Design Buy Build Issue 38 2019 | Page 104

Lancaster Architects Launches Sustainable Eco-Pods The popularity of holidaying and weekending in the UK is firmly on the rise, with glamping at the forefront of the ‘staycation’ revolution. Lancaster-based Harrison Pitt Architects’ versatile approach and innovative eye for quality development, is proving perfectly placed to support businesses capitalizing on 2019, dubbed the year of ‘exponential growth’ in the luxury staycation market. Working in partnership with specialist timber home manufacturer JT Construction, the multiple award winning architects have launched ‘PlusPods’. These luxury modular structures can be linked in various combinations to create bespoke, adaptable accommodation for different uses. Certainly not limited to luxurious glamping, PlusPods have already generated requests for bespoke modules across the sector. Applications include holiday cottages, garden rooms for hotels and pubs, home offices, shared amenity areas on camping sites, even low-impact small residences and accommodation for TV and film sets. Designing for long term sustainability, the team construct and insulate each pod to the highest industry standards which meet the newbuild house energy efficiency criteria, rather than the lower minimum, required for caravans, garden rooms and glamping pods. Solar panels and a log-burner or pellet stove can all be designed in too. Sustainably sourced larch for the walls allows sympathetic blending with urban or rural surroundings. They can also be delivered with a sedum roof for use in sensitive environments like National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs). 2018’s long hot summer only increased enthusiasm for ‘staycationing’, and with the glamping sector growing 11% year on year, ‘comfortable camping’ is offering a sound investment. Richard Wooldridge, director at Harrison Pitt, said; “I had the idea for PlusPods while on a family glamping holiday. I realised that a highly insulated glamping pod would be able to lengthen the tourism season by providing comfortable accommodation 104 throughout the colder months; and would also make the PlusPod more cost effective and greener to run.” Celebrating 40 years at the forefront of innovation and design, and with a dedicated hotels and leisure team offering planning consultancy, project management and sustainability consultancy, Harrison Pitt are already taking 2019 by storm. Determined to challenge existing market leaders’ typically lower thermal standard glamping pods, the competitively priced and sustainable PlusPods look set to become an attractive and desirable fixture in the landscape, whatever the forecast.