In our search for the perfect material to wrap the house in, we have sought out burnt timber from various suppliers. These wonderfully rich, textured timbers would look incredible next to the sharp glass and stone and also they are highly functional in what is a coastal, exposed location due to the natural charred protection that this Japanese traditional process offers the wood.
Dancing House demolition progressing at pace
Demolition has started at Dancing House and we have installed a timelapse camera on site that will record the progress throughout the project.
The existing property has folded in quickly and it is always a dramatic, landmark stage of a project. GTA can’t wait to see the new dwelling come out of the ground.
Glen, asked once again by the BBC to joint-host their new 'Wales' Home Of The Year' series
GTA are excited to announce that Glen has been asked by the BBC once again, to help launch their new 'Wales' Home Of The Year' series, along with 2 fellow judges, TV presenter Owain Wyn Evans and top Interior Designer Mandy Watkins. Each episode will see Glen, Owain and Mandy, view many properties right across the country, with an overall winner at the end of each series.
THE TREE HOUSE : Construction work is well under way for GTA's new modern family home in Anglesey.
The foundations pits are being formed today, for the concrete pour this week. Its thrilling to finally see our vision for 'The Tree House', a contemporary dwelling overlooking the Menai Straits in Anglesey, being realised.
CAD render image
The pits dug yesterday will form the walls of the Kitchen zone of new house.
CAD render image
DANCING HOUSE : We are 'breaking ground' finally after many Covid related delays
Demolition work has begun on site today for our ‘Dancing House’.
With ‘Brickflair’ contractors on board, wonderful clients and a challenging contemporary build, its going to be a thrilling and uplifting journey ahead !
Early Concept Render
The existing 1970’s house, which was deemed highly energy inefficient and poorly designed/constructed, has started to be demolished to make way for the new ECO contemporary dwelling.
GTA latest project : New dwelling, Wales
GTA have recently designed and presented the concept drawings for a new build replacement dwelling in the countryside, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales.
HIMITSU (BAKO) HOUSE : The Secret Box House
“You employ stone, wood and concrete, and with these materials you build houses and palaces. That is construction. Ingenuity is at work. But suddenly you touch my heart, you do me good, I am happy and I say: This is beautiful. That is Architecture. Art enters in.”
Le Corbusier
Glen Thomas Architecture have been given the honour of creating a dwelling of substance on the land previously occupied by a single storey cottage, a hidden pocket of land, nestled on the cliff tops overlooking the Bristol Channel.
HIMITSU BAKO : The traditional Japanese 'secret’ box.
From the very first visit to the site and surrounding area, GTA focused its creative energy on deriving inspiration from local geological strata formations that form the topographical plinth the land sits upon and the dramatic unveiling of the views as one approaches the plot from the narrow winding entrance track.
The design philosophy, from the very outset, was to represent this emotional and physical experience of ‘the journey’, through the architectural elements of form and void, solid and transparency, positive and negative space, micro and macro scale and fundamentally, a respect for natures relationship to what is to be built ; wind / still (exposed and private), sunlight / shade (wall and glass), rain / shelter (open and covered), warmth / cold (passive heated space and garden) and exposed / enclosed (transparent materials and solid walls).
HIMITSU BAKO HOUSE was born.
The BAY House
Recently completed renders of the finished dwelling, with work set to commence on site in the summer of 2022
Pontcanna House Progress
Another project located in Pontcanna, Cardiff reaches a milestone point with the main roof structure and walls going up. It really shows off what a fantastic Kitchen, Dining and living space this is going to be.
The dramatic mono pitch roof structure that leads onto the courtyard garden allows a lofty and light filled space that will be a joy to live in.
STONEfold
Ffaldgerrig Cottage (Translated to ‘Stone Fold’)
A series of contemporary additions that delicately ‘fold’ around the original 18th Century ‘stone’ cottage in the Welsh countryside, is complete.
GTA : Our latest instruction 'THE CLIFF HOUSE' (working title)
Our latest instruction is to design and build a contemporary dwelling that sits, isolated, near to the edge of a coastal cliff.
Photos taken from our initial site ‘walk around’ last week. This unique and fabulous location is filled with drama and an intense awareness of the elements. What ‘house’ is to be born from these rocks?….
