Our favorite spot in South Somerset, ‘The Yurt Retreat‘ is a stones throw from the Dorset and Devon Jurassic Coast. We’ve come to love the place and it’s owners due to the fact that the beautiful little slice of heaven is located on an Organic farm sitting at the base of an ancient hill fort where two luxurious Yurts, two boutique Roundhouses and a stunning Treehouse sit, waiting to be enjoyed. This is most definitely one of the best Glamping destinations in the country (of course, we’re biased!). ALL Photos kindly supplied by Paul Irish, ‘The Yurt Retreat‘. Photographer Matthew Heritage .
Following on from the successful installation of their first unit “The Nest”, Paul and team at The Yurt Retreat have recently invested in the second unit, “The Hide” and are welcoming guests from all over the country for short and long term stays.The kitchen – fitted indepenently by the Yurt Retreat crew after we’d left site
Above is the second of two self-build and assisted build units, affectionately called “The Hide” – sitting in it’s own landscaped settings with a wrap-around veranda and stand alone freestanding bath nestled back behind the firepit.
This photograph and this work of mastery is entirely the work of Paul Irish at the Yurt Retreat. He installed this masterpiece adjacent to the Rotunda as a complimentary feature. This is definitely what defines a truly spectacular glamping site! The dining area. This building is 6.5m diameter and contains the kitchen, dining and bedroom space in the central Roundel. The bathroom is fitted into an extension wing at the rear of the building.
These photos of course are pretty but do not to the building justice! For the beauty of the round isn’t in the aesthetic but in how it makes you feel.
Step inside one for a moment and you’ll undoubtedly understand. Better yet, book yourselves a stay in one for the real experience. The Yurt Retreat is a couples only retreat and a sanctuary for those who seek solace immersed in the lush rolling hills of Somerset https://www.theyurtretreat.co.uk/
Earlier on this year we were privileged to take part in the revamp of the Blashford Lakes nature reserve. A site run by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight wildlife trust.
Their beautiful sign at the entrance to the nature reserve (sadly we can’t take credit for this work, these were designed by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, working with Imagemakers and funded by Veolia Environmental Trust )
The Wildlife Trust announced their plans on a blog later last year…
“We’re delighted to be embarking on an ambitious project to revamp the much-loved Blashford Lakes nature reserve. The wildlife haven near Ringwood is one of our oldest and most beautiful nature reserves. It’s home to a range of wildlife including kingfishers, otters and the UK’s oldest great white egret, nicknamed ‘Walter’.
The new funds will help replace the oldest bird hide at the reserve, introduce another pond, provide a welcome hut and add a new wildlife discovery trail, among other improvements.
We hope to expand the work in a second phase, including updating the information and facilities at the education centre and finding new ways to bring people closer to wildlife.”
The Wildlife Trust now have a new team of Welcome Volunteers who are based at the Welcome Hut and are able to talk to the public, provide information and generally help to ensure that visitors have a great experience!
Prior to the works taking place, a Hampshire & Isle of Wight spokesperson said: “We are so pleased that this wonderful wildlife haven will have the face-lift it deserves. Our gratitude goes to all who have helped make this possible, and we can’t wait to start work on improving the reserve. We’re excited at the prospect of welcoming new visitors as well as familiar faces to experience Blashford’s newest facilities in the spring.”
Mark Gray, General Manager at Veolia Environmental Services added “We’re glad we can support this fantastic project with a grant through the Landfill Communities Fund. Improved access across the site will enable even more people to enjoy the wildlife and benefits the reserve has to offer.”
Our 4m external diameter interpretation building, built with a full Aluminium sliding bi-folding door system, UK locally sourced Larch cladding and a wildflower meadow roof.
Thanks to additional support from the Rural Development Programme for England, through New Forest LEADER, together with generous donations from local people, the revamp is almost complete! Why not pop down and see the fantastic work they are doing? Further information can be found on their website, here: https://www.hiwwt.org.uk/nature-reserves/blashford-lakes-nature-reserve
The term “modular buildings for schools“, usually evokes an image of an old recangular box, languishing in the corner of a school playing field!
