This summer we were pleased to welcome Oxford Brookes University student Maria Fernanda Almeida to the studio for a six-week paid work experience placement.

The opportunity arose through our commitments to the Oxford Covered Market project, as part of our ongoing programme of placements for students from Oxford Brookes. The internship enables students to gain experience of practice across a range of live projects and design stages.

During her placement, Maria Fernanda contributed to digital modelling and drawing work, research for Design and Access Statements, and attended consultant meetings. The experience offered an introduction to the collaborative processes behind architectural projects, from early research and planning through to design development and coordination.

Reflecting on her time with us, Maria Fernanda said:

“From my first day, I was made to feel like a member of the team, which allowed me to engage openly with the practice and gain a genuine insight into the profession.”

“Being able to apply SketchUp and Vectorworks to live projects allowed me to move beyond my academic understanding of the software and begin to recognise how digital modelling and drawing form part of a much wider architectural workflow. I was also fortunate to attend consultant meetings, which gave me valuable insight into the collaborative nature of architectural practice.”

Thank you, Maria Fernanda, for your contribution to the practice.

This summer, our team visited 71 Gloucester Place and 5 Fitzhardinge Street, two Grade II listed Georgian townhouses in Marylebone, where refurbishment works are now on site for The Portman Estate.

Located within The Portman Estate’s historic network of townhouses and garden squares, the buildings are being renewed to provide sustainable, high-quality serviced workspaces with shared amenities.

Our proposals balance sensitive repair and restoration with practical upgrades for contemporary working life. Original features — including fireplaces, cornices and wall panelling — will be retained, refurbished or reinstated where required, while the internal layouts are being reimagined to support a range of workplace needs.

A key ambition is to improve the buildings’ environmental performance while respecting their historic fabric. Measures include upgraded glazing, photovoltaic panels and a transition from gas heating to electric heat pumps. 

The projects are due for completion in early 2027.

We have been appointed alongside Haptic Architects and a multidisciplinary team to explore Floating Residential at Royal Victoria Dock West.

Over the next nine months, we’ll help develop proposals for floating homes, residential moorings and shared community infrastructure — considering how this first phase could support a welcoming, inclusive and climate-resilient waterside neighbourhood.

Local voices will be central to the process, with the first round of public engagement taking place this October.

Scott Derben, Managing Director of Royal Docks Waterways, said: “We were impressed by the way Haptic Architects, Gort Scott and the wider team approached this project. They are well placed to help us to understand whether and how to take forward a first phase of Floating Residential. And they’ve also identified how this project is a catalyst for the holistic improvement of all of Royal Victoria Dock West – carefully balancing public good with private investment to deliver London’s most welcoming, open and vibrant water-place. We’re looking forward to working with the team over the coming months to bring that thinking to life.”

Client: Royal Docks Waterways
Lead, Architect, Client Design Advisor: Haptic Architects
Architect and Principal Designer: Gort Scott
Business Case and QS: Stace
Commerical Advisor: Oakridge
M&E and Sustainability: Max Fordham
Structures, Civils and Marine Engineering: Price and Myers
Planning: Newmark
Engagement: Make:Good

Image: Royal Docks Waterways
 

Silver Street public toilets in Cambridge’s historic city centre have been officially opened to the public by the Mayor of Cambridge, Cllr Maria Cleminson, and the Leader of Cambridge City Council, Cllr Katie Thornburrow.

Gort Scott was commissioned by Cambridge City Council to refurbish and partially replace the existing Silver Street public toilets in Cambridge. The facilities, located largely beneath the street at river level, had previously been closed to the public due to maintenance issues and poor, congested access. 

Silver Street Bridge, opposite Queens’ College and overlooking the Mill Pond, is a listed location which attracts many visitors to the city, and the new toilets have been carefully designed to meet the needs of many thousands of international visitors each year and to fit in seamlessly with their historic surroundings.

Cllr Martin Smart, Cabinet Member for Nature, Open Space and City Services, said: 
“The new Silver Street toilets really enhance the cityscape in this historic and much-visited part of the city, and will provide a modern, well-managed facility for thousands of the visitors we welcome to Cambridge each year. The design prioritises safety, accessibility, and user confidence in its busy city-centre setting and demonstrates how high-quality contemporary design can successfully integrate with a sensitive historic setting while delivering lasting civic, environmental, and social value.”