CHANNEL 4 : more filming GTA's 'Taff Trail' property
Sarah Beeny’s new CHANNEL 4 series ‘Small House Big Ideas’ will feature GTA’s recent house development that sits on the Taff Trail, just outside of Cardiff.
Last week Glen was interviewed in the nearly complete property, by the Channel 4 production team.
The television programme is currently in the edit suite. GTA will announce the broadcasting date soon.
CHANNEL 4 : filming GTA's 'TAFF TRAIL HOUSE'
Sarah Beeny’s new CHANNEL 4 series ‘Small House Big Ideas’ will feature GTA’s recent house development that sits on the Taff Trail, just outside of Cardiff.
For the second and final filming date this week, Glen will be interviewed by Sarah at the property, which is nearing completion.
The modernist design approach GTA adopted for this beautiful stone cottage extension, has a weathered steel wall running along the boundary with the river trail path, echoing the burnt orange colours of the surrounding bracken. The thin profile, cantilevered, matte black aluminium roof, delicately sits onto the rusted wall and is supported at the end, by a slender steel column that sits outside of the building fabric, allowing for a minimal glass to glass corner, that opens up to the garden. The bedroom above has a walk on green roof with privacy screen.
18th Century Stone barn in Mid-Wales gets a GTA modern new lease of life!
Work is well underway for GTA’s contemporary development of a stunning 18th Century stone barn. The client and his father are undertaking most of the work themselves. A real labour of love!
Recent work on the main barn internal strip out, has left the old stone walls exposed, revealing some historical structural stories. A diaphanous glow of daylight penetrates the tile less roof, bathing the stone walls and resulting in an almost ethereal atmosphere, inside the new double height atrium.
3D render of the proposed completed development. A minimalist glass link joins the historic stone structure to the light filled, matte black corrugated metal, vaulted ceiling, open plan Kitchen, Living and Dining spaces. The thin framed glass sliding doors open up, offering the inhabitant 180 degree uninterrupted views across towards the Brecon Beacons National Park.
GTA : New 'upside down' dwelling, just yards from the seafront
GTA New Project: An ‘upside down’ contemporary dwelling with views out to the Bristol Chanel.
Richard and I met the clients and their daughters on site (empty plot) and marked out the footprint of our new 7000 ft2 house, out on the sloped site with steaks and rope. Its an amazing thing, imagining rooms, views from balconies, cooking at the Kitchen island, whilst wandering around a vacant field.
CAD Render ‘Concept’ Image
6 New Build part-buried ECO Homes : GTA are one step Closer !
GTA are that little bit closer to making these 6 buried ECO houses in Bristol, overlooking the Severn Estuary, happen.
With both Archaeological and Ecology surveys currently being carried out, added to a successful Visual Impact Assessment earlier in the year, we hope to get the appeal inspectors on our side finally.
Some times, the journey to realising ‘Architecture’ is a long one, but my word will it be worth it!
Pontcanna House #3
Work has just begun on a radical and dramatic, mono-pitch rear extension at a delightful Victorian property in Pontcanna Cardiff, that wraps around the rear of the plot to create a courtyard garden.
Glen Thomas Architecture Ltd win prestigious 'BEST ARCHITECT STUDIO IN WALES'
We are delighted to be awarded the title of ‘The Best Architects Studio In Wales 2021’, by the New York based award company Luxury Lifestyle Awards 2021. After narrowing the nominees down from 20 to 4 Welsh practices, GTA then went on to win the top prize. It is always an honour to receive accreditation our Studio’s hard work this past year.
GTA : New Contemporary Family Home In The Gower
GTA visited the site of its latest instruction today, a new build, modern family residence in the picturesque coastline of the Gower, Wales.
Walking around the plot with the clients and their children, we were able to gain a great feeling of what is to come. The walls, floors, transparent and solid elements, the scale and the siting on the field will all derive directly and only from context.
This is truly going to be a remarkable dwelling and an exciting time for all involved!
We will update this site as the design progresses.
Glen.
GTA : New Studio Premises
GTA are expanding and have been on the hunt for new Studio premises this last month.
This morning, the office had a viewing in Cardiff Bay, to see a 1875 built dockland, eclectic, high Victorian building with strong Gothic and Italian Renaissance elements.
The space inside was exquisite, with a series of enormous open plan, light filled spaces, full of character and original detailing.
We felt immediately at home here….. so, watch this space…..
