We worked closely with the client, a local product designer, on the refurbishment of this apartment at Medina Terrace in Hove, to create a stunning three bedroom duplex apartment.

The top floor opens out onto a roof terrace with folding sliding doors with commanding views across Hove Lawns and the seafront. The kitchen includes a feature central island unit with cherrywood folded worktop, bespoke slate tiling and high gloss finish kitchen units.

Another key feature of the apartment is an open tread steel and glass staircase, linking the two storeys. We liaised directly with Building Control on site to negotiate this feature, to allow for a very open plan feel to the duplex.

The interiors have been finished to a very high standard by local contractor Coe Construction.

The Clients required more space for their family and wanted to improve the appearance of their existing 1950’s house. The proposal extends the property to the front, avoiding the cost of a complete re-build and improving the existing condition, to provide light and comfortable family accommodation.

We decided to extend the existing roof forward to reduce costs and to visually consolidate the house. The design is inspired by the character of the neighbouring properties; a gable elevation and careful use of materials ensure a strong contextual relationship.

The sustainability credentials of the house are notable. The extension is highly insulated and the existing house is thoroughly upgraded. Solar panels combined with a low temperature heating system are proposed throughout. At a later stage photovoltaic cells are to be incorporated. The house will generate electricity sufficient to provide the owner with an income under the local ‘feed in tariff’ scheme.

We were approached by a Surrey based IT Company who are looking to relocate to Sussex to develop a proposal for a new office building to act as their operations and data control centre.

We quickly came to a solution that answered the client brief in terms of speed of construction, quality of build and sustainable design and have developed a design for a modular building that will be predominately fabricated off site, as a ‘volumetric’ pod.

The building will be delivered to site in a number of sections and assembled together on site then clad in locally sourced timber and metal cladding. The form of the building is very much driven by the context and addresses a south facing view over an existing lake.

Mohsin Cooper were invited by a prominent Bangalore based landowner and agriculturist to develop design concepts and a marketing study for a lush 117 acre site about 28km from Bangalore.

The site is currently an expansive organic farm set within a plantation landscape. At the entrance to the site is a stunning banyan tree around which has been master-planned a cluster of low rise entrance buildings to create a courtyard backdrop to this unique setting.

The landscape will serve as the perfect backdrop for a destination based eco tourist resort, comprising eco hotel, organic restaurant, guest houses, villas and character retreat spa.

The design proposals and high level masterplan have been prepared on the basis of a strong sustainability agenda which seeks to create an ecological connection with the surrounding area.

We were engaged by the client, who is the property owner, to develop design proposals for a complete re-modelling of this existing single storey top floor flat to create a duplex.

The building is an end of terrace mid period Victorian Villa, located within a Conservation Area. We secured full planning approval for a duplex, by creating a new mansard to accommodate the new floor.

The accommodation comprises two bedrooms (one with ensuite), a bathroom to the lower floor and an open plan kitchen / dining / living space to the new mansard. The mansard addition is sensitively designed to harmonise with the existing Villa. Folding doors to the new living space open onto a terrace with panoramic views across London. Work is due to start on site during summer 2012.

We were approached by the property owner, who was looking to increase the size of this existing single storey suburban bungalow and also improve the appearance and energy efficiency of the dwelling.

We came up with a solution that retains much of the existing structure - the existing foundations and most of the internal and external walls are retained.

The existing roof will be removed and replaced with a cut and pitch truss rafter to allow for a second storey. The design proposal allows for three new strong gable forms to the front elevation, with frameless glazing and contemporary detailing. The remainder of the elevation is clad either in render or timber cladding, with the roof clad in slate.

External insulated render to all elevations, insulation within the roof and new high performance windows and doors bring this 1960’s bungalow up to current building control standards. As well as a dramatic improvement in visual appearance and energy efficiency, this retrofitting design solution has saved the client money over and above a complete demolition and new build.

Mohsin Cooper Architects were commissioned to design this annexe to a listed property in a Conservation Area within the historic County Town of Lewes.

The design replaces a post-war industrial storage shed behind the existing house and responds positively to the many constraints the site has to offer.

The proposed annexe will provide accommodation for the extended family of the client and is designed sensitively, drawing on the rich context and history of the site.

Sustainable local materials are proposed such as locally sourced sweet chestnut with a super insulated timber frame structure at first floor level. The use of sliding timber screens give privacy and shading to the internal and external areas.

We were approached by the client, a local property developer to develop proposals for a residential mews to this challenging landlocked site in Brighton.

The mews is accessed from a gate off the main road and creates a layered private enclave for the residents.

