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Hewitt Studios are architects, product and urban designers based in Bath, UK. We are passionate advocates of sustainable architecture and socially-responsible design.
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News

Scroll down to see the latest news, events and musings from Hewitt Studios

KPort Portishead EV Charging Hub
18th May 2018
in Sustainability
by hewittstudios

K:Portishead

A glimpse of the future is coming to Portishead with plans to build the first of our K:Port electric car charging stations.

 

The four-vehicle Demonstration Charging Hub aims to give residents and visitors in the North Somerset area a taste for what it would be like to dump the diesel and switch to electric, offering rapid 50kW charging which takes around 30 minutes to top up a typical EV battery.

 

The proposals are part of the Go Ultra Low West project, which is a joint government and industry campaign to help motorists and fleets understand the benefits, cost savings and capabilities of electric vehicles on the market.

 

The Department for Transport Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) has given North Somerset Council £370,000 to design and build the K:Port as part of a larger package of works within Go Ultra Low West project in partnership with the West of England authorities.

 

Councillor Elfan Ap Rees, deputy leader and executive member with responsibility for transport, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for North Somerset to be the first in the country to have a K:Port Demonstration Charging Hub to benefit residents in the Portishead and wider area.”

 

“The Go Ultra Low West project has brought many advantages including converting 40% of the council’s fleet to electric vehicles and assisting businesses to install charge points at work for visitors and staff using 50% match funded grants.”

 

“It is also great to be working with such a renowned architectural firm, which has really brought to fruition the idea of the hub being a place to truly experience the benefits of going electric or hybrid.”

Read More
9th April 2018
in Culture, Sustainability
by hewittstudios

Freshford – the community decide

Working with the Trustees of Freshford Village Memorial Hall, we have developed proposals to enhance, modernise and extend the existing Village Hall, providing a welcoming and attractive multi-purpose focus for local community activity within an extraordinary rural setting.

 

The project will significantly improve and ensure the long term viability of a building which acts as the community hub for both the villages of Freshford and Limpley Stoke.

 

Development permission for the project is sought under a ground-breaking Community Right to Build Order (CRtBO) –  a democratic process by which the community decide whether approval will be granted via a local referendum. This is the first time a CRtBO has been undertaken within the region.

 

Full details of the of the proposals and process can be found on the Hall’s website.

Read More
27th February 2018
in Education, Sustainability
by hewittstudios

First Onboard the STBAH

Hewitt Studios are the first partner for the Sustainable Technology Business Acceleration Hub (STBAH) at the University of Bath Innovation Centre.

 

We have signed up to the Business Acceleration programme with our K:Port concept, an Electric Vehicle Charging Hub (EVCH) designed to offer safe and sustainable EV charging with integrated cafe / education space.  To learn more about the concept take a look at the K:Port video here.

 

Talking about the STBAH programme and what it will mean to their business and the K:Port concept, John Hewitt, Partner at Hewitt Studios, says:

 

“We are a small dedicated team with big ideas – the ethos of our business is to offer sustainable solutions for future generations whilst minimising the impact we are having on the environment. When I heard about the STBAH programme I could really see the benefit for the business, particularly for the K:Port concept.  To have access to research and academics in the low carbon and sustainable tech sector through the University of Bath is invaluable, particularly for a business of our size  – I’m really looking forward to engaging with the team and progressing the K:Port concept to the next level with the help of the STBAH programme.”

 

Professor Matthew Davidson, Project Lead from the University of Bath, goes onto say:

 

“It is great to have the first business approved and accepted onto the programme, Hewitt Studios are a perfect fit for our Business Acceleration programme, they already have a proven track record in sustainable innovation. The programme will offer coaching and tailored business support for Hewitt Studios and the K:Port is a very exciting project which has the potential to be an essential sustainable EV charging hub solution for future generations.”

 

Also supporting the programme are Low Carbon South West.

 

 “I have worked with the team from Hewitt Studios at various events throughout the West of England and have followed their progress on various projects and products – they are always sustainable and incredibly designed.  The K:Port is an exciting innovation on every level and the concept doesn’t just take into account providing infrastructure for charging electric vehicles but also the longer term benefits of beautiful and thought-provoking design, renewable energy generation and low-impact and reusable materials.  Its great news that they have been accepted on the Business Acceleration programmes and I can’t wait to see the K:Port becoming wide spread as part of the urgently required sustainable infrastructure in the UK and beyond.”  said General Manger, Matt Trudge from Low Carbon South West.

 

The Sustainable Technologies Business Acceleration Hub (STBAH) Programme is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to provide free business acceleration support to start up and scale up companies in the west of England area; Bristol, Bath, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset. The programme will offer a portfolio of targeted and tailored resources to help high-growth companies grow even faster, and offer workshops for start up companies with access to investment, customers and research and development grant funding.

 

For more information about the programme and to submit an online expression of interest form, visit the website https://www.stbah.org/.

Read More
21st February 2018
in Sustainability
by hewittstudios

Smart Sustainable Cities Showcase

Our SGS Berkeley Green and K:Port projects will be showcased at a Foreign & Commonwealth Office event tomorrow in Bristol entitled Smart Sustainable Cities.

 

Smart Sustainable Cities is a UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office initiative, bringing together selected European and UK cities, to showcase UK best practice and provide a two-way opportunity for knowledge sharing and networking.

 

The two 2-day Bristol workshop will provide an opportunity for selected UK businesses to showcase best practice to European city senior decision-making officials, focused on implementable smart and sustainable solutions, offering an ongoing platform for exchange of innovation, knowledge and experience.

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