New build planning success in Edinburgh's World Heritage Site by OCA Studio

These proposals for new town houses in Gayfield Square were approved by the City of Edinburgh's planning committee last week. Designed on three levels, they are equivalent in scale to compact Georgian town houses found elsewhere in the new town which have their principal living level on the first upper floor. The special condition of the end house turns the oblique angled corner into a small back lane. A two storey recessed pocket in it's stone elevation allows it's living room to have a privileged raised view past a small terrace towards the trees in the square. A limited amount of parking is in the base of the building, using the natural slope of the street to conceal it from the street

First Caledonian Canal camping pod takes shape by OCA Studio

Nice to see the prototype underway at Makar's workshop near Inverness. Seeing our building inside theirs makes it seem even more reminiscent of our first project 'Bed Box' - a bed wardrobe furniture unit installed in a drawing room for clients in Edinburgh back in 2000. We like the twisting movement the diagonal ridge creates and are looking forward to seeing the charred black larch and mirrored cladding going on later this month

Merchiston apartments break ground by OCA Studio

Ogilvie Contractors has begun construction work on our project for 11 apartments in Merchiston, Edinburgh. The building occupies a site indicated in the original Victorian feu pattern, but was never developed. Its scale is similar to the villas that characterise the area, but its architectural expression differs from these, substituting bay windows for balconies at eroded corners and expressing individual apartments as forms slipped past one another.

Success at Scottish Design Awards 2013 by OCA Studio

Congratulations to Chambers MacMillan for 'Ramp House' which has won the Chairman's Award for Architecture.It was also the winner in the residential category. Oliver Chapman Architects assisted by providing technical support. Skerrie House, Anstruther received a commendation in the same category

Nominations for Scottish Design Awards by OCA Studio

We are delighted that two projects we have been involved with are shortlisted against only one other project in the category of best small residential development in the Scottish Design Awards. Our projects are Skerrie House which was designed for Ian Harding and Clare Checkland and Ramp House for which we provided technical design support for Ian and Thea McMillan.

Architects Journal Feature by OCA Studio

Nice to see this project in the Architects Journal this week (07.03.12 number 9 volume 237). The feature is on the internet but restricted to subscribers unfortunately. We've added a summary in a project page on this website. It's been great working with our clients Ian and Thea McMillan, both architects who led the design of the project and now how their own practice Chambers McMillan up and running. We wish them great success with their exciting venture

Scottish Canals | Caledonian Canal Camping Pods by OCA Studio

Scottish Canals have appointed OIiver Chapman Architects and Urban Animation to design a number of camping pods along the Caledonian Canal. Taking inspiration from Highland crofters box beds, the vernacular furniture sleeping compartments, these cabins will serve the increasing number of active tourists who trail by boat, bike and on foot along the canal towpath and Great Glen Way.

Guardian magazine by OCA Studio

Great to see our little project Skerrie House in Anstruther featured in the Guardian magazine today. Hope Clare's okay seeing everything inside her cupboards laid bare . . . Nice photos by Dave Morris and copy by Caroline Ednie. http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/nov/30/homes-between-sea-sky?INTCMP=SRCH

Cultural Futures | Edinburgh by OCA Studio

Join us for an evening of drinks and conversation and to view images of speculative ideas for Edinburgh's cultural future.

Oliver Chapman Architects and 3D architectural visualisation experts shovemedia have been approached by Riccardo Marini, the City of Edinburgh Council’s city design leader, to do some blue sky thinking for this month’s Cultural Summit Event. Four sites in Edinburgh were identified where there is potential for making new cultural venues, supported by a mix of commercial uses, which make distinctive places rather than simply making more cultural monuments.This is an exhibition of one of the sites, Argyle House, West Port and King Stables Road.This incredible site in the shadow of the Castle could hold cultural futures for among others Scottish Chamber Orchestra, The Bongo Club and Edinburgh Filmhouse

Wednesday, 28th November 2012, 5:30-8pm, Schop Gallery 36 St Mary's Street, Edinburgh EH1 1SX

Funding secured for Edinburgh Printmakers by OCA Studio

We're delighted that our work with Edinburgh Printmakers resulted in a successful provisional award of £1.7m capital grant. It is the largest of sixteen projects in Scotland supported by Creative Scotland announced last week, in this round of awards for creative spaces which total £15m.

Funding secured for Edinburgh Printmakers by OCA Studio

We're delighted that our work with Edinburgh Printmakers resulted in a successful provisional award of £1.7m capital grant. It is the largest of sixteen projects in Scotland supported by Creative Scotland announced last week, in this round of awards for creative spaces which total £15m

Barrell House by OCA Studio

Our larch clad extension to a modern home in Dunblane is complete. Just waiting for a sunnier day to take nicer pictures. Even on this dull day you can see the effect of daylight coming in to the dining area through the long roof light

'Experiments in Architecture' | Summer Academy by OCA Studio

As part of Schop Institute and Summerhall's collaborative Architecture Academy in July, Edinburgh school students occupied a vacant lab at Summerhall, the former Royal Dick veterinary school at the east end of the Meadows, Edinburgh. This lively new arts venue gave the participants a taste of the varied learning environment similar to that in higher education. As well as taking part in design studio challenges and model making exercises, the students were given illustrated talks and taken on guided visits to an architect’s practice, a building under construction, the department of architecture at the University of Edinburgh and a tour of Edinburgh’s old town.

The week culminated in a design exercise. The aspiring architects designed a fantastical towering mix of uses including a new type of ethical bank, a Japanese Noh dance studio and Big Brother style apartment for visiting architects.

The course builds on Schop Institue’s Making Architecture evening classes which run in the autumn each year at Schop Institute’s office in St Mary’s Street, Edinburgh. Schop is an initiative of Oliver Chapman Architects to widen participation in the study of architecture and the city.

Schop plans to repeat this course in summer 2013. Contact us early to secure a place | admin@schop.org.uk

Double Success at the Scottish Home Awards 2012 by OCA Studio

We are delighted that our conversion of the former Courier Newspaper buildings in Haddington into affordable housing and offices for East Lothian housing Association and Whiteadder developments received 2 prizes at this years Scottish Home Awards. The project won the 'Small Affordable Housing development of the year award' and was highly commended in the 'conversion of the year award' category

Bellfield Lane takes shape by OCA Studio

The complex steel structure of the fully accessible house at Bellfield lane is now complete providing a first glimpse of how the sequence of intricately crafted spaces relate to it's eclectic context and the sea beyond. The house was designed by Architects Ian and Thea McMillan in collaboration with OCA

Rethinking Scotland's policy on architecture and place by OCA Studio

Our supported housing project in the Scottish Borders will feature in the Scottish Government's exhibition 'INPUT + IDEAS, Rethinking Scotland's policy on Architecture and Place which is on view at the Lighthouse, Glasgow during June.

INPUT + IDEAS gives you a chance to shape the future of Scottish architecture and placemaking policy. Nominated exemplar projects are presented to stimulate debate and encourage your input to the Scottish Government's consultation on the new policy.

Finalist in the Scottish Home Awards 2012 by OCA Studio

We are delighted that our conversion of the former Courier Newspaper buildings in Haddington into affordable housing and offices for East Lothian housing Association and Whiteadder developments has been shortlisted for both the Scottish Home Awards conversion of the year and the small housing development of the year awards 2012

Grand Designs by OCA Studio

Our 'Skerrie' House in Anstruther has a small feature in the May edition of Grand Designs magazine. This months edition also features articles on American Architect Tom Kundig, and coincidentally a house for Edinburgh based engineer David Narro who collaborated closely with OCA on the structure of the Skerrie House