30/01/2026
042// Not every project needs to be built to be a success.
This project reached RIBA Stage 2, where we worked closely with the clients to explore how their home could evolve - spatially, environmentally and as a place for family life.
The brief was ambitious but thoughtful:
• Reworking the ground floor to better connect kitchen, garden and daily routines
• Creating calm, usable spaces rather than simply adding area
• Improving thermal performance, air quality and long-term comfort
Materially, the proposals focused on upgrading the existing house in a considered way - replacing the original 1960s cladding with recycled plastic tiles, introducing timber elements to soften the extension, and specifying alu-clad timber windows throughout to improve performance and longevity. Built-in furniture was carefully integrated to create much-needed storage without increasing floor area, and the garage was reworked and detached from the neighbouring property to resolve long-standing constraints.
As part of the concept stage, we tested the full wish list against current construction costs. That process gave the clients clarity - and ultimately helped them decide that selling the property was the right move for them.
While the project didn’t progress to construction, the design process still did what it’s meant to do:
it helped the clients make a well-informed decision, with confidence.