We have designed three houses, two are three bed and one is four bed and two number flats, which act as a ‘gate house’ at the entrance to the site.

All parking, waste disposal and collection and service access is kept separate from the three mews houses, which are separated from the rest of the development with metal gates.

This creates a private enclave which is also self policing as it is well overlooked by the proposed mews. The architectural language of the mews has contemporary detailing but with a nod to the classic mews form so prevalent in Brighton & Hove.

We were approached by the client, a local property developer, to add value to their recently completed flagship development on the Upper Drive in Hove.

The existing development is a striking contemporary four storey apartment development. Their brief was to add value by incorporating a penthouse to the top floor of the completed building.

Our architectural solution included remodelling of one the interior units to the second floor as well as creating a 100 sqm three bed penthouse to the existing top floor.

The proposition required careful negotiation with the Local Authority and the creation of several ‘scenario’ 3D block models to demonstrate the viability of the proposed scheme, in townscape terms.

We worked closely with Planning Consultant DMH Stallard on the scheme.

The plot is behind a large Edwardian House in Putney and is currently in use as a garage court with four garages used as storage space.

Our design approach is primarily dictated by the site constraints, two large mature trees are to the south western boundary and the plot is overlooked primarily from the north, east and south.

These challenges led to a partly single and partly two storey solution with most windows facing inwards into a protected courtyard, to create a three bedroom 100 sq m courtyard house.

The sustainability credentials of the house are notable, with proposed locally sourced timber cladding, a sedum roof and mineral lime based render to the ground floor elevations.

Mohsin Cooper gained planning approval on this very difficult Green belt site and obtained full planning permission for a new build 2800 sq ft detached five bedroom dwelling and also a 1000 sq ft outbuilding and garage.

The site is a long strip of land of some 0.2 Hectares in size and is located on the edge of the Village of Longfield, within the Metropolitan Green belt. It also had a string of failed planning applications. Under strict local Planning Policy, we would have only been allowed to demolish the existing house on the site and replace with a building with a volume up to 33% larger than the existing building.

Through a careful process of negotiation with the Local Authority, both at pre- application stage and during planning, Mohsin Cooper gained planning approval for a much larger house and also outbuilding, which is testament to our experience of dealing with Planning Authorities and gaining a highly successful outcome. Construction of the dwelling is due for completion during summer 2013.

We designed this single storey side / rear kitchen extension, which creates a new kitchen / dining room for this semi-detached Victorian Villa in Hove.

The proposal reconfigures the existing warren of rooms to the rear of the house into a large, light filled space with a new utility room and washroom.

We are working closely with a high end kitchen designer to design the interior kitchen, lighting and finishes layout.

We were invited by Raise the Roof Productions to participate as guest architect in this Channel 4 property show hosted by Phil Spencer.

We were interviewed by Phil and gave our advice with regard to potential ways of improving or extending the property in order to increase value and also the prospect of sale.

Please click here to go to Channel 4's website to view the show, which was aired on 28th October 2011.

We are participating in this years Love Architecture Festival on 'The Welcome Trail'.

This is a trail of installations located in the offices of Brighton & Hove architects. Curated by Gem Barton, the trail matches together local artists and architects offices with a view to engaging the general public with the face of architecture.

The artist Daniel Wilkins is working with us on a piece that explores the dynamic relationship between art practice and architectural model-making.

The piece will be displayed in our shopfront window on Hove St from 15th - 24th June. Members of the public are welcome to come into the office and meet the team and see what we are up to.

Click on the PDF download below to access a map and further information on this exciting event.

Abe Mohsin was invited as a guest speaker / discussion panel member to participate in this conference on UK Construction & Design companies working in India.

It was held at the Building Centre on Store Street in London on 30th April 2012.

Other speakers included participants from Nabarro LLP, Gleeds, the UK India Business Council, Ernst & Young and the International Trade Adviser from UK Trade and Investment. The conference was chaired by Lee Mallett, a former Editor of Building Design Magazine.

Our Banyan Eco Hotel & Spa project was published on 4th January 2012 in Building Magazine.

To view the article online please click here: www.building.co.uk/buildings/eco-hotel-planned-near-bangalore-unveiled/5029947.article

We were published in the Architects Journal New Practices feature, in their 28th July 2011 issue. This series focuses on up and coming emerging practices in the UK and Internationally.

Our Banyan Eco Hotel and Spa project was published in World Architecture News on January 18th 2012, in the ECOWAN section of their website.

World Architecture News is a global leader in news, blogging and editorial around contemporary developments in architecture, interiors, sustainability and related design fields.

To read the article in full please click here