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Vale have designed and worked on many commercial and prestigious projects around the world, with many designs taking the form of glazed extensions to luxury hotels and other prestigious buildings. One of the projects which stretched both our imagination and design ideas was for an extravagant folly in the south of France, highlighting design ability and flexibility in materials used and the way we work.
Below are just some of the projects we have been involved in which you may find of interest.
A relatively recent project we designed a grand entrance orangery to Tankardstown House - a boutique hotel set in the romantic and magnificent heart of the Boyne Valley in County Meath, Eire. We were approached by them as they required help and inspiration to optimise a large courtyard area. One of our designers pencilled some initial designs across to them and instantly, they fell in love with the idea. Visits to site helped develop the project which has resulted in this splendid orangery now taking pride of place. The building was designed as a space for general entertaining and for larger functions.
Visit Tankardstown.ie
Vale are proud to have been involved in 2004 with the replacement glasshouses at Stormont Castle in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Our design retains the styling of a Victorian glasshouse with one side having single glazed units and used for propagating fruits and plants. The other side incorporates state-of-the-art facilities with modern office accommodation, together with a well-equipped meeting venue. The glasshouses now play host to many politicians and celebrities.
A fabulous project looking out over the bay of Nice in the south of France and sits within stunning terraced grounds. We were asked to design a structure as an open loggia for outdoor entertaining. A creative springboard for this came from a beautiful Aviary at Waddesdon Manor. Our creative design team spent many hours sculpting the decorative scrolls and lattice along with a vast quantity of shells and other fine details that formed elements to the structure. The building was cast in parts using aluminium and we assembled it in the factory prior to taking to site and it being painted in a soft green. This was a wonderful project to work on.
Over the years we have become working partners with our client and his team of architects in Japan, for whom we have now completed several commercial projects. Our first venture was to design a room for the owner of a prestigious chocolate factory, together with an entrance porch. Logistics and language were challenging but we overcame these with some great results. Following the success of this project, our client then commissioned us to design a 52 metre continuous loggia around the perimeter of the Sapporo football stadium. Following the loggia we designed an elaborate two storey glazed structure with a copper domed roof within the grounds of Japan’s equivalent of Cadbury World. And finally, we built a beautiful conservatory for him at his home. Like all the projects Vale work on, we maintained a constant dialogue and our dedicated team of fitters travelled to Japan to work alongside and guide the client’s own teams. All of our projects for Japan were designed to withstand local conditions, excessive snow loads and earthquakes. We have welcomed the client’s team of architects to our workshops several times and considering the complexity of each design, we have worked exceptionally well together.
The Grand Hotel in Brighton stands as an iconic British historical building and is a stunning example of Italian influence set within Victorian architecture. Famously located on the Brighton seafront, the building prides itself in having ‘opulent splendour and style’. Architects commissioned to do work on renovating the building were so impressed with Vale’s Metal Clad system and deemed it suitable for the exposure to salty air conditions. Vale were subsequently asked to design and build a large conservatory for dining and an entrance hall canopy.
Visit DeVere-Hotels.co.uk/Grand-Hotel-Brighton
Coombe Abbey is situated within Coombe Country Park in Warwickshire. Originally built as a Cistercian Abbey it is now a luxury hotel with Grade 1 Listing. We were approached by the current owners who wished to have an extension for additional dining and a function room. Our design evolved into a now stunning addition which incorporates three distinct gabled areas. The conservatory was a complete success and since the original build, we have added two additional wings.
Visit CoombeAbbey.com
Dating back to 1400, Kastel Maurick is an impressive castle, embellished with fine brickwork and decorative detailing. Vale designed a conservatory over 16 years ago for owner and chef, which was to be used as their main banquet restaurant. A large structure at over 180 metres square, it provides a generous light filled dining area and today it remains an important facility for the hotel for weddings and larger functions.
Another project in the Netherlands was at Agneitenberg, a site dated circa 1400 which was originally built as a monastery. The primary use has changed over the centuries and sadly in 1991 there was a disastrous fire. Restoration by the current owners turned the building into a venue for weddings and conferences with a restaurant and tearooms. We designed an octagonal building which measures over 10 metres in diameter and incorporates extensive detailing both to the exterior and to the interior, all made in our pattern making department.
Built over 20 years ago for the famous Swiss chef, Max Eichmann, this elaborate conservatory is 28 metres long and 6 metres deep (not including the projecting bay) and is divided internally with glazed screens. It was designed to provide his customers with a unique dining experience. The conservatory features offices and a bar area at one end, a large restaurant to the centre and a dolls museum at the other end. Max Eichmann has a passion for precision, detail and beauty and our design reflects his passions.
Set in relaxed gardens and stunning open countryside, Langar Hall is a beautiful Georgian country house which is a luxury hotel. Well known locally by gastronomic enthusiasts in 2004 we were commissioned to design a simple conservatory to accommodate an extended dining area. Vale worked alongside the client builders and interior designers as independent contractors and the projects seamless operation resulted in a fabulous new space. Interestingly, within this design were fold out screens, concealed within internal columns which allow diners to feel cocooned in the conservatory in bad weather.
Visit LangarHall.com
On the beautiful South Devon coastline near Tourquay is Babbacombe Bay. We were asked to design a conservatory for the famous Cary Arms, a unique waterside venue. The inn was rebuilt in 1906 following a fire and reopened in 1927 – in 2009 it was fully refurbished by the current owners. The conservatory was for additional dining space with views out to the sea. Incorporated into the design were two sets of double door which opened on to their terraced areas.
