Just before Christmas, the Rodić Davidson team celebrated the holidays with a memorable evening of festivities to close out a wonderful past year for the practice. Proceeding with our annual RDA Christmas quiz - alongside some cheese and wine - the whole office’s competitive spirit was on full display. A short distance away from our office, we then walked across the Thames to London Southbank for a delicious meal. Navigating our way through fourteen courses of small plates at Forza Wine, whilst overlooking a stunning view of the river.

Last month, the Rodić Davidson team spent the weekend exploring the vibrant streets and eclectic mixture of architecture in Tirana, Albania. The city has been shaped by Albania’s recent history, with a noticeable absence of a characteristic style running through it, resulting in a mosaic-like quality to the architecture that incorporates neoclassical, modernist and contemporary influences. The city is undergoing a transformation following the relatively recent end to Albania’s Communist regime. An influx of new developments designed by local and international architects is spreading across the city to provide new cultural centres, housing, retail units and office space. During our trip we visited some of Tirana’s most prominent new buildings, which included the ‘Resurrection Cathedral’ – a circular structure, which is considered the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the Balkans, and the ‘Pyramid of Tirana’ – a former museum that became a conference center after the end of…

At Rodić Davidson Architects, we wanted to showcase our curated collection of physical material samples, which are a valuable architectural tool used throughout the design process. Working in close collaboration with Rodić Davidson Interiors, we have collected and classified a broad range of internal and external materials to inform and develop design proposals with our clients. The tactile nature of these products speaks to the experiential quality of space, allowing us to consider and explore not only the physical proportions of the space, but also the feeling within. We enjoy sharing this process first hand with our clients during in-person office meetings at any stage of a project. Occupying its own dedicated space within our Bloomsbury studio, our library contains a broad inventory of the materials we frequently work with - from stone and timber, to paint and clay - allowing clients to immerse themselves in the wide range of possibilities…

Rodić Davidson Architects has secured planning permission for a roof extension and full refurbishment of a unique residential property within the Bloomsbury Conservation Area in Camden. In addition to the roof extension, alterations include full internal reconfiguration, new front door arrangement, the addition of windows to the side elevation, the installation of slimline double glazing and window boxes set within existing embrasures. The property has a unique character and interesting history. It is located on a quiet street, the character of which derives from the variety of materials, ages and architectural styles on show. Located between a four storey listed building and six storey contemporary building, the existing three storey property leant itself to an upward extension, providing valuable additional floor area for our clients. As part of the design process, Camden Planning Guidance was consulted closely and daylight/sunlight analysis was undertaken to define the envelope of the extension. Following a pre-application…

During the past few months, Rodic Davidson have visited Italy to review and inspect the stone due to be installed within The Couture House in the coming months. Rodic Davidson are appointed as Architects, Interior Designers and Project Managers allowing for collaboration and close control on all aspects of the project. Due to the unique nature of the stone, which has been selected to complement the other materiality within the project, the stone supplier has undergone an intricate production process to ensure it meets the exacting standards of the project. The stone is being used throughout the house where the delicate tonality and detail of the limestone can be viewed in differing lighting conditions. Campolonghi are renowned suppliers and have successfully completed projects globally, including the Oslo Opera House, which Rodic Davidson visited in 2019 during an office trip. They specialise in using their combined skills and local traditions with…

Last week, the RDA team visited the ‘Architects’ Houses’ exhibition at the John Soane Museum. The exhibit highlighted five London homes designed by the architects who lived in them, showcasing a celebration of design and living. The exhibition explores how architects and designers have created homes for themselves since Soane’s time. The five case studies are a testimony of how houses can be collaborative ventures, highlighting the collective nature of architectural creation and the concept of home as a shared space. Similar to the John Soane Museum, the dwellings incorporate studio spaces into the home, creating designated areas for the arts. The proximity of John Soane’s Museum to our office in Bloomsbury makes this house a great inspiration source for our team, and this exhibition was an opportunity to revisit styles and concepts in various architectural moments from Victorian design reform to 21st-century sustainability.

Recently, Rodić Davidson Architects held a Private View for their newest exhibition ‘Artefacts of Mimar Serhan’ by Serhan Ahmet Tekbas. Friends and colleagues gathered for the event to celebrate and discuss Ahmet’s work over light refreshments provided by London Review Cake Shop. ‘Artefacts of Mimar Serhan’ displays a collection of artefacts which venture into spaces and places lost in time, oscillating between the past, present, and future. Crafted from terracotta, the artefacts unfold as a physical novel, narrating architectures and landscapes lost in time, located somewhere in the Mediterranean and designed by the forgotten architect, Mimar Serhan. Each artwork is crafted from red terracotta, sourced from the red clay village of Boltas in Cyprus. Using both traditional and contemporary methods of sculpting, the making process includes 3D printing, CNC milling and hand carving. We were honoured to welcome such a creative and varied group at Rodic Davidson Architects. Many thanks…

Rodić Davidson Architects have recently obtained planning permission and listed building consent for extensive internal and external works to a Grade II listed townhouse located within the St John’s Wood Conservation Architecture Area, including a contemporary rear extension and a new basement level. The four-storey single-family dwelling, built circa 1840, was given Grade II listed status in 1970 for its contribution to the ‘group value’ of the terrace. The appearance of the front of the house has remained unchanged since its construction, however the rear elevation and interiors have been significantly altered over the years. The previous rear facade displayed a fragmented composition due to additions varying in height, style, and form.  Our proposal creates a more coherent rear elevation with a clear distinction between the historic fabric and new elements of the building. The consented rear extension is conceived as a light-weight addition with sympathetic connections to the main building, allowing…

