Peacock & Verity appoint Native Architects

We're delighted to have appointed Native Architects to complete the next exciting phase of transforming 15 Silver Street into Peacock & Verity. 

Native are a York based multi-award winning RIBA chartered practice who specialise in delivering well designed buildings that are sensitive to their locality and constructed with natural, renewable and sustainable materials. They have an extensive track record of working on community-based projects and pride themselves on creating joyful spaces that do not cause harm to the environment.
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With its new identity and fully restored historic fabric, 15 Silver Street will showcase an Edwardian tearoom, a heritage grocers shop, a new history centre, a Post Office and affordable rental flats for local people on the first and second floors, and space for a Mashamshire archive.

Jan Reed, Project Manager at Peacock & Verity, said: ‘Peacock & Verity is a really complex project with demands around heritage refurbishment, multi-use public spaces, levels, and a goal to be zero-carbon. In Native we have found a team that is invigorated by the challenge and open to collaboration, and they share our commitment to sustainability and conservation. We are very conscious of how rare it is to find such a firm and are really excited to be working with them.’ 

Sally Walker, Director at Native Architects, said: “Our combined passion for the historic environment and traditional buildings enables us to get the most from spaces without causing harm or damage to their architectural or historic value.  We also fully understand the issues involved with working on fragile, often damaged buildings like 15 Silver Street and can go straight to the heart of the problems encountered. Our sustainable design philosophy and our commitment to avoiding materials that could cause harm to buildings and the environment is at the heart of all our work. We’re passionate about giving the built environment and the natural environment strong economic future uses and supporting local circular economies. The greenest buildings are always the ones that survive beyond their original expected life and can then accommodate new changes and economic futures.”

Native have a vision of a more sustainable, low-carbon society, where the dependence on fossil fuels is overturned and where the anticipated effects of climate change on building design can be mitigated by the use of natural bio-based materials and thoughtful design solutions.  Native’s approach to sustainable renovation will aim to balance energy efficiency at 15 Silver Street with the comfort and health of the occupants whilst considering the durability and condition of the building’s historic fabric.

The building will incorporate breathable, natural, bio-based insulation materials like sheep’s wool, wood fibre, hemp and cork, all of which can absorb, safely store and desorb moisture. It is intended to employ a passive ventilation strategy to ensure good indoor air quality to the benefit of the occupants of the flats.

Native pride themselves on being both innovators and pioneers with an overriding guiding ambition to design inspirational buildings that have minimal environmental impact.