THE OFFICE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John Outram Associates

 

Established in 1973, John Outram Associates have grown in size and reputation and completed a wide variety of projects.

Commonly built on modest budgets, these projects have attracted considerable attention and received a large number of awards. JOA represented Britain, along with Stirling, Foster, Rogers, Grimshaw and Hopkins, at the 1991 Venice Architecture Biennale. JOA completed, in 1997, their first major overseas project: Duncan Hall the Computational Research Engineering Faculty for Rice University in Houston, Texas. In 1999 JOA finished its forst major building in Continental Europe: a major addition to the 16C Town Hall in the Groenmarkt , the oldest part of The Hague.

In the UK, the practice is known for its clear thinking and expertise when building on both urban and rural sites. It has received accolades from both The Royal Fine Arts Commission and The Ancient Monuments Society for its handling of sensitive urban sites. The Judge Institute of Management Studies for Cambridge University, the former Old Addenbrookes Hospital (with additions) was completed in 1995 and has received several awards, including being voted "the best building of the decade" by the people of Cambridge.

The Daily Telegraph (27/7/96) cited this building as a major attraction for vistors from overseas, as part of the "stylish, contemporary and vibrant" emerging image of the UK, alongside rock bands such as Blur and Oasis and fashion designers such as Paul Smith and John Galliano.

A private house in the Sussex countryside was declared by the Sunday Times in 1989 to be "the best house built in Britain since the war". With the recent change in Government Planning Policy concerning new Country Houses it has again been hailed as one of Britain's best examples in recent years inThe Independent (28/02/97).

The practice has a considerable reputation for innovation, low energy design, and an inventive use of traditional materials. We do not pursue technology for its own sake, but follow industry standard methods to achieve buildings which satisfy our Client's requirements and timescale. These methods achieve budget economies and enable an amount of expenditure to surface in the form of specialist decorative techniques.

Two recent low-budget projects exploring new technical avenues for Britain, where polychrome stucco has never been as highly- developed technically as it has been in Continental Europe, are the recently-completed House for an Egyptologist at Sphinx Hill, and ten Craft Workshops for the Harley Gallery of the Welbeck Abbey estate.

One of JOA's major contributions is in reconciling the demands of the modern building services with the elements of more traditional architecture that users feel comfortable with. This is achieved by a number of innovations including the 'Working Order'.

This re-invention of what used to be the very key and centre of all architectural disciplines will, we beleive, turn out to be JOA's distinctive contribution to the History of Architecture, indeed to all Architecture. Its significance is outlined in the essay "The Sixth Order" otherwise titled JOA's 'USP'.

 

* JOA can be reached by E-Mail at anthony@johnoutram.com , by telephone on +44 (0)207 262 4862 or by fax on +44 (0)207 706 3804. We also have an ISDN number : +44 (0)207 262 6294.