Corporate social responsibility projects
Harrison Hunt actively encourages participation in a wide range of environmental and community initiatives and all of our colleagues are encouraged to support organisations close to their own hearts, with many sitting on local boards and governing bodies.
Harrison Hunt and its associated design studio Sanderson Borland have been working independently with Seamab school charity and Global Action Nepal for a number of years.
Realising the synergies between the two charities we thought it would be interesting to put them in touch with each other to see if there could be a partnership. Four years on since then, GAN and Seamab have continued to build strong bonds and the children and teachers are learning and sharing experiences. The children of Seamab have also fundraised by doing a sponsored run to raise funds to help their new friends in Nepal to rebuild their school which was partly lost in the devastating earthquake in 2015.
To support these two charities further Harrison Hunt and Sanderson Borland Hosted our regular Annual Burns Night fundraiser which, has to date, raised over £30,000.00
Global Action Nepal (GAN)
Global Action Nepal is a non profit organisation in Nepal. Their main aim is to improve the quality of education. To provide basic health to the unreached children of Nepal whilst using a sustainable holistic development approach where there are meaningful partnerships with all stakeholders.
Our Creative Director – Diana Borland has been volunteering and advising Global Action Nepal with their education and build projects following on from the devastating Earthquake to Kathmandu and the surrounding area in May 2015.
Since then Diana has assisted GAN on a number of projects from designing a new library building to female dormitories advising on design approach and buildabilty.
Most recently, Diana spent a a lot of her time in 2016 in Nepal immersing herself in Nepal. Working closely with the GAN team in producing a phased masterplan for GAN’s new training centre and office space. This build project is to be the base in which teachers and local communities will learn and take their teachings out into the rural communities.
It is important for GAN to provide flexible space for training, national and international co-operations. As well as taking the opportunity to work with the local community during the design and construction of the build to introduce alternative sustainable styles of construction to the community.
We are proposing a building made from locally sourced and sustainable materials, using safe and inspiring methods of construction. We looked to vernacular buildings in Nepal for inspiration and developed a place of gathering. Along with a flexible indoor/outdoor space in the centre of the design with more formal training carried out in the adaptable internal spaces on the outer edges of the proposal.
Almost all the selected materials will be locally sourced, in accordance with budget constraints and will retain their natural qualities. Allowing the building to be viewed as part of the landscape which is juxtaposed against the existing concrete and brick building.
SEAMAB SCHOOL – kinross-shire
Seamab School is a charity that cares for and educates vulnerable children with complex needs. For the past three years we have been volunteering our time and skills to develop a new school masterplan that will enrich the interactions and educational experience of both staff and children at Seamab.
We have carried out a number of workshops at Seamab to discuss the aims and aspirations of the project. We have now completed the feasibility design for a new school building that is inspired by the school’s attitude, mission and vision.
This collaborative project has included the engineers, Ramboll, project managers, Thomson Gray, landscape architects, Harrison Stevens, and architectural visualisers, Blackpoint Design, all of whom have also generously donated their time and skills to the project.
In addition to our project work with Seamab, we have fundraised for them through our charitable initiative, the annual Alternative Burns Night Fundraiser. Through this event a new partnership has been formed between Seamab and our other chosen charity, Global Action Nepal. Which has allowed a sharing of knowledge and experiences that will improve the outcomes for all the children involved.
HARRISON HUNT