In 2019 Rodic Davidson hosted a window exhibition of automata called a “A day at the Architects” by Paul Spooner. The exhibition was curated by Sarah Alexander of Cabaret Mechanical Theatre (CMT). CMT was started by Sarah’s mum, Sue Jackson in 1979 in Falmouth. Sue moved CMT to London in 1984 and set up home in the basement vaults of Covent Garden market where it stayed for glorious 15 years. CMT has operated nomadically since 2000 by curating touring exhibitions and inspiring people of all generations with workshop and events. In recent years Sarah, Lisa and Max have been looking for a permanent home for CMT and the exciting news is that they have found one! Their proposed new home is Rock House in Hastings Commons. Watch Sarah and Lisa’s You Tube video here CMT has a target of £20,000 to raise via Crowdfunder. You can donate here: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/cmt-mechanical-making-space

With the sun shining on us this week we wanted to take a moment to celebrate our unique location in the heart of Bloomsbury. Pied Bull Yard, where Rodić Davidson Architects have been based since 2013, is a little-known courtyard a stone’s throw from the British Museum. Our Bloomsbury office was originally situated in 67 Great Russell Street, before expanding into the old ‘York Cameras’ shop in Pied Bull Yard. This light-filled space now forms the main part of our office, with the Grade II Listed Great Russell Street building used as a meeting room, events space, materials library, and area for design reviews. In the windows facing Bury Place, we host a rotating display of artist installations. The name ‘Pied Bull Yard’ first appears on Greenwood’s 1828 map of London; it was likely named after the Pied Bull coaching inn located on Museum Street, however in Little Russell Street,…

Last week, the Rodic Davidson Team hosted a Private View for our latest exhibition – Contrasts by Sarah King. The evening saw friends and family gather over refreshments to discuss and observe King’s work in our display windows along Bury Place. ‘Contrasts’ exhibits a collection of sculptural jewellery which incorporates precious and ‘non-precious’ materials into tactile contemporary wearable pieces of art. King balances the concept of a sculptural form and the relationship to the body, whilst also utilising innovative materials such as bioresin. The title Contrasts refers to many aspects of the work, primarily the pieces being made in series with the variations talking to one another.  There are also the elements within individual pieces with detail relating to form, of light and dark, translucency versus opacity, manmade versus natural materials, and in some cases, surface to interior space. The event also held details and physical elements of King’s design…

We are delighted to announce that Nikolas Ward has become an Associate at Rodic Davidson. Nik joined the practice in 2014 as a Part 1 Architectural Assistant. He returned to RDA after his Part 2 and completed his Part 3 where his dissertation project was the exacting refurbishment of a mews house in Belgravia. Alongside flourishing as an architect and designer, Nik has been increasingly involved in the wider aspects of practice management and his promotion to Associate recognises his valued contribution at the heart of the Practice.

The Rodić Davidson team went on a recent site visit to one of our projects in Knightsbridge, located near Harrods. The team visited the site during its strip-out stage a few months ago. Since then, most of the building has been demolished, retaining only the historical Gothic style Front Façade. By keeping the original part of the façade and re-building the non-original façade in a more historically accurate manner, the overall appearance of the building and its context has been preserved and enhanced, whilst new internal floor structures are being built to meet modern society's needs and regulations. The team had the opportunity to inspect the temporary works involved in the façade retention, which we found to be significant structures in their own right. The temporary works support the existing elements of the building whilst preventing excessive movement. Special attention was paid to the temporary propping of the adjoining party…

Last week, the Rodić Davidson team visited the Building Centre’s most recent exhibition ‘Homegrown: Building a Post-carbon Future’, created in collaboration with Material Cultures. The exhibition looks at a new approach regarding more environmentally conscious building materials. The display features a variety of innovative materials which all derive from natural resources, contrasting the carbon-heavy industry standards of which we are accustomed to. We found the array of alternative building materials incredibly interesting and informative, opening up a conversation within our practice regarding more naturally-driven construction materials.

Last Friday, the Rodić Davidson Team hosted a Private View for our latest exhibition – The Unfinished House by Blerta Kambo. Friends and family were invited to enjoy a glass of wine and some nibbles to discuss and observe Kambo’s work in our window displays. ‘The Unfinished House’ displays a series of images exploring the architectural phenomenon of Albania’s incomplete homes comprising of exposed bricks, reinforced concrete frames, and remnants of steel poking out. This form of anarchism and informality was a consequence of people’s hunger for private ownership following the fall of communism in the region in 1991. Although often a means of avoiding taxation, the photographs on display capture the poetic peculiarities of these homes – expressions of the self-made architects’ individuality after years of enforced collective rule. Many of these homes tend to leave an entire floor, or several, completely unfinished, with only the concrete frame on…

Last week, the RDA team visited the Architectural Drawing Prize exhibition at the John Soane Museum. The prize highlights the importance of drawing as a means of capturing architectural ideas. The annual competition highlights the work of artists and architects from around the world, demonstrating a breadth of styles and techniques including hand-drawn, hybrid and digital processes. The prize was established in 2017 as a collaboration between Sir John Soane's Museum and the World of Architecture Festival. The museum was famously the residence of the celebrated English architect, Sir John Soane (1753-1837) and is located in Holborn, moments away from our practice in Bloomsbury. The museum itself is an architectural marvel which houses Soane’s personal eclectic collection of paintings, artefacts, sculptures, architectural fragments, models, books, drawings, and furniture.

