Blog

Renovating your home, whether it’s adding an extension, remodelling rooms or transforming an attic into a liveable space, is an exciting but often complex undertaking! Who will you trust to design and oversee the renovation? While a draftsman or builder may seem like viable options, there’s a compelling case for why hiring an architect is the best decision you can make for your home renovation project.   Professionalism    In the UK, architects are accredited by the Architects Registration Board (ARB).  This guarantees their professionalism, adherence to high standards, commitment to excellence and accountability. ARB-accredited architects undergo rigorous training and are held… Read more: Renovating your home? Why it’s a good idea to work with an architect

I’m an architect. It makes me very happy to say those words. It’s been an epic journey to get here and my interest in architecture started when I was a child, long before I decided to become an architect. I come from a family of architects including my dad, aunt and grandparents and some might say I took this path simply to avoid the embarrassment of having nothing to talk about at Christmas. I could tell from my waist high viewpoint that most of my family had a curiously different perspective of the built environment we lived in. I grew… Read more: Ben’s journey

Not only is Louisa a very talented architect she is also a very keen sportswoman and on Sunday 9th April completed her first marathon in Brighton. Her entry fee to the Brighton Marathon was a present to herself upon becoming a fully fledged architect in 2016 and she has spent the last year training. This photo is Louisa before the race but we won’t publish one taken afterwards but can let you imagine how she might have looked after completing the 26.2 mile course in searing heat and bright sunshine! She completed the race in 3hours 43 mins and 52 seconds. It’s… Read more: Louisa runs her first marathon

Spacemaker architect, Louisa Clifford grew up in Canterbury and wonders if living surrounded by the most fantastic array of architecture may have subconsciously inspired her career choice. She writes about a few of her favourite buildings in the city, which is located in the south east corner of Kent in England. I’ve realised that I may have been a bit spoilt living in Canterbury as I’ve grown used to the spectacle of the city’s rich variety of architecture. A visitor to Canterbury doesn’t have to look hard to enjoy the sights; a wealth of historic buildings, the most prominent being Canterbury Cathedral, juxtaposed… Read more: Canterbury’s Hidden Architecture

I was lucky to spend a long weekend in Venice to celebrate my partner’s birthday in October. With just three days to explore, we had a lot to fit in as we wanted to see the modern architecture as well as the classic greats. Highlights of the classics are the Doges Palace which was once the heart of the political life and public administration of the Venetian Republic as it housed the ruler’s apartments and the seat of his government. At a later date parts of it also served as a prison and the cells are still there. They form part of the tour which also took us… Read more: Louisa enjoys experiencing the architecture of Venice

Kew Gardens is an old favourite and a visit is always a day well spent. There is so much to see and of course different seasons bring different perspectives. Aside from the stunning gardens though, the Architecture that populates it is sensitive and revealing of the landscape. There are examples of glasshouses interpreted over time, from the iconic Palm House of Victorian era through to the Davies Alpine house which opened in 2006. The Temperate House is due to reopen in 2018 and it will be interesting to see how the largest surviving Victorian glasshouse in the world is to… Read more: Kew Gardens

The Sensing Spaces- Architecture Reimagined Exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts London ‘sets out to evoke the experience of Architecture within a traditional gallery environment’. The exhibition is well worth a visit, whilst not really breaking any boundaries it is accessible to all- architect or not the message is clear. It is an enjoyable experience, contemplative and explorative simultaneously. The two rooms designed by Grafton Architects contrast a mass, foreboding structure that looms over the visitor with a light room with delicate suspended panels dispersing the light, it is a simple move but effective. However not anything entirely unconventional… Read more: Sensing Spaces Exhibition, Royal Academy of Arts

If you get the chance to visit Augustus Pugin’s House in Ramsgate, grab it with both hands.  Pugin was a key figure in the reintroduction of the Gothic or Pointed style in the early Victorian era and he is now widely credited as the creative force behind the interiors at the Houses of Parliament and also the tower housing Big Ben.  He built the Grange in Ramsgate, along with its own church next door, in 1843, intending it to be an embodiment of his ideals.  The Gothic style was the only true and honest expression of Christian morality and was infinitely… Read more: Pugin’s House, Ramsgate