We are thrilled to welcome Hazel to our busy team. Hazel’s UK adventure begins at gcp this week as she settles into her new UK life after moving from South Africa. Alongside her role as Architectural Technologist, Hazel is a keen urban landscape photographer and enthusiastic scrambler. Both are valuable skills to have in this office and we look forward to showing her the local sights!
team gcp
Welcome Matt
Matt has joined our busy team as a Part 2 and we’re confident that his wealth of housing experience will be a welcome boost to our Vistry projects.
Matt is an enthusiastic digital artist, enjoys paddleboarding, skating and is a keen resistance board game ninja.
Welcome to team gcp, Matt!
Farewell Catriona
Catriona joined gcp back in April for her in-practice-placement, an integral part of her Part 1 course at Bath Uni. Before she finished her placement, we asked her a few questions. Catriona was a great addition to the team and we wish her all the best on her next adventure and her summer in Zambia site managing the construction of sports facilities as part of the ACE2Zambia construction team!
What inspired you to study architecture?
My interest in architecture started when my mum was undergoing treatment for breast cancer at Ninewells Hospital so we spent a lot of time at Maggie’s Dundee. At this time at school we were doing a project where we had to choose a charity and do a presentation on it. My group chose Maggie’s Dundee as our charity so through this project I did a lot of research into Maggie Keswick Jenks and her interest in architecture and Frank Ghery the architect of the Maggie’s Dundee building. This sparked my interest in architecture, and I explored this interest through artwork before starting my degree at the University of Bath in 2019.
Have you enjoyed your placement with gcp?
I have had a great time working at gcp I have enjoyed the variation of work I have been involved with through working on architecture projects as well as with the marketing team producing graphics. I have also enjoyed the additional site visits gcp have involved me in. These visits have allowed me to gain a knowledge of different construction techniques and detailing.
How was it different to your expectations of being in a working studio?
I have worked in a practice before so I was familiar with how certain things work however it was a very different experience to my previous practice. I was very grateful for how open the directors were about how the business was run as this allowed me to understand a lot more about the in’s and out’s of an architecture practice.
What’s your favourite thing that you’ve worked on during your time here?
I have enjoyed all the elements of my work at gcp but I particularly enjoyed one project I was involved with that looked to convert an old Victorian warehouse into houses. I was particularly interested in this project as the existing building had so much character, we worked really hard to retain whilst bringing new opportunities to the area.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I am part of the University of Bath Canoe Club and spend a lot of my free time involved in the club. I am regularly involved in pool and river sessions as well as white water trips and Canoe polo tournaments and of course socials.
What does the future hold for you? What’s next for Catriona?
I am part of a group of 5 civil engineering and architecture students from the University of Bath who are going to Zambia over the summer to project manage the construction of a netball court. Once I leave gcp I have a month to finalise designs and sign the contracts before leaving for Zambia the beginning of July.
In September I will be going into my final year of my Part 1 degree and look forward to bringing the knowledge I have gained from my placement to my studio projects.
Employee Survey Results #mentalhealthawareness
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#mentalhealthawareness
Two years ago, as part of our mental health and wellbeing initiatives, gcp implemented an Employee Survey. This is the second year of our survey and we are delighted to have once again received 100% participation.
Using quality questions has enabled us to monitor trends year-on-year so that we can build a picture of how we are all doing and we will continue to do this going forward. We will run the survey annually to track changing trends, but are also investigating other forms of feedback, which can be given more regularly so there is less time between whole office check-ins.
We understand the limitations to a survey taken at a moment in time and have a number of other options in place for staff to access support where required.
Below, we have summarised some of the quality question responses and the next steps we are taking in each area.
At gcp, we are really keen on focus weeks, especially for Mental Health & Wellbeing and use them as a time to reflect on progress to date and to put plans in place for the next period.