At Rodić Davidson Architects, a huge part of our ethos is the collaborative nature of our studio. All our work contributes towards the success of our projects. On International Women’s Day 2023, we want to celebrate the continual contributions of the women in our practice whose expertise covers a wide range of skill sets, and enables our office to thrive.  As a practice, we are continually working to maintaining a diverse and gender-balanced team, with half of our staff being female. Our first two images highlights a rural project that two of our architectural assistants, Alex, and Michelle have been working on. The site plan displays a masterplan of several dwellings in the landscape which is further explored through a material elevation study. Our second set of images highlights a site visit to a townhouse development in Knightsbridge where an elevation study was produced to ensure historic fabric was referenced.…

Currently, despite the inherent environmental impact, around 50,000 buildings in the UK are demolished per year. In an attempt to shift the approach towards prioritising the reuse of existing buildings over their demolition, recent discussions have emerged about whether a shift in policy introducing a new Grade III listing could force the built environment industries to have a rethink. The approach, as suggested by Will Arnold (structural engineer and writer) and supported by Kevin McCloud, states that the new Grade III listing would be introduced to all buildings and dictates that demolition would require special permission from the local planning authority. Demolition will only be deemed as acceptable if the building is structurally unsafe or if special dispensation is given, therefore forcing the construction industries approach to existing buildings to change. Our current listed building system protects buildings due to their special architectural or historic character. Introduced in 1882, the…

Following on from the Georgian and Late Georgian architectural periods, Victorian architecture is representative of the increased prosperity seen under the reign of Queen Victoria (1837 – 1901). A large portion of the houses built in London during this period were made to accommodate for the city's expanding middle class. Influenced by the revival of previous architectural eras such as Romanesque, Byzantine and Italian Renaissance; master builders and architects helped to define the appearance of Victorian residential buildings, utilizing the technology brought about during the Industrial Revolution. The arrival of railways provided large building companies with a national reach and allowed for the transportation of local goods to wider areas. For example, many houses began to use Welsh slates for roofing, replacing the local tiles used previously. The introduction of steam power also led to other technical developments such as the commercial availability of iron-framed construction, plate glass, terracotta, and…

Rodić Davidson Architects have worked extensively with listed buildings. It is common for our clients to seek to extend their properties in a way that provides valuable additional space while also wanting to navigate complex planning and heritage requirements. A successful example of where we have worked within these constraints, is in this contemporary rear in-fill extension to a Grade II listed terraced house in Kensington’s Thurloe and Smith’s Charity Conservation Architecture Area. The proposal was motivated by the client’s desire to upgrade the quality and functionality of internal accommodation while preserving and enhancing the character of the listed building. The scheme replaces an existing, unsympathetic extension and allows more daylight to enter the ground and lower ground floors. Other works to the property included a new basement beneath the rear garden, full interior refurbishment and the reinstatement of historic features throughout.

Rodić Davidson Architects recently received planning permission for 'Porch House,' a house in Great Gransden. The house is not listed but is located within the Great Gransden Conservation Area; however, the porch has been preserved throughout the property's remodeling. Before it was significantly remodeled in the early 1900s, the house was a butcher shop in the village, and the porch entrance was where meat was hung for display. The house is adjacent to a Grade II listed building that was once a blacksmith shop. Many of the properties in the area date from the 16th century, and are predominantly timber-framed, plastered cottages with thatched roofs. The variety of houses, all broadly arranged in a rectangular layout, depict various stages of development in the village, with ties to its strictly protected historic core. The property is a 4 bedroom 2-storey detached house with a garden, owned by a family with the…

Just before Christmas, the Rodić Davidson team celebrated the holidays with a mince-pied filled day and an only ever so slightly competitive game of curling before sitting down for a delicious Christmas meal.  

The Rodić Davidson team recently visited the site of one of our recently commenced projects in Knightsbridge to view the buildings at strip out stage. The project involves the demolition of two existing five storey buildings whilst retaining some of the front façade, and rebuilding to provide seven new high-quality apartments arranged around a large central glazed lightwell. It has been carefully designed to enhance the Conservation Area in which the site sits. Planning permission was granted earlier this year and we were thrilled to visit site to see the start of work. The properties were originally designed and built speculatively by builders in the late 19th century in the Queen Anne Revival Style. One originally had a Gothic style frontage which was significantly damaged during WWII and re-built in the mid-twentieth century - this will be rebuilt in a more historically accurate manner. The rear of both buildings were…

Rodić Davidson Architects has secured planning consent for a contemporary extension to a mixed-use building in the historic centre of Cambridge. The form of the extension references the push and pull of corner properties, providing a modern interpretation of characteristics found in the vernacular architecture of central Cambridge. The bronze cladding rises from the ground floor upwards acting as a wrap, whilst a small overhang floats across the alleyway, referencing the overhangs created by the neighbouring Champion of The Thames public house. The simplicity of form is mediated by perforations in the cladding which will allow light to permeate delicately, as well as creating subtle texture variations. The Planning Officer found that the scheme would be a beneficial asset to the character and appearance of the local area, saying that the extension ‘will be a positive change to this building and will enhance this area of the Historic Core Conservation…

When Elizabeth II ascended the throne, the tallest building in Britain was St Paul’s cathedral. Her 70-year reign saw a post-war housing boom, stripped back modernism, post-modernism and the dawn of the high-tech and high-rise - much to the chagrin of her son, our new monarch, King Charles III. Known for being more opinionated than his mother, our new king has been vocal in his preference for traditional, vernacular architecture (as is evident in his urbanism project at Poundbury) together with his disdain for ‘carbuncle’ buildings; a term adopted by a now defunct award for the worst architecture in Britain. In 1989 he launched a scathing attack on contemporary architecture via a 75-minute BBC documentary, an exhibition at the V&A and a new book titled ‘A Vision of Britain’. This led to the New York Times adorning him with the title of ‘the most prominent architecture critic in the world.’…

Last week, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council announced its publication of a draft Local Listed Building Consent Order (LLBCOs) regarding the addition of double-glazed windows to Grade II Listed Buildings. LLBCOs are used to allow specific works on listed buildings without the owners needing to make individual applications, provided that they comply with any conditions outlined in the Order. The current policy requires individual applications for any window alterations of Grade II Listed Buildings within the borough. To gain consent involves extreme sensitivity to the existing historic fabric of the building. Rodić Davidson Architects have been successful in earning this consent in several of our projects such as Garden Square Apartment, Kensington, and Queen Anne Apartment, Knightsbridge. The draft order defines three types of work which would be allowed:   - internal secondary glazing to windows - replacement of existing windows with double-glazed windows in extensions to…

An athletic bunch of the Rodić Davidson Architects team took part in an Architects Netball Tournament organised by Fletcher Priest at our local Somerstown netball courts. We were very excited to get through to the final and enjoyed playing alongside some of the team at Hassell Studio. We look forward to getting through to finals in our future sporting events!

