proposals for each consultant and acts as the lead consultant to co-ordinate the design to achieve a successful outcome.

Oak-frame architect profile MCA Lawray Ltd

The practice has designed many buildings in sensitive locations and extensions to listed buildings where the use of natural materials is essential to achieving the correct ambience. Oak frame structures frequently satisfy this requirement.

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MCA Lawray Ltd

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