….. grey modular container style building – a fond memory for many of us!
Fortunately, and not before time, the world is fast moving in a completely new direction. Thanks to the emergence of modern day construction techniques, innovative manufacturers are creating highly bespoke off-site solutions for schools which are developed to create a sense of wonder and a space which truly inspires both the children and the teaching staff.
We’d like to think of ourselves as the industry disruptors. Here to shake things up a little in the modular buildings industry. For a box is a man-made construct and not a product of the natural world.
Ah! How novel… it’s ROUND and it’s beautiful. The complete opposite to a rectangular metal container style building.
Most parents, teachers and caregivers are aware that the first six years of a childs life are the most important. For, these six years set the very foundation for the rest of their life and their understanding of our world.
Fossil snail. Ammonite fossil embedded in stone.
Then, wouldn’t we all, I wonder… like to inspire our children and connect them to natural form, dictated by the world around us?
Truth be told, we don’t really know the true implications of the effect that unnatural form has on the subconcious brain of a pre-schooler or infant. I for one would like to hazard a guess though, that putting people in boxes from the moment they embark into early-years education to the moment they reach end of life, is not an ideal situation. For it could be one of the very reasons we, as a civilisation is struggling with a very alarming disconnection from the natural world.
If you’re looking for a Modular building for your school please don’t hesitate to drop us a line for your non-obligation site survey, where we can discuss your project in detail and design you a free project floor-plan and 3D digital model!
For more information on our modular school buildings please do see other relevant pages on our website:
We routinely produce beautiful Kitchens and kitchenettes for use within a Rotunda Garden Building so if it’s functionality you need, you’re in the right place!
The kitchens come in two forms. The compact, kitchenette.
A free-standing, 1.8m wide, dresser-style kitchenette, with corian work surface and integrated shelving. The smaller 1m wide Kitchenette – a two-cupboard freestanding unit with sink/intergrated fridge (under hob), induction hob and microwave
A full, domestic kitchen – with 600mm x 600mm units and a full, curved work surface.
A full kitchen, complete with shaker style cupboards, an oak work surface, integrated fridge, oven, hob and sink
Both options are furnished with high-spec bespoke handles and ironmongery (we offer you a selection) and Indesit cookers and hobs https://www.indesit.co.uk/Life-Proof/Buying-Guides/Hobs , a granite composite sink (or similar) and an Integrated Fridge.
… Resemble anything from nature…? What do you see?This world is made from many shapes; the circle being the parent and the foundation of all life on earth
It’s not uncommon to find a therapy room as an essential component in the garden for many UK Homeowners. It’s heartwarming to see so many therapists, yoga instructors, Reiki Masters and practitioners and energy workers taking the opportunity to establish their practice in the garden of their home.
This one… for example. A little 3.5m Rotunda called ‘Bumble’ by her owner, Elizabeth Grover of ‘The Garden Sanctuary’ in Harpenden
Of course it’s possible to practice therapy and healing in all manner of spaces (and shapes). But, one basic fact of nature keeps us reminded that the way we live and build is out of sync with the rest of nature.
Most of the other species on this planet create nests, dens and burrows to support and nurture themselves and their young. Our species is the only one which puts itself in a square or rectilinear built habitat. (And interestingly, we seem to be the only one with a persistent and obvious disconnection from nature).
It is possible, however, to create a more natural built environment which would create therapy and treatment spaces and rooms in a form which is more in alignment with the organic forms of nature.
If you are therefore considering installing or building a therapy room in the garden we would suggest thinking carefully about the image you’d like to present to your clients and the environment you’d like to create to further enhance the healing or therapy experience.
Above is an illustration of the quantity of Yoga mats one could lay in a Round Garden Therapy room – in 6m to 8m diameter footprints.
