Stories by Design
Stories by Design offers a glimpse into the way ideas take shape - through drawing, conversation, observation and inspiration; through problems to be solved, choices to be made and discoveries never quite anticipated.
From helping a client find the perfect shade of white, to discovering a clearing in a dense woodland, or finding a stair on eBay for a primary school science lab, these are stories of the curious and often unpredictable journey of design. They reveal what we notice, where ideas come from and how seemingly small observations can influence what is ultimately realised.
At their heart, these stories are about people and places, and the connections between them. They are about the layers of thought, experience and happenstance that accumulate through the design process - and how, sometimes, the most unexpected things can open up new possibilities.
The Soul Of A House
‘I like to think of houses as having a soul. This is something I often speak of with our clients, particularly on entering - for the first time - what will ultimately become their family home.’
As If Always There
The majority of our work begins with existing buildings: a Victorian terrace house, a disused tram depot, an old stone cottage. Entering spaces where histories are already at play, is something we have always found deeply compelling.
Open Plan Kitchen-Living-Dining
As kitchens define the heart of contemporary family homes, they are no longer separate, utilitarian zones but integral to our living, dining, socialising and working lives. All under one roof - open-plan as they are referred to - these spaces have become the most used rooms in our homes.
A Forest Clearing
Within the denseness of a forest you often find open patches of space, varying in size and shape. These are known as clearings. Like desert oases they are moments of sudden contrast - where one is a sigh of relief from parched sand and the other from the thicket of trees. What is dry is suddenly wet and what is dark, cluttered and dense is suddenly light, open and revealing.
Shades of white
We were asked by our client to help find the perfect white for her house. There would be no other paint finish, so we had to get it right.
A Living Architecture
Our vision is for a living architecture. This is a concept that has held the imagination of our studio for over 20 years.
Filling the room with sun
Designed as a joyful and calming space. The yellow surfaces are at the core of deepening the room’s emotional resonance.
Picture a window
In the early stages of design, we were considering different ways of connecting the house not only to the garden but the ancient woodland along which it is sitting.
Finding a stair
We were asked to design a science lab for a primary school
in North London with a budget made by selling cupcakes.