There is an awareness of mental health at gcp & this is talked about openly
Next Steps:
Set up a mental health task group
Finalise and publish our new wellbeing & mental health policy
Events Group to form a program of inclusive events
I feel confident that I can open up about mental health issues at work
Next Steps:
Investigate ways to receive feedback more regularly
Monitor the wellbeing and mental health of staff annually via anonymous survey
Keep mental health at the forefront of one-to-ones and reviews. Put wellbeing action plans into place for anyone who wants to
Keep to one-to-one schedule (these are informal chats with directors, outside of the review system, when any issues or concerns can be raised or feedback given)
Offer alternative ways to get support (via our private medical insurance or Mind)
I am aware of the support available to me at work with regards to mental health
Next Steps:
Clarify support available
Devise a plan for regular updates / training on mental health and support
Other:
gcp continues to commit to the Thrive at Work West of England Growth Hub
gcp continues to keep employee wellbeing and keeping our team mentally healthy at the core of our company values
International Women's Day 2022: A Reflection
The challenge for all businesses is the same: what you collectively agree are priorities for you, your staff, and the industry you work in and serve. We strongly feel equality, diversity, flexibility, and wellbeing are all important, but recognise there are still improvements to make on all fronts.
We acknowledge that change can happen slowly. At gcp, we have been on this journey from the day the business was founded over 30 years ago. Over that time much has changed, with the most happening in the last 10 years.
In this coming year, we want to consolidate the work around wider equality in the business, including an update to our Employee Handbook. Our reporting has always been transparent amongst the team, but since becoming Employee Owned it has become more important than ever to focus on consistency with this reporting.
At gcp we have a strong team of women accounting for over 1/3 of the team ranging from architectural assistants to Senior Management Team.
Focus days are important, but more emphasis must be placed on the work we are doing on the other days of the year. International Women’s Day is necessary to remind us that our journey is not yet complete.
Following on from International Women’s Day 2022 we can confirm our Equal Opportunities Policy is robust and up to date, reflecting the way we recruit and retain our staff. Gender pay gap analysis is in place as part of our Management KPIs and is reviewed yearly. We are a proud signatory for Bristol Women in Business Charter and have been since 2019. This means we track our current composition of staff and set targets and objectives to align with the charter’s goals, which we report on annually.
There is still more work to be done, and the next step for us is unconscious bias training so we can take this conversation into the wider team.
A Message from Jeremy Pilling
I am standing down as a director and shareholder of gcp Chartered Architects as from 1 March 2022 as planned.
Having held those posts since 1994 and having been a partner of the original practice since 1987, I am undoubtedly doing so with mixed emotions. Obviously, on the one hand I will be able to devote more time to pursue interests outside work but on the other I will miss day to day involvement with clients, consultants and colleagues.
I will continue to support the current directors on a consultancy basis for two days a week in any way I can but also hope that I will be able to develop a few new and some existing enquiries into viable projects to hand on to what is a very strong and multi-talented in-house team.
I regard the business becoming Employee Owned in August 2020 as one of our most significant achievements and wish the current directors Jon Briscoe and Tom Mellor all the very best for their future at the helm and Jon Platt for his next task over the next year or so to hand over the reigns as the director responsible for new business.
Despite the significant challenges posed by both Brexit and the pandemic over the last couple of years, I am confident that I am leaving the business in good health and in good hands.
Finally, I would like to thank all those I have worked with over the last thirty five years. Although at times it has felt like a huge responsibility It has also been a privilege and I am very proud of what we have achieved together.
Jeremy Pilling
03/03/2022
Welcome Martina Ferrao !
gcp are pleased to welcome Martina Ferrao to the team! Martina is an Architectural Assistant with a keen interest in MMC with Part II specialisms in bio digital design and disaster emergency practice.
A momentous day for gcp
It is a momentous day in the history of gcp chartered architects. Today is founding partner Jeremy Pilling’s last day of full time employment with the company. This marks the next step for gcp chartered architects as an employee owned trust. The current directors, Jon Briscoe, Tom Mellor and Jonathan Platt are looking forward to an exciting future with a talented and dynamic team.
Everyone at gcp chartered architects thanks Jeremy for his unstinting efforts during nearly 35 years at the helm, and look forward to working with him as a consultant in the coming years.