We could count the myriad of ways in which a square space might not be the best expression of a holistic experience but it might be wise to consider the below considerations prior to installing your therapy room in the garden:
Aesthetics – how does the building look – does it sit well in the landscape, has it nartural and organic form?
Acoustics – is it sound-proofed and does it work well acoustically?
Energy – Did you know the Victorians used to be fond of circular and curved buildings due to their belief that the “Devil hid in the corners”? There could be some truth to this! Feng Shui practitioners advise us that there is no build up of negative qi or ch’i in a space without corners. (Qi is believed to be a vital force forming part of any living entity. Qitranslates as “air” and figuratively as “material energy“, “life force”)
Ecological Consideration – With deforestation and habitat loss at an all time high it is absolutely worth checking the ethics of the manufacturer & questioning whether the timber is sourced from (a) The UK (locally grown – not flown!) and (b) from Certifiably Sustainable sources. It’s in our hands to support those who choose not to support illegal deforestation practices.
Practicality – If you are looking for a building in which to base your business you’ll need something more substantial than a garden shed or single skinned summerhouse. It may cost you more in capital outlay but a Therapy room in the Garden should be Buildings Regulations compliant, fully insulated, with full electrics and equipped with the features you’d expect to enable you to work to your greatest potential (underfloor heating/hot water etc!).
We hope you’ve gathered some ideas and insight! If you’d like to ascertain whether a Therapy Room in the garden would be a step in the right direction for you please do give us a call (0161 2223350) to arrange your non-obligation site survey.
As a manufacturer of Garden Buildings, we’ve taken sales calls from UK Hardwood and Specialist Timber importers for many years. Each time, it’s increasingly difficult for us to listen to the salesperson highlight the beautiful hues and outstanding qualities their routinely sold Tropical Hardwood species. In fact, we always remind the baffled salesperson that it’s our company policy. “We never purchase Tropical Hardwoods”.
African Idigbo hardwood timber
Windows and doors for Garden buildings are often fashioned from products like “Idigbo” and “Iroko” and their names are cast about as if names of an inexpensive and infnitely available consumer item of which we can order for ‘next Day delivery’ for use as an inexpensive alternative to Oak for shopfitting and windows and doors. Tropical hardwood is a common sight in most peoples’ gardens. If not in their garden buildings it’s usually the central component to contemporary garden furniture.
We’re sad because the very term “Tropical Hardwood” is as obvious an explanation as one would need. In a world where deforestation is at an all time high, wildlife habitats are all but gone and Carbon levels in the atmosphere are at their highest; the act of taking more timber from our global rainforests is unthinkable.
These gorgeous timbers are the trees which are being taken from some of the last remaining primary rain-forests on this planet. Given the devastating effect of habitat destruction globally, the felling of these trees is tragic for the eco-system of the rainforest and the last tribes-people who live within them but many of the tree species sold in the UK (like “Idigbo”) are actually listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as VU – Vulnerable: at risk of extinction.
Tropical Forests… under threat due to our appetite for garden furniture and garden buildings
Almost 90% of West Africa’s coastal rainforest has already been destroyed and deforestation in the Congo Basin has doubled since 1990. Logging and agriculture continue to be two of the biggest threats to Africa’s tropical forests. For what? Our Garden Buildings?
So, next time you shop for anything crafted out of timber, please spare a thought for the global wildlife and be aware of the problems we are facing if we support the tropical hardwood timber trade.
Unfortunately even the certified PEFC and FSC timber is commonly switched with illegally harvested timber and 60% of all imported timber arriving to our shores is indeed illegal. This is why we will only ever specify UK Grown timber and avoid any imported timber – especially if it’s ‘tropical’. As long as manufacturers and specifiers continue to chose aesthetics and profits over our obligation to care for this planet the deluge of precious, almost extinct timbers will keep being traded until there is nothing left.
Let’s hope other joinery firms will unite and chose to stand firm. We chose Locally grown, not flown.
