Chris Hale

Project Experience

Having worked in the sector for many years, Chris has a proficient understanding of the assessment and planning process and works closely with architects, heritage, landscape, and planning professionals to obtain a positive outcome. His visualisation work is often key to a scheme’s success.

Chris is experienced in working on complex development sites involving multidisciplinary professionals as well as smaller bespoke proposals for private clients. A large proportion of developments involve detailed architectural design for residential, commercial and leisure properties as well as infrastructure projects including road schemes and renewables; all requiring regular communication with the designers to ensure accuracy.

Extensive experience in digital photography and skilled in digital darkroom techniques, using Photoshop, Bridge & Lightroom as the preferred photo-manipulation software. With an education using traditional 35mm & Medium format photography he is skilled in all technical aspects and has an artistic eye, with a preference for Landscape and architectural subject matter.

For many projects Chris undertakes the site photography for both LVIA and Visualisation work. His excellent navigation and map reading skills ensures that he is efficient and captures the views from each location to a high standard. Sites can vary from tall building proposals in major cities to housing and restoration projects in rural locations across the country, including historic estates and National Parks. Chris has photographed sites from building tops, cherry pickers, trunk roads, boats, demolition sites, plus mountain and coastal environments to name but a few. Some sites requiring special access permissions.

Following on from the photography, as many sites require site survey work Chris will brief and arrange these. Using the detailed site surveys, architectural and landscape proposals, he assists in the accurate construction of 3d models of the design using AutoCAD and 3D studio MAX. Digital Terrain models are developed for landscape ground modelling and Photoshop to produce the final image.

 

 

Project examples include:

AVR 0 – AVR3 Verified Views for multiple largescale projects and cumulative assessments in Bristol and Bath:

In the past few years Chris has been involved with many large-scale development projects in both Bristol and Bath. Often involving extensive landscape and heritage viewpoint considerations. Schemes include Silverthorne Lane, The Old Soapworks, and Finzels Reach plus the University of Bristol including Library and Redcliffe Quarter in Bristol. Various developments along Lower Bristol Road Bath, Bath Quays North and South, plus the Western Riverside area.

Accurate Visual Representations for Tall buildings projects and cumulative assessments in major cities such as London, Reading, and Birmingham:

Working closely with Landscape, Heritage, planning consultants and LPAs to approve viewpoints and agree the guidelines acceptable for the applications. With extensive experience working in urban settings, the baseline photography is carefully considered. Chris’ team works alongside the architects to ensure that the proposals are always correctly represented in the final images, considering materials and lighting effects. Due to the large number of tall development proposals in our cities, many projects now consider the effect of cumulative developments which have already been approved.

Landscape Institute TGN 06/19 Visual Representation of Development Proposals:

Chris was approached by the landscape institute technical committee to input into the preparation and finalisation of the technical guidance published in September 2019. Working with other professionals his extensive visualisation and photographic experience was instrumental in shaping many of the more technical aspects of the document.

Preparation of Verified Views to accompany Landscape and Visual Impact assessments for large housing and industrial masterplans across the UK:

Working with Landscape Architects to identify specific representative viewpoints, based upon ZTVs, that can be accurately surveyed and photographed. Many of the developments require the preparation of specialist panoramic imagery to convey the broader views both day and night time for Appeal using thew latest technical guidance.

Retirement Living. Visually Verified Views and CGIs for Planning and Appeals:

Chris has worked on many retirement living developments over several years, completing around 200 projects in total. Our visually verified imagery has been used successfully on many of the more challenging schemes. From massing and visual assessment through to marketing CGIs and animations.

Landscape restoration visualisations for public and stakeholder presentations:

Chris has been involved in the preparation of visuals for many landscape restoration projects including Historic Gardens, lakes, woodlands and wetland rewilding. These are of interest when there is concern over potential tree or habitat loss and views in the future. These images have been able to demonstrate on many occasions that the matured or restored design would be acceptable. In more recent times he has explored the visual effects of rewilding and climate change

Wind & Solar Verified Views:

Chris has been involved in reviewing and producing Visually Verified Montages for developments based upon the Scottish Natural Heritage guidelines published in December 2014.

Career History

• Before joining the company in 1994, Chris worked for a range of landscape and environmental consultants, either in a full-time capacity or freelance, including Brian Clouston and Partners, RPS, Novell Tullett and The Cooper Partnership.

Contact me

01225 876990
07885 879594
chris.hale@npaconsult.co.uk
linkedin.com