We have been practicing for over 19 years, during which we have successfully completed more than 200 projects. This includes over 150 unique family homes, as well as multi-unit housing, dynamic work spaces, and public sector buildings. Notably, we maintain a 97% Planning Approval track record, which is a testament to our rigorous research and collaborative relationship with local councils.

While technicians and builders have their place, hiring a fully qualified RIBA architect brings a completely different level of strategic value, financial return, and project protection. Think of it less as a cost, and more as an investment that pays for itself in three distinct ways:

1. Unlocking Massive Property Value

A technician simply draws what you ask for; an architect interrogates the brief to unlock your property’s hidden potential. Through clever spatial manipulation, maximizing natural light, and creating seamless indoor-outdoor connections, we design spaces that command a premium. Our designs regularly outperform local ceiling prices, adding significantly more equity to your home than a standard "box extension" ever could.

2. Savings Through Clever Design

Bad design is expensive to build and even more expensive to run. We use our "architectural science" approach to maximize every square millimeter, meaning you get the same feeling of space and luxury without paying for unnecessary, costly footprint. Furthermore, we design with future-proofing in mind—integrating smart layout orientation, high-performance insulation, and energy-efficient systems that slash your utility bills for decades to come.

3. Savings via 18+ Years of Supplier Connections

When you work with a builder, you are often limited to their specific suppliers and marked-up material choices. Because we have been practicing for over 19 years, Space Group Architects has built an extensive, independent network of trusted craftsmen, structural engineers, and specialist manufacturers. We leverage these long-standing relationships to secure preferential trade discounts on premium materials and finishes—savings that are passed directly onto you.

4. Your Independent Advocate On-Site

A builder’s primary goal is construction efficiency; our goal is your protection. As your architect, we manage the competitive tender process to ensure you get a fair price, and we act as your independent administrator during construction. We inspect the work, ensure the builder uses the correct materials, and verify payment milestones so you never overpay.

The Bottom Line: A technician or builder executes a plan. Space Group Architects creates a bespoke asset that optimizes your budget, reduces construction risk, and elevates how you live.

Yes, absolutely. In fact, this is where our studio excels. The majority of our projects take place within highly sensitive Conservation Areas or involve heritage assets and Listed Buildings across London. Despite our distinctly modern, forward-thinking approach, we maintain an exceptional 97% planning approval rate.

Planning departments and heritage officers generally discourage "pastiche" design (creating fake historical copies). Instead, national planning policy heavily favors high-quality, honest contemporary design that respects the historic fabric through thoughtful contrast rather than imitation.

We unlock approvals in sensitive areas by using a highly scientific and respectful methodology:

Rigorous Contextual Research: Before drawing a single line, we deeply analyze the history, materials, and urban evolution of your property. We don't guess; we build a bulletproof narrative for the council.

Material Integrity: We select premium, tactile materials that harmonize beautifully with historic brickwork, stone, or timber, showing a clear line between the "old" story and the "new" chapter.

Proactive Engagement: We utilize 3D modeling and light analysis to visually prove to planning officers exactly how our design protects local sightlines and heritage character.

Living in a protected home does not mean you have to live in the past. We specialize in navigating these exact boundaries to deliver light-filled, future-proof spaces that councils are proud to approve.

We are incredibly proud of the relationships we build with our clients and the homes we create together. You can read dozens of verified, 5-star reviews on our official Houzz Profile. We are also proud to have been awarded the 'Best of Houzz' for Service seven years in a row (2020–2026), which highlights our studio’s dedication to keeping our clients supported, informed, and happy from concept to completion.

Yes, absolutely. Space Group Architects is fully registered with both the Architects Registration Board (ARB) and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). We adhere strictly to their professional codes of conduct. We also carry comprehensive Professional Indemnity Insurance (PII) for every project we undertake, giving you complete peace of mind from day one.

We provide full-service architectural and interior design support. We guide you through the entire lifecycle of a project, which typically includes:

• Initial brief development and feasibility studies
• Creative concept design and space planning
• Navigating the Planning Permission process
• Detailed technical design and Building Control compliance
• Tender management (including helping you find the right builder)
• Contract administration and construction oversight until completion

We view our studio as an architectural laboratory. We balance a deeply collaborative relationship with our clients alongside "radical exploration." We love combining traditional architectural methods with future-focused technologies to create spaces that are sustainable, contextual, and uniquely tailored to your story.