Groundwork, co-founded by John Davidson in 1982 celebrates its 40th birthday this month. Originally called Operation Groundwork, and formed as a series of Trusts, the charity grew out the social and economic crisis that gripped the UK in the late 1970’s. Founded as a grass-roots organization, its growth was driven, in large part, by the commitment and passion of the people in the communities where the Trusts operated. Groundwork was one of the first organisations to bring the issues of climate change into the public consciousness. Today, the organisation employs 1200 people across 15 trusts in the UK and also operates overseas with Groundwork USA and Groundwork Japan. You can view a publication celebrating forty years of the Groundwork movement here.

Last week, Rodić Davidson Architects held a private view for our latest exhibition ‘Displaced Domesticity’ by Farid Karim, in collaboration with dRMM Architects. The viewing saw friends and colleagues of both RDA and dRMM come together to discuss and observe the window display and celebrate Farid’s work. The conceptual crux of the exhibition surrounds the idea of memory and the relationship between digital and physical remembrance. The display looks specifically at how domestic space is remembered within the context of the Syrian civil war. There has been an influx of available data and documentation surrounding the ongoing civil war in Syria, making visible an archival process of physical spaces being destroyed, and their existence remaining as a digital memory. Natural memory is destroyed and destruction is remembered. The exhibition seeks to preserve domestic memories and objects from the artist’s grandparents who relocated from Aleppo to Sweden, revealed through a sensorial…

The Russo-Ukrainian War began in 2014, where the annexation of Crimea and the invasion of the Luhansk and Donetsk regions in Ukraine shortly followed. On the 24th February 2022, further hostilities commenced as Russian forces began to invade mainland Ukraine, triggering an escalation in violence and ruin.  During the Eurocities 2022 conference, the conversation surrounding the reconstruction of Ukrainian cities was touched upon, and the committee agreed to support the rebuilding of schools, hospitals, and critical infrastructure. From the period of the 24th February to 28th September 2022, over 68,500 buildings have been damaged or destroyed, with UNESCO verifying 196 of those to be sites of religious value, museums, historical buildings, cultural buildings, monuments, and libraries. There have been discussions surrounding the reconstruction of damaged Ukrainian cities and buildings, one of the most notable being a manifesto presented to the mayor of Kharkiv by UK based firm Foster + Partners.…

Last week, the Rodić Davidson team spent the weekend exploring the streets and architecture of Turin in Northern Italy. We took the time to appreciate the Baroque and Art Nouveau influences that were heavily woven throughout the city, and were struck by its impressive and varied architecture. We started our first day with a coffee in hand at the Piazza San Carlo, before seeking refuge in the rain in the Galleria San Federico. After some indulgent pastries, we headed off to the Royal Palace of Turin, and the Galleria Subalpina. We found the gallerias of Turin a haven of architectural styles and a visual marvel of stone and ironmongery. Our next stop was the Mole Antonelliana, a 167m Neoclassical monument now home to the Museo Nazionale del Cinema. A central lift brought us up to the viewing deck where we were able to view the entire city during sunset. We…

For over 400 years the xysta [ksaaistà] motifs and technique has been the symbol of a small village of Pyrgi in the southern part of Chios, North-eastern Aegean Islands, where one of our Architects, Dimitra originates from. A great amount of research surrounding xysta's origins has been made by Maria Xyda, a local architect and expert, who has also accomplished restoration projects and author of the book The Scraffiti in Pyrgi of Chios Island. Xysta (meaning scratched) is a traditional wall decoration technique based on the art of sgraffito. In Pyrgi [pirˈʝi], this engraving technique is applied on the external face of the wall. The grouting is applied with two layers of lime; the first layer is used to level the stone wall and the second is where xysta is formed.   Origin of Xysta Pyrgi was built in the middle of the 14th century during the domination of Serenissima Republica…

The Rodić Davidson team recently visited this year’s Serpentine Pavilion located at the Serpentine Galleries in Kensington Gardens. Designed by the Chicago-based artist Theaster Gates, with the architectural support of Adjaye Associates, the Black Chapel is the largest pavilion to ever be built on the site. Taking inspiration from the bottle kilns of Stoke-on Trent, traditional African structures and other architectural interventions, the pavilion pays homage to Hungarian and African sacred practices. The space has been conceived to merge architecture and live music, making it a place for contemplation and meditation.   Architecture of the Serpentine Pavilion The light-weight frame has been cleverly built using a combination of timber and steel, leaving the structure exposed and visible from the inside. Metal web joists act as columns which are then restrained by a horizontal timber frame and clad with plywood panels. Metal web or ‘Posi joist’ systems are typically used in…

Last week, Rodić Davidson Architects held a private view for our latest exhibition ‘A Constellation of Pipes’, produced in collaboration with Janie Lightfoot Textiles, Conservation and Restoration Studio featuring pieces from the David and Janie Lightfoot Tribal Art Collection. Friends, family members and colleagues gathered to discuss and learn about the artefacts on display in our studio’s window display. Janie Lightfoot provided attendees with an informative presentation, providing deeper insight into the collection and the history behind the pieces on display. The exhibition centres a collection of handcrafted smoking pipes originating from several locations across Africa, examining the differing techniques and materials used and how each object reflects its cultural heritage and the communities who made and used them. Each pipe holds its own history and cultural significance, with varying degrees of recorded documentation, with this exhibition being the most recent development in the items’ complicated and contested chronologies. It…

Rodić Davidson Architects have recently secured planning consent for a house located near Clapham Common. The proposal involves extending the basement to the full footprint of the house and introducing lightwells, providing both light and additional space for the client. The lightwells have been designed to be in alignment with the Wandsworth Housing SPD and the Adopted DMPD Policy DMH5. They will also be covered with a traditional grill to keep in accordance with the other properties on the road. The additional space provided by the enlarged basement will be used for storage, plant equipment, a utility room, a gym, a playroom, and a study/snug. Externally, the design changes to the front façade will be traditional and in keeping with the vernacular style of the area, with the bay window at ground floor level being replicated for the basement. To the rear, the design takes on a more contemporary look,…

