On Wednesday the 18th October the Nazrin Shah Centre for Worcester College in Oxford was officially opened by HRH The Duchess of Cornwall and HRH Sultan Nazrin. The opening ceremony included musical and theatrical performances by Worcester students in the Tuanku Bainun auditorium, a speech by the Sultan and the unveiling of the dedication plaque by The Duchess.
The practice has received planning consent from Winchester City Council for the construction of a new private house in a sensitive area in the Hampshire countryside.
The site sits next to the river Arle, an area designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) by English Nature and a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under the EC Habitats Directive. Permission was granted following extensive consultations and a positive response from the Winchester and Eastleigh Design Review Panel, as well as the support of Natural England and the Wildlife Trust.
The house will have high sustainability credentials including high levels of thermal insulation and airtightness, passive solar heating, ground source heating technology, PV panels and substantial enhancement of the ecology of the site through extensive landscaping works.