12.07.21

Dannatt, Johnson Architects are proud to have worked for Historic Royal Palaces with garden designer Pip Morrison to complete the architectural detailing, conservation design and specification of the paths, walls, pond and plinth in the sunken garden at Kensington Palace to create the setting for the installation of the new statue of Diana Princess of Wales.

The statue was created by Ian Rank-Broadley and was unveiled on the 1st of July by Prince William and Prince Harry.

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Photo Credit: Historic Royal Palaces

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Photo Credit: Historic Royal Palaces

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Photo Credit: Historic Royal Palaces

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08.07.21

It was great to see each other again for the first time in 15 months today at RHS Hampton Court! It was also incredibly exciting to see the award winning allotment, which we had the honour of assisting Friends of Ascott with.

Collaborations of this kind are so rewarding as they provide the opportunity to bring together and share a wide array of skills and learn from the experience of others involved.

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10.05.21

Ascott Allotment: Growing More Than Just A Plot


We recently collaborated with Ascott Allotments in their successful bid to showcase at RHS Hampton Court 2021. Ascott Allotments has existed for more than 170 years. It is the second largest allotment site in London, with over 250 individual plotholders (including our very own David Johnson) spanning 12 acres amidst a dense, urban area in Ealing, West London. We thought this was a great community project and we were keen to support it by contributing design advice and by drawing up the resulting proposal for submission to the judging panel.

The show allotment aims to exhibit and portray how allotments can grow connections between generations, cultures and experiential divides; particularly after such a disconnected year. For many, during this last year, the allotment was one of the only ways individuals could see others outside of their households and, while still distant, those connections and having a natural space from which to escape from the news and anxiety, proved essential. We had found ourselves thinking about these sorts of ideas earlier in the year, whilst drawing up an ‘ideas project’ called ‘Space That Works’ (also located in Ealing) that we later submitted as an entry to the RA Summer Exhibition. Both projects were conscious to invest in the interconnected nature of Ealing’s green space ecosystems and aim to be in tandem with the management of biodiversity across the Borough and beyond. They also both focus on how shared experiences and space can build communities and improve social capital within an area.

The final proposed scheme includes: upcycled materials representing the respect for finite resources and ‘can-do’ attitude of many on the allotment; a conversation deck and community board to emphasise the theme of connection and knowledge sharing; a water feature, bird boxes, pollinator gardens and bird feeders (all made from reclaimed materials, by the plotholders) to communicate the importance of nature and its conservation; a story circle to encourage the development of the next generation of the allotment community; and a diverse range of edible plants grown in varied ways to show the vast opportunity for all to grow whether that be on an allotment or in a window box. We are very pleased to announce that the proposal was accepted and is due to be shown in this year’s show in early July. You can learn more about Ascott Allotment, their work and their progress with the garden here.

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18.02.21

It is with sadness and a deep sense of loss that we pass on the news that our founding Partner, Trevor Dannatt, died peacefully at home on Tuesday morning at the age of 101 years. Trevor was a great friend, a mentor and an inspiration to us all, and many of us in the practice first met him when we were still students of architecture. We have vivid memories of Trevor’s spectacular musical Centenary celebration last year held in St.Alphege’s Church, Greenwich, which was attended by so many well-wishers and life-long friends and colleagues. Trevor continued to play an active role in the office into his nineties and after that continued in his unstinting support of the Royal Academy of Arts and in his lifelong passions for architecture, drawing, painting, music and poetry, right up until the end. He will be greatly missed.

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12.11.20

Our Collections Store for the National Museum of the Royal Navy has recently featured in a video on their social media. Its great to hear that the building is working well for the curators and conservators at the museum.

See the video by clicking on the link to their page below:

The National Museum of the Royal Navy | #MuseumFromHome | Storehouse 12

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at a National Museum? Take a look at the video below which tells you all about our brand new Collections Store - Storehouse 12. #NMRN #NavigateTheNavy #MuseumFromHome

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20.10.20

We are excited to reveal that Greenhill Library, a recent fit-out project, is nearing completion this autumn. We worked closely with our client, Harrow Council, to design the interiors for a new central library on the lower floors of a modern residential development adjacent to Harrow-on-the-Hill station.

An open plan arrangement made the best use of the daylight available from double height spaces and high level windows. The large space is broken down into pockets of semi-private study bays divided by timber-clad bookshelves. Exposed concrete columns and services are balanced by high end light fittings and brightly coloured upholstery.

The library spaces include dedicated zones for children and young adults, each with a distinct character. Three multipurpose meeting spaces are also accommodated, including an external pavilion which can be hired for community events and functions. On the mezzanine floor, the back of house staff area houses an open office space, welfare facilities and additional book storage for the home library service.

We’re looking forward to the public opening in the near future and hope Harrow residents will once again be able to find sanctuary and retreat amongst books in amidst the busy town centre.

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05.10.20

DJA have recently established ‘Dannatt Johnson Heritage Associates’ with the aim of offering a comprehensive and creative association for the identification and development of visitor facilities at internationally significant European tourist destinations.


Rock Of Cashel Bid Team Profiles

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24.03.20

Dannatt Johnson Architects practice update:

These are uncertain times, but rest assured Team DJA are continuing to work together via phone, emails and video calls. We’ve moved all of our necessary equipment and files to carry on working, although sadly we didn’t all get to take an office dog home…

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20.12.19

Happy Christmas from DJA!

For our Christmas outing this year, DJA visited the Design Museum in Kensington. Exhibitions such as ‘Designer Maker User’ and ‘Reduce Reuse Rethink’ certainly provoked food for thought as we look to tackle new projects and develop our design approach for a changing world.

We enjoyed lunch at the Belvedere restaurant nearby in Holland Park, fittingly seated under a giant Hirstian butterfly mandala as we exchanged Secret Santa presents with a twist: pieces of our own artwork. It’s great to recognise the talents of DJA’s team members and the variety of the pieces (from photorealistic painting to ‘epic poetry’) was a real delight to behold. We will be making donations with our gift budget to support local charities working in the Southwark and Bankside areas.

As ever, thank you to our colleagues and friends for their hard work, support and enthusiasm over the last year.

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06.12.19

We are delighted that the Caledonian Park Clock Tower and the ‘Cally Clock Tower Centre’ have been named by the Civic Trust as a 2020 Regional Finalist.

The Civic Trust have announced that 115 projects have been selected from all national and international entries following the first stage assessment process. The Regional Finalists will now be reviewed by them and considered for a National / International Award or Commendation. Winners will be announced on 9th December 2019.

Here are some before and after photographs showing the towers restoration.

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