Rodić Davidson are a design studio of architects in central London, who have a wealth of experience in refurbishing and extending period properties. Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian dwellings continue to make up large proportions of the housing stock in London’s most prestigious neighbourhoods, and there has been an increasing development of London mews houses into sought-after high-end homes.    What is a Mews house? During the 18th and 19th Century, a period of great residential expansion occurred which transformed London from a series of villages into the dense city we see today. Class disparity in London, accelerated by the dissolution of the monasteries and the creation of leasehold property ownership in prime central areas meant that many of London’s mansion houses needed to expand their footprint to accommodate extensive staff-forces and accommodation for horses. A mews is a street, cul-de-sac or yard which is often cobbled and are often situated in…

Garden Square Apartment, Kensington has been longlisted for the Apartment Interior category in the Dezeen Awards 2022! Rodic Davidson Interiors completed the project in 2021 transforming the Grade II listed apartment, which was in a poor state of repair, into a minimal, elegant and highly functioning flat. You can read our project profile on the Dezeen Awards website or the full project description on our website. Rodić Davidson Interiors are incredibly honored to be included in the longlist of international interiors projects, with the shortlist announced in September and the winners announced in November. You can also vote for our project in The Dezeen Awards 2022 Public Vote which opens in September, stay up to date with news to find out how!

The team have been looking back on our London Festival of Architecture courtyard installation ‘Performing the Plan’ which took place throughout the month of June and concluded with an open studio event. The installation consisted of a 1:1 floorplan, designed to work around the contours of our courtyard space, the plan presented visitors with a series of choices for how to navigate the space. This in turn invited visitors to evaluate the influence and authority of floorplans and how they are experienced within both private and public space.   Initial observations The initial reaction to the courtyard and particularly the moveable furniture was that it should not be engaged with- and was rather a stand-alone piece of art rather than part of the urban fabric. We observed that many people were compelled to avoid the white lines we had produced with a notable lack of interaction with our mobile furniture.…

In preparation for our London Festival of Architecture Studio Late held last Friday, the RDA team experimented with abstract floorplans of works undertaken by the practice. The exercise aimed to present floorplans in a contrasting manner to our courtyard installation, Performing the Plan where a 1:1 scale floorplan was appropriated by visitors through movement and behaviour, influenced by the placement of furniture, windows and thresholds. On the other hand, the abstracted floorplans remove a predetermination of fixed spatial use and instead create an unconventional canvas upon which to consider the relationship between dwellers and their dwellings, by only showing walls and structural divisions. Inspired by The Brick Country House drawn by Mies van der Rohe and Keith Coventry’s contemporary paintings the architectural works were stripped back to only highlight their partitions and boundaries. It is argued that The Brick Country house sketch is an architectural work in its own right…

The Rodic Davidson team visited Janie Lightfoot Textiles’ Conservation and Restoration Studio in Northwest London. “Janie Lightfoot Textiles conservation studio was established in 1977 and has a long history working closely with prominent institutions, national and international museums, churches, dealers, auction houses, private collectors, and members of the public. Project locations include America, Mongolia, South Africa, France, Denmark, Bhutan, Kuwait and India, including the setting up of museums in Gjirokaster Albania and East London, South Africa.  With a team of eight conservators and a broad skill base, the studio is capable of tackling diverse and complex objects, ranging from large three-dimensional textiles to fine intricate items.” Janie gave us a private tour of the studio including workshop, storage, and gallery spaces. Her wealth of knowledge in the field of textile conservation and restoration is impressive, giving us a unique insight into the heritage of historical garments and intricate processes required…

Rodić Davidson Architects are proud to announce that we will be taking part in this year’s London Festival of Architecture with a courtyard installation, Performing the Plan. Derived from this year’s theme, Act, by transposing a 1:1 scale floor plan onto the courtyard adjacent to our studio, Rodić Davidson Architects encourage members of the public to actively navigate and engage with the notional space created. The installation seeks to evaluate the influence that design has on both public and private realms; creating a stage upon which the graphic spatial intervention can be appropriated by visitors through movement and behaviour. Following two years of restrictions on in-person events and the return of the festivals’ Studio Lates initiative, the practice will be opening its doors on the 24th of June as part of the Fitzrovia and Bloomsbury evening. The evening will include an introduction from the Architects, with visitors prompted to consider…

Last week the RDA team visited The Post Building's rooftop one sunny lunchtime. Located on New Oxford Street just a short walk from our Bloomsbury Studio, a portion of the AHMM Scheme's rooftop is accessible to the public, not only the residents of the building. The entrance provided an insight to the history of the old post building, which before re-development remained derelict and uninhabited for over 20 years but now bought back into use as a mix of office, retail and residential units. From its vantage point, the public roof terrace on the 9th floor provides views to the City to the west, Bloomsbury and our offices to the north, and Canary Warf and beyond to the south. The hidden terrace is arguably one of the best views in London, placing you in the center of the skyline, where the team enjoyed spotting our favourite sites and orientating ourselves…

Two-years on from our initial observation and predictions of how Covid-19 could impact and influence trends in Residential Architecture, the Rodic Davidson Team undertook a team brainstorm on how these trends have materialized in 2022. The team discussed emerging design trends and situations where clients had expressed a change in motivations and requirements resulting from the pandemic, and drew from this five key themes; The importance of multi-functional spaces, The desire for self-sufficient living, The need to connect, The need for peace and Embracing technology at home. Upon reflection of the original post ‘The House in an Age of Coronavirus’, it became apparent that the changes follow similar paths to those previously predicted, manifesting themselves through a gradual change whose development continues to unfold and evolve. Please read the latest insight in full here.

