William Haggard, director at CarverHaggard, gives three of the firm’s specification favourites – stone, glass and paint – and their suppliers
Paint
We are always looking for ways to add character within tight constraints on public realm projects. Recently we experimented with stencil-applied road marking paint to change the perception and use of external space. At Kingsford Square we used ‘Traffic Orange’ to add a grid of circles and patterns, activating existing block paving. At Chapel Market, we worked with BOB Design on patterns that change along the high street, to define the surface as something other than road or pavement and enable it to be used for market pitches and outdoor seating for restaurants.
Stone
We like to retain and re-use where possible, minimising waste and then working with a palette of everyday functional materials. In the last few years we have been promoting the use of stone – it’s more durable, has lower embodied carbon than concrete, and isn’t always more expensive. In Chapel Market we turned a standard profile granite drainage channel on end to create bases for a market canopy. We specified Portuguese granite elements cut to our designs by IP Surfaces as stools for North End Road, in a ground marker for Erith High Street and to make social seating in Beckton.
Glass
We try to let the primary decisions of layout and structure drive the quality of the internal spaces. We’re working on two 1990s retrofits and in both we are stripping back internally to the steel or concrete structure, adapting and extending it with timber construction to make new brightly-lit spaces. At the Green Walk in Bankside, as we were exploring street level treatments, we became intrigued by standard London pavement lights, with their cast-iron frames and inset cast-glass lenses. We are working with New Age Glass to adapt its traditional pavement lights into a screen and balustrade that can be enjoyed from both sides.