I enjoy the diversity of our projects which present the opportunity to gain a broad depth of knowledge across a range of sectors and scales. The tor&co design ethos, and collaboration with the wider design team, allow me to bring an innovative and flexible approach to the complex projects that we work on.

Robert Cotton

Technical Director

BSc(Hons) BArch PGDip RIBA

Since joining the practice in 2005, Rob has worked on a wide selection of projects in various sectors including tourism, education and residential. He has a keen interest in masterplanning that responds to the needs of user groups and communities, enhancing both the space and the experience.

In addition to projects in large-scale residential and several high quality contemporary homes, Rob has most notably been involved with the McLaren Applied Technology Centre for which he led the design work underpinning an outline planning permission.

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Robert's Projects

Barton Park – Phases 2 & 4

Following the earlier involvement from the tor&co masterplanners and landscape architects, we were appointed by Countryside Partnerships to submit the reserved matters application for Phases 2 & 4, the final phases of the masterplan.

Acting as both masterplanner and architect for these final phases presented the opportunity to create bespoke housing that responded to the well-established landscape and creates an attractive and distinctive place to live.

Following the approval for 435 homes, we developed the working drawings for the first 142 homes and a small local centre. We continue to support the Countryside team following the commencement on site.

University of Exeter East Park

Having undertaken a wider estate strategy review for the university, East Park was identified as an opportunity site for student residences allowing the university to offer all students on-campus accommodation for their first year.

Located on the peripheral edge of the Streatham Campus, on a steeply sloping site, I worked closely with the tor&co landscape architects to establish a masterplan that sensitively integrated the 1200 new bedrooms into the historic landscape setting of the campus.

This required the establishment of a series of outline parameter plans that informed the movement and access strategy, minimised the impact on the adjacent residents, addressed views from the adjacent ANOB and controlled building heights to maintain long-distance views to the cathedral.

Portland ERF

If an Energy Recovery Facility was not contentious enough, this one was in Portland Port at the heart of the Dorset ANOB and the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site.

The site’s sensitive location required a bespoke design solution that diminished the mass and visually recessed the building into the vegetation of the cliff face behind.

To achieve an appropriate built form, the standard ERF plant arrangement was reconfigured through extensive consultation with the Arup technical team. The building’s angled envelope referenced the rich quarrying history of the isle which has formed the distinctive landforms surrounding the port. The exposed cliff faces informed the design of the ‘cleaved’ metal cladding at the upper levels of the building whilst the lower sections were wrapped in a printed mesh to blend with the scrub vegetation.