Rodić Davidson Architects have recently achieved planning permission for the demolition of a dilapidated residential building in Southwark and redevelopment to provide 5 apartments. The proposal has been designed to sit comfortably within its surroundings; the front building line is maintained, falling in line with the neighbouring properties. The form from the street takes precedent from the neighbouring period terrace, echoing the ridge, eaves heights and street-facing roof pitch, whilst the rear of the main building extends to the line of the neighbouring occupational health building. The architecture is contemporary with high-quality detailing, yet referential of surrounding buildings and appropriate for the local area. The scheme provides a communal garden behind a retained brick wall (an important feature within the conservation architecture area), to ensure the impact of the new building on the public realm is minimised. Each apartment has a balcony, with the ground floor apartments benefitting from private…

Rodić Davidson Architects have recently secured planning permission for a mansard roof extension above an existing Hotel and Public House within RBKC. The proposal creates an additional 5 bedrooms and an internal lift provides access to the extension while also improving access to the existing rooms below. The stepped form of the mansard allows for the creation of a mezzanine level, increasing the overall floorspace yet retaining the view of a traditional mansard from street level. Informed by mansard extensions in the surrounding context, the design utilises traditional materials and dormer windows. The use of slate tiles is in-keeping with the surrounding style yet distinguishes the extension from the white painted brickwork of the existing building below and emphasises the extensions subservient nature in relation to the existing streetscape. The pattern and proportions of the proposed dormer windows are influenced by the existing hierarchy of windows below. As in the…

Yesterday evening Rodic Davidson Architects hosted the Private View of our latest Exhibition RESIDUE by Apolline Bökkerink and Sophia Charap. The event saw friends and family of the artists and RDA, as well as colleagues, peers and local residents gather over refreshments to celebrate the work displayed along Bury Place and in the windows of our studio in Pied Bull Yard. This introduction of the concept and methodology of the installation to the community was particularly rich due to the subject’s locality. The point of departure for the exhibition was Rodic Davidson studio; specifically looking at the fate of The Cochrane Theatre, which currently lies in a state of limbo, anticipating its demolition and redevelopment. Positioned in this state of existential liminality and material degradation, the building prompts the question; What remains once a building has fulfilled its purpose? How are its layers of memory and past existence made visible…

The Rodić Davidson team visited the Royal Academy after work to view the exhibition 'Light Lines: The Architectural Photographs of Hélène Binet'. It was inspiring to see the work of other architects such as Zaha Hadid, Daniel Libeskind and Peter Zumthor through Helene’s eyes. We recall Hélène's shoot of North Vat: it was a still, crisp day. Hélène spent time to understand the building in its environment. She stayed the night in the house. All her shots were taken on a large Swiss-made medium format camera using analogue film. The process was theatrical and undertaken at speed; Hélène, followed by an assistant, continually moving on the shingle, head in and out of a thick black cloth attached to the heavy apparatus. The image was projected, very faintly and up-side-down on the view finder glass. The film plates were large and only two shots could be taken on each one hence…

Last week the RDA team welcomed an Architectural Technology student from the University of Westminster for a week-long work placement of which contributed to their professional practice module, accredited by the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists, the Chartered Institute of Building, and the Chartered Association of Building Engineers. Nasma worked on a range of tasks alongside project Architects and received feedback on her CV and portfolio. "This one-week work experience was an opportunity to be in a professional environment and learn how a practice is navigated. It was interesting and really exciting to learn new skills and gain some insight into the design process and the evolution of projects. Being a third-year student at university, there were not many chances to apply all I’ve learnt to real world situations, so this was a great opportunity to utilize my skills.’ During this week, I had the opportunity to work on a…

Rodic Davidson Architects have recently achieved planning permission for a 350sqm new build home near Saffron Walden, Uttlesford. The site is located on the edge of the settlement area and is currently a garden to a converted mill house. The orientation of the new property utilises the existing mature trees on site to screen it from the approach road and surrounding properties while affording expansive views over the open fields to the north. The form and materiality of the proposal is strongly influenced by the local vernacular and agricultural structures in the area. The local barn typology predominantly consists of two-storey, rectilinear structures, extended in a piecemeal manner to form clusters and courtyards over time. The semi-agrarian form of the proposal draws on local crafts and materials whilst at the same time providing a contemporary, sustainable home suitable for modern family life. The proposal is arranged using two linear barn-like…

The desirability of ‘rus in urbe’ – literally the illusion of countryside within a city – has been recognised as early as the 17th century. The first initiative of planned green spaces, Lincoln’s Inn Fields was proposed during the 1630s and was soon followed by St James Square in 1726 to “clean, repair, adorn and beautify the same, in a becoming and graceful manner”. As described by Todd Longstaffe-Gowan, writer of ‘The London Square’; “These green enclaves are among the most distinctive and admired features of the metropolis and are England’s greatest contribution to the development of European town planning and urban form. “ This vision of a city that integrates nature within urban planning, has since been supported through many initiatives, including The Clean Air Act of 1956. Here, the development of parks, squares and green areas in London was pushed to improve air quality as a response to…

The RDA team have secured planning consent for two contemporary new-build houses near Clapham Common. The existing site currently contains two post-war semi-detached houses, which were built following WW2 bomb damage. The existing houses are considerably smaller than those along the street, set back from the front building line, non-contextual and of poor-quality architecture. The proposal sought to provide two new-build semi-detached houses, with basements and garden studios at the rear of the site. Our aim was to avoid an insular contemporary design but also the dishonest pastiche of a revival style. The proposal therefore seeks to take cues from the historic context and offer its own identity in a way that will enrich the street scene in a respectful manner; the end of the terrace has been designed to echo the character of the surrounding corner typologies. A restrained material palette has been used, comprising of high-quality stone, brick,…