Yes. We believe that architecture and interiors should speak the same language. We offer fully integrated interior design services - covering everything from spatial flow and lighting design to material selection and bespoke joinery - ensuring the inside of your building seamlessly matches the exterior vision.

When construction begins, our role shifts from designers to your independent advocates and project guardians. We do not just hand over a set of drawings and wish you luck; we guide you and the builder through the build phase to ensure the design is executed perfectly, safely, and on budget.

In the industry, this is known as Contract Administration, and it involves several critical layers of protection for you:

Strict Quality Control: We make regular, scheduled site visits to inspect the ongoing construction. We check that the builder is following our precise technical drawings, using the specified premium materials, and maintaining excellent craftsmanship. If something isn't right, we catch it early and ensure it is rectified.

Financial Gatekeeping: You should never pay a builder for work they haven't done yet. Before you make any construction stage payments, we independently evaluate the progress on-site. We verify exactly what has been built, calculate its true value, and issue an official payment certificate. This ensures your cash flow is protected and you only ever pay for completed work.

Problem Solving in Real Time: No matter how perfect a drawing is, opening up an old London building always reveals surprises (like hidden pipework or unexpected structural anomalies). Because we are on hand, we solve these technical challenges instantly in collaboration with the structural engineer and the builder, preventing costly delays.

Managing the "Snagging" and Handover: At the end of the build, we thoroughly inspect the property to create a "snagging list"—a precise log of minor cosmetic or structural touch-ups the builder must fix before final handover. We also legally hold back a small percentage of the builder’s funds (called retention) for up to 12 months to ensure they return to fix any minor defects that might appear as the building settles.

In short: We manage the contract between you and your builder. We absorb the stress of the construction site so you can focus on the excitement of watching your new space come to life.

We can absolutely recommend trusted builders, but we are also completely open to working with yours.

Over our 19+ years in practice, we have carefully built an extensive network of decent contractors and specialist craftsmen across London. These are teams we know, trust, and have successfully delivered complex projects with before.

Our typical process ensures you get the best team at the right price:

The Competitive Tender: We don't just hand the project to one builder. We usually put your project out to tender with 3 independent contractors from our network (or any you might want to suggest). They all price the exact same set of detailed technical drawings, ensuring you get transparent, highly competitive, and comparable quotes.

Expanding Our Network: We love collaborating and are always looking to expand our horizons. If you have a builder you’ve worked with before, or one who comes highly recommended by a trusted friend, we welcome the opportunity to work with them.

Our Due Diligence: If we work with a new builder, we will do the homework for you. We interview them, review their insurance credentials, inspect their past work, and check their references to ensure they meet our high studio standards.

Ultimately, we guide you through the selection process, but the final choice of contractor is always yours. Whichever route you choose, we remain by your side as your independent adviser on-site to ensure the construction matches the design perfectly.

We view sustainability not as a premium add-on, but as a core part of our "architectural science" approach. Our goal is to create spaces that are exceptionally comfortable to live in while keeping running costs as low as possible.

We achieve this through three main pillars:

Fabric-First Approach: We prioritize heavy insulation, high-performance triple glazing, and strict airtightness. By keeping the heat inside the building envelope, we drastically reduce the energy needed to warm your home in the first place.

Passive Design & Daylight: We optimize the orientation of the building to harvest natural sunlight and warmth in the winter, while using smart shading to prevent overheating during the summer.

Smart Eco-Technology: We seamlessly integrate future-proof systems—such as Air-Source Heat Pumps, Solar PV panels, and MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery) systems—to ensure your property generates clean energy and enjoys constant, fresh filtered air.

Whether we are retrofitting a historic London period property or building a brand-new home, we ensure your space is as environmentally intelligent as it is visually beautiful.

Welcome! The process begins with a simple conversation. You can call us at our London studio, drop us an email, or fill out our contact form. We will arrange an initial consultation to discuss your vision, budget, site details, and ideas. From there, we will put together a tailored proposal outlining how we can bring your project to life.