Studio Projects

Design concepts and in-progress projects from our studio.

WESTHALL ROAD

A conversation with a client turned into a highly invigorating and creative design process that led us to create a design for one of our most ambitious schemes to date.

A family bought a property in Weston, Bath and asked us if we could actively engage in a process to push the boat out on a design that engaged with the site and the existing property, but which was contemporary in feel. 

We had a series of design sessions with the clients and worked with them on a concept based on “negative space”. 

The idea was that the space outside the property should determine the form. We also took inspiration from the unusual Side Bay and repeated it as an architectural motif along the side of the new facade to create a sinuous new facade that we then projected outwards into the new garden. 

The new bays were fully glazed, and we inverted typical loading hierarchies with increased weight and solidity working up the building rather than the other way around.

In the end the clients were thrilled with the design and we received full planning consent and enthusiastic support from the local authority.

ROSELEA

A chance meeting led to a conversation about a scheme in the countryside to the south of Bath, in an area of greenbelt. We were encouraged to hear that an existing building on the plot was large enough to be used as a hook for a Permitted Development scheme. We worked with the client to explore a design for a country home in the local style; with a contextual cottage appearance at the front of the building and a contemporary, structural oak frame design at the rear.

We loved the design of this project and felt it really enhanced the offering of the site and the plot.

The scheme is nearing completion now at a reduced scope to fit the client budget.

THE POOL HOUSE

This stunning example of an Art Deco villa in an exclusive district of Bristol had once been a centre for fashionable 1930s Bristol society with grounds at the rear that included a large open-air swimming pool and poolhouse. Over the following years it slowly succumbed to the pressures of changing priorities and the swimming pool was filled in and the poolhouse was converted to a garage and left to decay. We were asked to assist with a vision for the space that re-energised it and brought it back to life, with a new vision for a swimming pool and poolhouse. Inspired by the period and the space we took references from other 1930s pavilions at Barcelona and Bexhill to produce a linear pool with masonry screen wall that pierced the poolhouse creating sub divisions that articulated the different intentions for the plot. We also emphasised the different levels on site to create a sequence of external rooms at different elevations.

OLDFIELD PARK

We met a client with a large semi detached Victorian urban villa in the Oldfield Park area of the city and they asked us to think outside the box for a reconfigured interior that brought the property back into use as a family home.

The Victorian characteristics of the property were evident with large high ceilinged rooms and generous proportions. However the property had been split into bedsits in the past with subdivisions and peculiar layouts 

We took the view that the generosity of the space allowed for an approach wherein we might introduce an unorthodox intervention: the removal of some of the first floor space to create a dramatic double height mezzanine level.

The concept was radical but it fulfilled the brief: letting light and space into a building which suffered from cramped and dark rooms. Opening up a new space that worked as a hub for family life where the kitchen and dining occurred, and the link with the garden and views behind was enhanced. More private spaces were retained including kitchen pantry, TV snug and formal living room. 

LAVENDAR COTTAGE

The owners of this bungalow in Cheshire bought their property because of its wonderful position in the countryside, facing into the forests and farmland of the surrounding area. 

The property itself had been developed in a piecemeal fashion over the years and while it ticked a lot of boxes, the upstairs loft conversion was very tight and the accretions at the rear were a little uncoordinated. Having said that we were impressed upon to acknowledge the many positives of the building for my client’s family.

As such a light touch intervention was required that focussed primarily on the upstairs area and improving the flow and aesthetics at the rear.

We took this on board and formed a simple intervention comprised of a sequence of glazed timber frame gables. The purpose of this was to create more space upstairs and a combined space downstairs 

HORSE ACRES FARM

A client approached us when they bought a detached post-war property in the countryside just outside Bruton in Somerset.

They loved the outlook and the site but they were finding it hard to fall in love with the design and aesthetics of the house itself. They asked us what we could do to elevate the building, alongside extending it and rationalising the interior space.

On top of that they were keen to explore sustainable construction and materials, and so we set about trying to embrace the various elements of the brief.

The strong agricultural influence in the local area led us to propose timber framed and clad buildings, and we were inspired by the contextual, high-concept designs of Glenn Murcutt.

We put forward a systematic, modular construction system; with a series of exterior flitch beam columns framing each module, and behind which we explored various means of describing them. 

We created a module for a fixed glazing panel, an opening glazing panel, solid timber panel and an open panel. This created a series of different areas that could be read on the outside of the building, hinting at what could be found on the interior.

We enjoyed exploring materials for the scheme which included laminated timber beams, thermowood, burnt timber cladding and green roof areas.

BRUNSWICK STREET

Our clients were introduced to us when they bought a listed property in the centre of Bath. They wanted to extend their kitchen to create a family centred room and new connections with the garden and the sunny views to the south

We knew that the options for the site would be contained by a number of factors. The World Heritage regulatory environment and the close-knit urban grain, the steep contours and the budget would all mean a simple build would be required; but we were able to propose a solution that responded to the context both in terms of scale and materials. We also oriented the room to face the view with a sliding corner crittal glazing system.

This project is currently on site and we will be documenting the construction.