Rodić Davidson Architects have recently submitted a planning application for the renovation of two luxury apartment buildings which overlook a beautiful garden square in the heart of Knightsbridge. Located within the Hans Town Conservation Architecture Area, the residential setting is made up of red brick frontages with a repetitive rhythm of gables, narrow plots with tall facades, chimney stacks and bay windows. Each building displays individual character with variations in height, form and ornamentation, while still referencing the Queen Anne Revival Style. Over the years, some of the buildings in the square suffered at the hands of modern development and bomb damage, including one of the facades at our site which was ‘seriously damaged – repairable at cost’. Repair work following the Blitz resulted in poor replica work, in-keeping with the late Victorian aesthetic but eroding the individualism of the Queen Anne ethos. The assessment of the existing fabric and…

RDI have recently completed a residential project in West London, located within the Cornwall Conservation Architecture Area in RBKC. The Grade II Listed apartment is a mid-terrace, stucco fronted property overlooking a garden square. The listed apartment was in a poor state of repair and had been altered from its original configuration. It had also suffered the loss of interior decorative features and the insertion of inappropriately placed internal partitions. Furthermore, the ceiling had been lowered to conceal drainage routes from the apartments above, harming the original proportions of the rooms. The restoration of the floorplan along with the reinstatement of the original ceiling height has enhanced the legibility of the historic fabric. RDI has crafted a minimal and elegant aesthetic; a functional design that optimizes the use of space. The refurbishment has provided a more efficient layout including and includes an additional bathroom. The RDI team created spaces that…

Our client threw a party to welcome the forthcoming demolition of her house, which will be replaced with a new build house designed by the Rodic Davidson team. To celebrate the life of the old house, the Post-Pandemic Pre-Commencement Party saw friends, family and colleagues gather with spray paint and full PPE to say thank you and goodbye.

We are excited to launch our latest exhibition featured in our window displays at the practice. The exhibition, entitled HAND., features a series of photographs by visual artist Agenda Brown, who explores notions of communication through close studies of gestural expression. “With portraits, I’ve always been interested in the shape a person occupies in the space you have given it, and HAND. extends that exploration.” says Agenda. “To see a hand at a scale so much greater than it is, zooming in on something that more normally flashes past you in a split second in a conversation, asks you to examine it for a length of time you would never normally spend on it. There is a deeper looking, and for longer, that reveals so many layers in stillness.” Running from 9th September 2021 until 9th January 2022, the show will feature over 20 images, hung across multiple sites in…

A view from the rooftop of one of our new projects in Notting Hill.

Rodic Davidson Architects have gained planning consent in June 2021 for a new wildlife tower within north-east Cambridgeshire Fenland. Our client approached us with a unique brief and aspiration – to create a wildlife tower within their newly established wild-flower meadow capable of attracting and accommodating a variety of wildlife, including bats, bees, songbirds, and primarily swifts.  Swift population in the UK has steadily declined over the last 25 years and are now categorised as ‘endangered’ in Britain by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature).  This is believed to be due to the loss of nesting sites through modern construction techniques. A number of modern towers have been constructed to tackle this issue, and try to raise the UK swift population, however have had limited success, with nesting pairs of swifts favouring the solidity and shelter of church towers.  With this in mind, the proposal is to…

Here is a selection of some of the stairs that we have designed.

Construction is well under way for our new-build scheme Five Apartments, Kensington. As the scaffolding comes down, the geometric, slate roof form and pale brickwork is revealed. We secured planning consent in 2017 and are due to complete in Autumn 2021.

Building a house in the countryside has long been considered a dream. Due to prolonged periods of lockdown over the past year, this dream has been heightened for those wanting to escape urban areas and move to a more rural setting that can offer space and tranquillity. However, when setting out to build a new home in the countryside it is worth considering that 'Paragraph 80' of the NPPF (National Planning Policy Framework) sets out criteria that has to be met when constructing a new home in an isolated setting. Paragraph 80 was previously called Paragraph 79 and before that, Paragraph 55, PPS7 and PPG7. While the name and wording has evolved over the years, its purpose remains the same; to protect the character of any given rural area from poor quality new-build houses. Rodic Davidson Architects have extensive experience in the design and construction of one-off houses in the…

Rodić Davidson and the team of consultants developing proposals for the renovation of a Grade II* listed property in Soho have been granted planning permission and listed building consent, with the committee unanimously overturning the officer’s recommendation for refusal. The proposals also had the full support of the Soho Society and English Heritage and, as noted by a councillor, was unusual with no objections from any local residents and businesses. This project is the first ever Grade 2* Listed Building to achieve a BREEAM outstanding rating for a domestic refurbishment. Our proposal seeks to restore extensive alterations made to the historic fabrics over the years whilst simultaneously upgrading key elements in order to ensure the long-term use and preservation of this Grade II* listed property. One of the most significant changes is the demolition and reconstruction of the late 19th Century rear extension with a new glazed link to connect…

We are extremely pleased to confirm that our team is back in the studio continuing our ongoing work on current projects as well as undertaking work on new enquiries. As a practice, we continue to maintain the high level of service that our clients are familiar with, while continuing to follow all government advice and ensuring that the health and safety of all of our staff remains paramount. We continue to attend meetings and workshops via telephone or video conferencing including MS Teams and Zoom for the foreseeable future. The office number 020 7043 3551 remains the central and primary point of telephone contact, however, the direct dial numbers and email addresses of our senior staff are: Ben Davidson: 020 7993 5802 [email protected] Siniša Rodić: 020 7043 3553 [email protected] Andrew Watson: 020 7242 5514 [email protected] Nikolas Ward: 0560 003 0365 [email protected] Emily Osler: 020 7831 8882 [email protected] We hope you, your family and…

Former Artists' Studio #1, is featured in the Don’t Move, Improve! 2021 showcase of London’s best home renovations. This renovation transformed a 1-bedroom bachelor pad into a three-bedroom family home. The double height living space retains the openness of the original artists studio, whilst the glass walkway reveals new aspects from which to view the space. Our response is unashamedly modernist with a restrained material pallet – an extensive use of structural glazing by Cantifix, white resin floor, polished concrete and plaster. To see further details and images of the project featured in the exhibition,  visit the Don't Move, Improve! website here. Images by Matthew Davis

Construction work continues at a five-storey Belgravia Townhouse within the Belgravia Conservation Area. The property is situated on a quiet road within Belgravia, just off Belgrave Square. We gained a lawful development certificate in 2019 and construction began in Summer 2020 and is scheduled to finish in Autumn 2021. The full internal reconfiguration aims to create special architectural interest by improving the sense of scale and volume within the property and generating an exciting flow of well-connected spaces for the family dwelling. Keep an eye on more news and updates to follow in the coming months.

