Practice

“The work shows a remarkable architectural intelligence that renders materials emotionally communicative….
it is quirky, charming, individual, eclectic, kinetic, surprising, Picturesque, characterful, subtle, and humanising… demonstrating an enduring concern to treat each place on its own merit.”

Charles Rattray – architectural critic and journalist

Successful building always results from a partnership between client, architects, and builder. In this respect, we believe that our skills as practitioners, thinkers, and teachers give us a unique strength to make the most of this joint opportunity.

We love designing and making things – whether they are buildings or otherwise – and this enthusiasm has determined the way the practice is set up. A building is, in a sense, ‘made in advance’ through the sketches, models, samples and mock-ups of the designer. These representations allow the reality of the building to be explored and tested. Through them the architect is acting as the builder or maker of the building itself. This is why models and drawings are so fascinating to make and so crucial to the success of the building.

As a studio we make extensive use of models and hand drawn sketches in the development of a project. This gives us a fluid and swift way of exploring multiple possibilities and encourages the active participation of the whole office working on the problems and opportunities presented by the project.

Equally important is the role that drawings and models play in allowing the client or user to explore and participate in the design. This is not to say that every client needs to roll up their sleeves and get involved in the process, although many do and it is an enjoyable experience. We will always work with a client to develop a strong brief which will allow us to respond imaginatively to their needs and aspirations.

Alongside the client brief and wider cultural context of the project, our response to its physical site is an equally key determinant in the success of the project.

From the outset, a scheme design is developed through the way the building will be put together – materials, structure, weatherproofing etc.  Once a scheme proposal has been established, we move to the more technical phase of developing these aspects in detail and describing them further, through specification and technical drawing, such that the proposal can be costed and built. We are fully aware of the importance of this part of our work in ensuring that the needs and budget of our clients are met with a robust and workable building.

Collaboration

Design and construction is a process which requires a variety of different people and professions to work togther in order to create the best outcome for the users of the spaces in question. We have built long standing relationships which allow us to pool together considerable expertise etc. We are proud to celebrate the role of our collaborators on each project, and you can read about particular relationships within the Place section of this site, such as specific article here.

Model Making

The practice makes extensive use of physical models, as part of a range of approaches to working through the design process etc etc. We passionately believe in the craft of designing … You can read more about this approach in an article, models, materials and space.

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People

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