Schools across the country are considering expanding their current facilities to cater for growing class sizes and increase their intake.
Historically, the builders would be called in and a brick-built extension would be constructed over many months (or years!) which can be costly, messy and time-consuming. Fortunately, advances in modern day construction techniques have given firms like ours the opportunity to make alternative buildings available to schools which offer a more cost-effective solution to expanding their capacity. Modular buildings have recently been recognised by the Department for Education as primary educational spaces.
6m Forest Classroom offsite construction building – Rotunda- Derbyshire
Did you know that?:
Wood has far better insulation properties than other building materials such as concrete and brick. It is 350 times better at keeping in heat than steel, as you would expect as wood is a non-conductor of heat and electricity. Wood can also be prepared so that it stands up to the weather quite well, keeping heat in and draughts and rain out.
Using wood to replace steel and other high energy materials in a building, it is possible to cut the carbon emissions per cubic metre by 0.9 tonnes.
As well as reducing carbon emissions and carbon footprint, using wood as the major material in a building also can save on the overall budget. Some estimates put the saving at around 5% of the building cost of a brick built structure.
Environmentalists favour timber framed buildings. Wood is the ultimate renewable building material when it is produced sustainably. As we fell trees (from well managed UK forests), we plant more and it is possible to generate a constant supply. Fast growing trees absorb carbon from the atmosphere and lock it in for the duration of it’s use – until released by eventual decay or fire.
Studies have shown that the energy use in making a steel girder is over 10 times that used in producing an equivalent sized wooden beam from a piece of freshly sawn timber.
The department for education has recently revealed plans for establishing a new framework for delivering schools to meet the increasing demand for places.
Could this be the shape of things to come for the Dept for Education?
The four-year offsite schools framework aims to utilise methods in the design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA) in addition to offsite techniques to create a more frequent production of school buildings. The overall target is to deliver up to 100 new school projects each year in the next five years.
DfMA is a specific design approach which focuses primarily on creating more simple manufacturing processes in addition to efficient assembly lines.
Why is eco-offsite construction a great option for school expansion?
This new framework is hugely positive for our education system. The modern eco-solution to traditional carbon heavy, labour intensive and old-fashioned building methods is now formally recognised by the Dept for Education. Contemporary Roundhouses are constructed entirely from UK timber, designed as nurturing spaces & some of the most aesthetically pleasing in the UK.
We shape our buildings. Thereafter, they shape us.
The key to a perfect building lies in the very foundations it’s sat upon. We often have clients ask us whether their building can be elevated up like a tree-house or safari lodge.
For many of you, the vision of your Rotunda-project is that of a majestic little building sitting atop a decked area or up against a hillside.
On a practical level some difficult sites may make it seemingly impossible to install foundations for a cabin or eco-building.
Some challenging conditions may include:
Sloping site
Tree protection zone – tree roots which require protection
Pre-existing concrete slabs/cobblestones/patio (which you’d prefer not to uplift)
flood zone
But look at THESE!! – Just like 100mm woodscrews but x100 bigger! Ingenious!Our Rotunda base being installed with the groundscrew foundation system
Traditionally, house builders or cabin manufacturers would specify concrete or hardcore foundation systems for many stand alone buildings.
Nowadays there are low-impact foundation alternatives. The ‘Ground Screw’ is not only more efficient to install but satisfies the requirements of the planning officers, National Parks authorities and local councillors in terms of minimal disturbance to topsoil and tree roots.
With the groundscrew, one can:
Drill through concrete with a pilot hole and install the groundscrew in pre-existing paved or cobblestone areas
Use them in a flood plain to elevate the building up to the required height
Transform lawn areas into decked verandas without needing to pour concrete
It is really beautiful to see a foundation system being specified which does not require the use of heavy machinery like diggers, dumpers and skips but in fact just cleverly rotates down into the ground without the disruption to anything around it.