A few selected images from over the years
gcp plant 68 trees and 69 shrubs to support local tree planting program
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gcp have recently teamed up with Avon Needs Trees to support their ambitious tree planting program across the Avon valley. Avon Needs Trees is looking to reforest and rewild the Avon valley by planting trees which will enhance biodiversity, provide natural flood management, improve water and air quality as well as sequester carbon from the air.
By volunteering at the Stanley Lane site gcp managed to plant 68 trees and 69 shrubs which will be maintained by Avon Needs Trees through their ongoing commitment to the site. We also donated to planting at ANT's nearby site at Hazeland and hope that these trees will continue to grow over the coming years and go some way to offsetting the carbon we create as a business in the future.
gcp are committed to tackling climate change both through our designs and our actions. We hope to build off this initial planting session by further developing our carbon tracking, reduction, reporting, and offsetting strategies to better understand how we can make a difference.
Welcome Philip Baker!
The directors are delighted to appoint Philip Baker, an experienced Architect, as a full time member of the gcp team. Phil last worked for the business in the late 1990’s but now brings lots of practical knowledge of managing large scale construction projects firstly in Cyprus and then in the Middle East.
Jon Briscoe Appointed as Managing Director
The directors are delighted to announce that Jon Briscoe has been appointed to act as Managing Director of gcp Chartered Architects effective from 1 September 2021. Jeremy Pilling has stepped down from the role in preparation for ceasing to be a director of the business by March 2022. After this time, Jeremy will remain an employee of the business and provide project related support.
Jon looks forward to providing the leadership needed to develop the business as an Employee Owned Trust supported by co-directors Jonathan Platt and Tom Mellor and the wider management team.
Work Life Week 2021: Using National Awareness Days to Evaluate Our Progress
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At gcp, supporting mental health has always been at the core of devising sustainable working practices. We have long had family-friendly working policies in place and support flexible working requests for a variety of reasons from caring responsibilities to personal development, knowing that there is no “one size fits all” solution to improving work/life balance.
For the last few years we have used Work Life Week to evaluate our progress, celebrate achievements in this area and set targets for the following year. In a busy, hybrid working environment, it is helpful to use National Awareness days and weeks as a way for the whole team to think about and discuss our mental health at the same time.
In 2019 we held a mindfulness and creativity week, where we took some time out to be creative together. This was a great opportunity to have fun, take a break from our screens and chat with members of the team we might not work with on a day-to-day basis.
In the midst of a pandemic, Work Life Week saw a change of focus to physical activity breaks: we set ourselves a 1,000,000 step challenge for the week and encouraged everyone to take time off from their screens to get some fresh air. Working virtually, we also held coffee mornings as an opportunity for some chit-chat amongst the increasingly work-focused Teams meetings.
It is important to highlight that these weeks aren’t just one-off events, but something gcp are keen to continue to improve on. In the past year, we have signed up to Thrive at Work West of England and have embarked on a two year commitment to improve and evaluate our working procedures in a way that puts keeping our team mentally healthy at the core of what we do.
One year into this commitment we have made some subtle shifts in established working practices to support mental health, wellbeing and balance. At the beginning of 2021 we introduced private health insurance for everyone, to provide easy access to medical support for physical and mental health issues.
Long supporters of Mind, all members of the Senior Management Team have already completed Mental Health Awareness Training for Managers in 2021. This training will be provided to the rest of the office during 2021s’ Work Life Week.
