How I Work
Every project is different, but the way I work stays the same. I see every project through personally, from the first visit to the day you move in. You work directly with me, not an assistant, and I take as much care over the hidden details as the ones you see.
What I care about
One-to-one. I personally see every project through from start to finish. I enjoy designing, producing the drawings and seeing spaces come to life, and it means nothing gets lost along the way.
Looking closely. Before adding anything, I try to find what’s already special about a building and its setting. Sometimes the best answer is smaller than you expect.
Designed around you. I take inspiration from you and your house: how you live, the furniture you love, your taste. My approach is consistent, but every design is specific to its place and its owner. It’s your home, and I’m guided by you.
Light and warmth. Older homes can be dark, cold and draughty. I aim to fill them with natural light, open them to their best views, and make them warm and comfortable, using a fabric-first, low-energy approach.
Honesty. The photographs on my website are of real, built projects, and the energy figures are measured, not modelled. I’ll tell you plainly what’s possible, what it might cost, and what I’d do in your position.
Respect for makers. I design with the builder in mind, and work with builders and fabricators as partners. Good buildings come from good collaboration.
Designing in 3D
I design in three dimensions from the very start. Perspective views and flythrough videos are a key part of my service.
Together, we’ll walk through your new home in the 3D model, adjusting the design as we go so the feel and flow of every space is right before anything is built. Once the design is settled, the same model is used to produce and coordinate the construction drawings, so what you agreed on is exactly what gets built. Where it suits the project, parts can even be cut directly from the model by a CNC machine.
Read more about this approach in Digital Thinking, Physical Making.
The stages of a project
- First visit. We meet at your home or site. I listen to what you want, look closely at the building and its setting, and we talk through the possibilities and constraints. This is a paid visit, and you’ll come away with clear next steps and a fee proposal.
- Survey and design options. Once the building is measured, I draw up the building and explore a few options in 3D, and we walk through them together until one feels right.
- Planning. I prepare and submit the planning application, including listed building consent or the extra care needed in conservation areas and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
- Technical design. I resolve the details: structure with the engineer, insulation, airtightness and moisture, joinery, and how every part will be built and in what order. I help you find the right builder, and where relevant a fabricator, and work with them collaboratively.
- On site. I visit regularly, answer questions, and make decisions with you and the builder as the building takes shape.
- After you move in. I come back after you’ve settled in to see how the house is working and help you understand how to get the best from it.
Every project is different, and not every project needs every stage. We’ll agree together what’s right for yours.
Read more about my values and how I practise
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