The ground screw works like a pile. This site was a gentle slope – the groundscrew system enabled our guys to install without the requirement for digging out and levelling. As you can see here, the groundscrew foundation is driven in deeper on one elevation than it is on the other – creating a perfectly flat base.
Do you need full planning approval for your garden annexe?
Up
until a couple of years ago, it was a lot harder to build a garden
annexe without full planning approval but in 2016 the Permitted
Development Rights for Householders were relaxed enabling homeowners
to capitalise on the flexibility and convenience of a modular garden
annexe as an alternative to the traditional home extension.
Inside a 5m garden annexe yoga room
For a simple no-nonsense insight into the regulations we’ve listed the main criteria below:
Your Garden Annexe must have an overall height of 2.5m if situated within 2m of the boundary.
If further than 2m from the boundary, you may build your garden annexe with an eaves height of 2.5m and no taller than 4 meters overall. (If dual pitched – 3m if Monopitched)
The building footprint must not when combined with other structures cover more than 50% of your garden
You can’t build your annexe beyond the front wall of your house
No verandas, balconies or raised platforms – if the decking is higher than 300mm
Of course, this is a very simplified summary of the full householder criteria, so if you are in any doubt it’s wise to check the full guidance on the Planning Portal.
If you live in a Listed Building, within a National Park, an Area of Outstanding Beauty, The Broads or a World Heritage site you may need to apply for planning permission for your garden annexe.
However, the Planning Departments are not to be feared! We have always had enormous success with gaining approval for garden annexes.
If you are at all concerned about the suitability of your Garden Annexe ad whether your structure falls under Permitted Development you can make a Pre-Planning application or apply for a Certificate of Lawfulness.
If you’re keen to spend a little time inside a Roundhouse to get an idea of our finishes and the overall look and feel of the Rotunda garden building you may now be able to do so…..
Rotunda Roundhouse buildings are already on display at two Blue Diamond Garden Centres in the UK.
The first of ten units are part of an onward drive by our distributor Jon Burke at World of Smile and his partners BlueDiamond Garden Centre Group to promote the Rotunda, along with a small selection of other exclusive, high quality garden buildings across multiple sites over the UK.
The step forwards into UK Garden Centres is a huge leap forwards for our small joinery firm as we expand into a larger organisation and extend our reach into the homes and gardens of domestic home owners who stumble across us whilst shopping at the retail outlet. We expect to see at least ten units exhibited during the course of 2019 with more sites popping up in 2020 through to 2021.
Nottingham….
The first Rotunda Garden Building to complete was at Bridgford Garden Centre in Nottingham. This one is being publicly unveiled at the opening day on the 26th of January. We chose a 5.5m en-suite Garden Annexe for this site which was the same model exhibited at the Glamping Show in September 2018.
This magnificent garden building boasts a curved, sweeping bespoke Kitchen dresser unit with an integrated hob, electric oven, integrated fridge and seamless sink unit which drops down below the smooth corian work-surface.
Fleet…
The spectacular Redfields Garden Centre in Fleet (Image credit: https://studionesh.co.uk/projects) This little Roundhouse has a floor area of under 10m2 and would be perfect as a garden office, consultation room or art studio.
Sitting at the entrance of this impressive new Garden Center in Fleet is a little 3m garden room called “Joy”. Given the dramatic roof line of this spectacular building, it’s only fitting that a curvy Roundhouse would sit at it’s entrance.
Inside the 3m internal diameter Rotunda unit “Joy” in Fleet
What’s next….?
The third site is already underway for Bicester, Oxford. This time, Jon Burke and his team have designed a dual-wing 6.5m diameter garden building (similar to the below design) called “The Angel”…. This will serve as their sales-office and show-room. We’re installing it in April 2019.
Of course, you needn’t travel across the UK to a Garden Centre. If you’d like to book a visit to see a Rotunda which has been installed near you please don’t hesitate to drop us a line on 0161 2223350 whereby we’ll do our best to connect you with a client of ours who may be kind enough to allow you to see their pride and joy.
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