Arbor Architects

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Arbor Architects

With a focus on natural materials and optimising building performance, Arbor Architects design beautiful spaces that are holistically low energy.

27/08/2026

Why should you use an architect?

Taking a project from early sketch options through planning, tender, and technical construction takes structure. How a studio manages those RIBA stages internally determines how smoothly a build runs on site.

A collaborative studio culture ensures that site constraints, thermal envelope continuity, and material durability are thoroughly interrogated during the early design phases, well before tender packages reach contractors.

In our latest journal post, Studio Culture and Project Lifecycle, we talk through our internal workflow, how we maintain design integrity across technical handovers, and what our structured lifecycle process looks like from initial client brief to post-occupancy evaluation.

www.arborarchitects.co.uk/journal/projectlifecycle

25/08/2026

Planning permission approved!

We're extremely excited to announce that Montcalm has received planning permission in St Braivels, Forest of Dean.

This project is about far more than creating a new home. Designed for a young family with deep roots in the area, the new Passivhaus replaces a deteriorating bungalow with a sustainable, future-focused home that embraces the site's incredible views, woodland setting and family history.

A fantastic collaborative journey with our clients Passiframe and one we're excited to continue as the project moves towards construction.

21/08/2026

Have you ever been in a room that sounds too echoey, or where you can't hear someone on the other side?

Open-plan spaces, residential or commercial, present significant acoustic challenges. The presence of hard, reflective surfaces, such as polished concrete floors, large glass units, and plastered ceilings, results in elevated reverberation times, causing flutter echoes and poor speech intelligibility.

To create acoustically comfortable environments without relying solely on soft furnishings, we integrate acoustic absorption directly into the building fabric.

Specifying micro-perforated acoustic timber panelling, open-jointed wood slat ceilings backed with acoustic fleece, or wood-wool acoustic boards introduces high absorption coefficients across middle and high frequencies while maintaining clean
architectural lines.

19/08/2026

Designing for longevity means anticipating how user mobility, household demographics, and physical accessibility needs change over time. Inclusive architecture should incorporate flexible spatial layouts without compromising architectural refinement or spatial continuity.

Key technical considerations include zero-threshold level access across all external entry points, structural backing installed within bathroom wall framing for future grab-rails, ground-floor spatial layouts adaptable for single-level living, and door opening clearances exceeding standard building regulations. Planning for structural and spatial adaptability early minimises future demolition and remodelling waste, something we have taken into careful consideration on projects like Rosemont and Clungunford Lifetime Home.

13/08/2026

Architecture should not exist as an imposition on a site; over time, a thoughtful building becomes an extension of its immediate ecosystem. Designing for long-term ecological integration means prioritising site biodiversity net gain alongside low-energy building physics from the very start of the design process.

Revisiting Hawksfield several years post-completion has been a wonderful reminder of how thoughtful architecture evolves over time. 🌿

Designed with Passivhaus principles and a landscape-first masterplan, the home has settled naturally into its Herefordshire meadow. Untreated UK Douglas fir cladding has aged into soft silver tones, while native wildflower drifts, nurtured by our client’s green fingers, grow right up to the building line.

From permeable gravel pathways to raised garden beds and pollinator corridors, Hawksfield shows what happens when low-energy building physics and living ecosystems work as one.

Visit our Journal to see how the site has matured, and read the full project case study & landscape strategies:

https://www.arborarchitects.co.uk/journal/hawksfieldpassivhaus

11/08/2026

As operational energy consumption decreases in low-energy buildings, embodied carbon (the emissions associated with material extraction, manufacture, transport, and construction) becomes the primary contributor to a building's lifetime carbon footprint. Specifying low-carbon, bio-based materials is critical to achieving net-zero targets.

By replacing carbon-intensive concrete and steel elements with engineered timber frames, natural wood wool, and cellulose insulation, we lock carbon into the structure for its lifetime. Externally, we pair these natural substructures with durable, low-maintenance claddings such as native timber species, natural slate, or standing-seam zinc, balancing upfront embodied carbon against long-term envelope lifespan.

If you'd like to learn more about the effects of materials on embodied carbon, we have previously produced case studies on two of our built projects and their impact: The Tin Barn and The Garden Room at Cwm Barn, both up on our Journal.

07/08/2026

Are you planning a barn conversion or a listed building refurbishment soon?

Upgrading historic and derelict agricultural structures to modern performance standards requires a careful approach. When insulating existing solid masonry or timber-framed buildings, applying impermeable materials can trap moisture within the wall assembly, increasing the risk of condensation, timber rot, and masonry spalling.

To achieve lower U-values without compromising the historic fabric, a good architect will specify vapour-permeable, capillary-active insulation systems, such as wood fibre insulation, coupled with intelligent variable-permeability vapour control layers (VCL). This build-up allows the existing wall assembly to dry out dynamically through seasonal temperature shifts while dramatically reducing space-heating demand.

If you've got any technical questions about historic restorations, get in touch with the team, and we'll be happy to see if we can help!

05/08/2026

Social value is at the heart of how we work. Architecture should strengthen communities, widen access to opportunity and create long‑term positive impact beyond the physical building.

Our team work to add social value in several ways throughout our projects:

Collaborative design processes: we work closely with schools, community groups and local stakeholders to ensure projects are shaped by the people who will use them. This creates buildings that genuinely reflect collective needs, ambitions and identities.

Inclusive consultation: Our engagement methods, whether workshops, open evenings or visualisation tools, are designed to give everyone a voice, including those who are often under‑represented in decision‑making. This helps build confidence, ownership and stronger community relationships.

Sustainable, people‑centred design: We prioritise environmental responsibility, wellbeing, and long‑term value, ensuring that our projects contribute positively to both local communities and the wider environment.

Supporting equitable access to architecture: We actively collaborate with local partners, schools and networks to promote diversity in the built environment sector and inspire future generations.

For us, social value is embedded in every stage of our work, from early conversations to post‑occupancy reflection.

30/07/2026

Did you know we offer a free 45-minute consultation for every new project?
This consultation and potential visit to your plot will help us understand the unique context, natural light, and landscape views. It will help us spot potential planning constraints or ecological opportunities early on. Plus, it allows us to sit down in person to discuss your ambitions, budget, and everyday routines, and most importantly, get to know you.

It’s a completely pressure-free chance for you to meet us, get a feel for our sustainable, biophilic approach, and see if we’re the right fit to bring your vision to life.

Whether you have a clear brief or just a collection of loose ideas, we’d love to hear from you. Head to our website to get in touch.

28/07/2026

"I have a plot of land, but I don't know what I want to build yet. Is it too early to contact an architect?"

We get asked this a lot! The short answer is: it is never too early.
In fact, involving us at the absolute infancy of your project is often where we can add the most value.

Bringing an architect on board right at the beginning means we can spot hidden planning constraints, analyse solar orientation, and evaluate access before you commit to a specific direction. By aligning your aspirations with the site's realistic potential from day one, we help prevent costly redesigns down the line.

We love helping you untangle your loose ideas, Pinterest boards, and daily routines into a cohesive, sustainable concept.

Whether you have a blank piece of land or an existing home with potential, let's start the conversation early.

Address

Hereford
HR12QR

Website

http://www.arborarchitects.co.uk/

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