NEWS
John Lewis launches ‘end to end’ home improvement service
As part of its strategy to expand beyond its retail offerings, John Lewis & Partners has announced its plan to bring its two home improvement services businesses together to create a “21st century home improvement proposition”. The plans, which combine Home Solutions and Opun, are in line with the company’s ambition to “enhance its Home Services offer and extend into home improvement”. It hopes that as a result its customers will “benefit from an end- to-end home improvement service including inspiration, design, project management, and execution”.
Home Solutions allows customers to source and book “trusted tradespeople” for a range of home improvement services. It
currently operates within JLP Ventures, a team within the John Lewis Partnership, and is “steadily rolling out across the country,” having expanded its coverage to Hampshire, Surrey, Sussex and Kent in the past few weeks. Opun, which manages large scale home improvement projects, was acquired by John Lewis Partnership in June 2018 and has been operating as a wholly-owned subsidiary. Since the acquisition, Opun has been focusing on refining its business model, strengthening its team and developing its service technology, while “continuing to deliver high quality home improvement projects”.
The change brings both businesses together within the Services directorate of John Lewis & Parters, which the company says will “capitalise on the complementary capabilities in each”. Commenting on the news, Sean Allam, partner & director, Services at John Lewis & Partners said: “Last year’s acquisition of Opun demonstrated our ambition in the home services market and this announcement marks a critical next step as we look to strengthen and grow our services business. Bringing the teams together is an exciting opportunity to work collaboratively, share knowledge and collectively learn in the fast-paced home improvement market and create opportunities for growth.” Rob Brown, co-founder of Opun said: “Joining the John Lewis Partnership has been an exciting move for Opun, especially now
we are combining with Home Solutions. We know the two business stand for the same values – putting customers first and delivering a world-class service. We know there are great opportunities which exist in the home improvement market, so it’s exciting to be stepping into the next phase as one business.”
Longlist for RIBA House of the Year 2019 announced
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has announced the longlist for the 2019 House of the Year.
Among the 20 projects in the running to win the award for a new house or extension are: • A cork-built home in the grounds of a listed mill in Berkshire
• A highly-sustainable Passivhaus in East Sussex • A new home occupying the footprint of two garages in Kensington, London • A converted arts and crafts stable block in Llanhennock
The 20 longlisted homes are: • Black House (Armadale, Isle of Skye) by Dualchas • Cork House (Berkshire) by Matthew Barnett Howland with Dido Milne & Oliver Wilton
• Earl’s Court House (London) by Sophie Hicks Architects • The Ghost House (Stratford-upon-Avon) by BPN • The Green House (Tiverton) by David Sheppard Architects • Hampshire House by Niall McLaughlin Architects • Hannington Farm (Northamptonshire) by James Gorst Architects
• Hill House Passivhaus (East Sussex) by Meloy Architects • House in a Garden (London) by Gianni Botsford Architects • House Lessans (Saintfield, Northern Ireland) by McGonigle McGrath
• Kenwood Lee House (London) by Cousins & Cousins • Lark Rise (Buckinghamshire) by bere:architects
8
www.sbhonline.co.uk Black House © David Barbour
• Max Fordham House (London) by bere:architects • Nithurst Farm (West Sussex) by Adam Richards Architects • Pocket House (London) by Tikari Works • A Restorative Retreat (Sartfell, Isle of Man) by Foster Lomas • Secular Retreat (Devon) by Peter Zumthor & Mole • Silver How (Llanhennock, Wales) by Hall + Bednarczyk • South London House (London) by Jonathan Pile • Stackyard (Derbyshire) by James Boon Architects
The shortlist and winner of the 2019 RIBA House of the Year will be revealed in the fifth series of Channel 4’s Grand Designs: House of the Year TV series airing later this year.
july/august 2019
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100