This year we also ran an Employee Satisfaction Questionnaire to let us know what we are doing well already and what we need to improve, on an individual and organisational level. This will now become an annual undertaking, with benchmarking questions used to track trends amongst our team. As a result of this survey, we have:
Put mental health at the forefront of one-to-ones and reviews
Committed to putting wellbeing plans into place for anyone who needs it
Reinforced our one-to-one chats, now scheduled every 6 weeks (these are informal chats with directors outside of the formal review system, when any issues or concerns can be raised or feedback given)
Checked in on the wellbeing and mental health of staff via an anonymous survey
Arranged mental health awareness training for the Senior Management Team
Collaboratively planned for return to the office / bubble mixing
Attended a RIBA CPD Wellbeing session, with action points fed back to the wider team
Encouraged coffee breaks Tuesday & Thursday @10.30 for drop in (online – or in office for those in an office-based bubble)
Empowered staff to set up challenges, breakout rooms, coffee breaks, informal meetings as and when they need / want them
To follow, we will in the next 6 months:
Arrange mental health awareness training for the whole team
Devise a wellbeing & mental health policy, using our survey results, research and findings from year 1
Run the annual Employee Satisfaction Survey & report on trends / actions to wider team
Undertake a review of our appraisal system
Our Events Team will:
Define a place to play games, do puzzles, sketch at lunch (when closer contact is permitted)
Plan architectural/cultural day trips
Plan lunchtime events: games, exercise, Lego, pub – a mix of events to appeal to a wide audience
It is fair to say that the pandemic has highlighted both the positives and the challenges of virtual working and so this year for Work Life Week, we have changed the focus towards discussions about what sort of working environment we want to create as we move towards 2022.
gcp became employee owned in 2020 and now more than ever the wellbeing of our colleagues is central to us being a successful business. In Work Life Week 2021 we will be having daily discussions around the following:
Flexibility:
What does flexibility mean to me?
How does it impact my colleagues?
Mental health:
What can I do to help my mental health?
What can gcp do to help my mental health?
Practicality:
How do we see the new flexible and hybrid system working?
Creative and collaboration:
How do we see creative and collaborative design working in the new flexible and hybrid system?
Burn-out:
What is the best way to avoid burn-out? How do I work best?
For this week and beyond gcp continues to place employee wellbeing and keeping our team mentally healthy at the core of our company values.
Welcome Jane Burgoyne!
The directors are delighted to welcome Jane Burgoyne as an Independent Trustee sitting on the board of gcp EOT Trust Company. Jane brings a wealth of experience as a Chartered Accountant and from her day job working to help fund and establish start-up businesses.
Advent day 21: DRAW!
Today a festive favourite!
Place a paper plate on your head and draw a picture to a set of instructions:
Ground line.
A circle.
Another on top.
And one more … you’ve guessed it, it’s a snowman.
Add some eyes. A nose. A smile.
Give them three buttons and two arms.
2020 Favourites: The Paddock, Vinney Green
“What I’ve enjoyed most about working on this small, bespoke residential development is that I’ve been able to have a significant design input at a very early stage of my career. For me, this is a reflection of how gcp value opinions and inputs from all those involved in the design process. It’s commonplace to shout buzzwords like co-creation or collaboration but to actually live and breath collaborative design is really rather rare”
We asked everyone in the office to name their favourite project of 2020. This was Owen’s.
2020 Favourites: Malvern
“We were appointed to support the delivery of 14 homes, located next to several Grade II listed buildings. What seemed like a straightforward project, turned out to be quite challenging with a long process of selecting appropriate materials, detailing complex junctions and delays on site due to weather conditions then Covid-19. Despite the many challenges faced, this was a fantastic learning opportunity for me as it was the first project I have lead at construction stage (with fantastic support from 2 others at gcp). I enjoyed attending site meetings and seeing the progress each time I visited site. CTS have been great to work with and have built fantastic, high quality homes”
Photo credit: Zest Home Staging for Broadway Herritage
We asked everyone in the office to name their favourite project of 2020. Esther chose the completion of 14 dwelling residential scheme in Malvern.
Christmas Advent Day 18: Christmas Winnie-the-Pooh
Today we were trying to identify our colleagues by their Christmas traditions. Sarah, our resident people person, correctly identified 14.
Here is the full list, with answers.
2020 Favourites: Oakfield
“My favourite project this year has been Oakfield’s. A not-for-profit, high quality, sustainable housing community in Swindon. It’s really been refreshing working on a project with such variety, and one that is going to make a positive impact on people’s lives”
CGIs by PicturePlane, Metropolitan Workshop and PRP
We asked everyone in the office to name their favourite project of 2020. Matt joined the team this year and dove straight into supporting our largest not for profit development delivering 239 quality sustainable homes. gcp are working for contractor Mi-Space, who started on site in April 2020. The first homes will be available to view in autumn 2021.