Rodić Davidson Architects have a wealth of experience in refurbishing and extending period properties, particularly within central London. Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian dwellings continue to make up a large proportion of the housing stock in central London’s most prestigious neighbourhoods; an indication of the enduring utility, quality and appeal of homes built during these architectural periods. These styles of homes are attractive to both owner-occupiers and investors, given the prestige and price premium attached to their generous proportions and classical features. Rodić Davidson Interiors are currently working closely alongside Rodić Davidson Architects on several period properties, allowing the architectural and interior design works to be carefully and sensitively coordinated. Despite sharing features, such as quoins and columns, each style of architecture has distinguishing elements that reflect the period of society in which it was built. Here, we explore a few of the key characteristics of Georgian and Regency dwellings: Georgian…

Rodić Davidson Architects have gained planning consent in January 2021 for a rear extension with closet wing alterations and a dormer roof extension to a terraced Victorian house in a Conservation Area in South West London. This property lies within the Lambton Road Conservation Area, and careful consideration was taken to preserve the red and yellow brick detailing, arches and decorative mouldings. Double glazed timber sash windows are to replace the unsympathetic glazing throughout the property, and the front bay window is to be rebuilt in red brick with slate hung tiles to match the historic style along Lambton Road. Within the ground floor, the traditional sitting and entrance layout were retained, including the cornicing and decorative plaster work internally. A snug, guest WC and cloaks area are proposed from the hallway and large openings lead into the new open plan kitchen, dining and living space. The existing lean-to extension…

Gas boilers will be banned in new homes from 2025 under the Future Homes Standard in order to reduce the carbon footprint of home heating. The Future Homes Standard will require new build homes to be future-proofed with low carbon heating and world-leading levels of energy efficiency. This will require a considerable step forward in energy efficiency standards compared to the current requirements of the Building Regulations. Therefore, the main questions that we face are firstly, how can we reduce the carbon footprint in our home without compromising on practicality and affordability? Secondly, do we currently have the infrastructure and technology to achieve this? We will explore some potential solutions that are more easily implementable with new-build homes which will no doubt become more prevalent over the next five years.   Air Source Heat Pumps: One of the main solutions to low carbon heating are air source heat pumps which…

Gas water heaters transformed homes in the 1940s and have evolved into the gas central heating systems we have in our homes today. However, gas boilers will now be banned in new homes from 2025 under the Future Homes Standard in order to reduce the carbon footprint of home heating. Whist this is only affecting new-builds, this brings into question the energy efficiency of our existing housing stock. Retrofitting a new heating system to replace our old gas boiler can be a challenge due to site constrains and local regulations. Improvements might also require planning permission depending on the type of system and whether it requires external units. There a government schemes, such as the Renewable Heat Incentive, which encourage homeowners to replace oil and gas central heating with renewable alternatives. In this article, we have explored some more sustainable heating solutions that can be retrofitted into your home relatively…

Albany Wiseman, an artist, long standing Bloomsbury resident and friend of us all at Rodić Davidson, has died aged 90. Albany lived for 45 years in Montague Street and was prolific in his work, continuing until only very recently to observe and draw from his desk which was positioned adjacent to the tall first floor window over-looking Montague Street and the east wing of the British Museum. We moved to Pied Bull Yard in 2013 and, at the time, Albany had a small studio behind J H Andrew's electrical contractors at 70 Great Russell Street. The rear door opened directly into Pied Bull Yard, facing south, and Albany would sit outside in the morning sun, often with a pencil and paper, and absorb and record his beloved Bloomsbury. He didn't need to travel far: Bury Food and Wine for milk and provisions, the London Review Cake Shop for mid-morning coffee…

Rodić Davidson Architects have gained planning consent for the conversion and extension of former courtyard barns into two private dwellings in Suffolk. The existing buildings, a mid-19th century complex of typical Suffolk agricultural barns, have been noted to provide a positive contribution to the landscape in this area for their traditional build, character and their relationship to the existing farmhouse. The disused Suffolk barns currently form four wings around a central, hard landscaped courtyard. The division of the site into two properties will allow each to have their own secluded garden within the existing courtyard as well as larger gardens opening out to the wider landscape. The eastern wing of the farmstead will be converted into a residential annexe and extended to provide a new garage building, both serving the main farmhouse and completing the courtyard of buildings. The development has been designed to ensure that the character of the…

We are delighted and proud to announce that Andrew Watson has become an Associate at Rodić Davidson. Andrew joined Rodić Davidson in 2014 and has worked on many notable projects including Listed Farmhouse, Suffolk and Sartor House, Chelsea Andrew is a talented, diligent and committed architect and, above all, a trusted and loyal colleague and friend.

Construction is well under way in Kensington and Chelsea for the renovation of a grand Victorian property overlooking a Grade II listed garden square. The proposal restores the building to its former glory, with planning consent granted for an additional mansard extension providing incredible views over private communal gardens in Notting Hill whilst creating a multi-generational family home. History of the Ladbroke Estate: Much of what we know today as Notting Hill was undeveloped farmland up until the start of the 1800s. The development of the estate occurred during a time of great residential expansion in London. The architect appointed for the development of the estate was also a specialist in landscape design who utilised the undulating land around Notting Hill to propose three large paddocks constituted of 2 crescents and one triangular lawn. Development of the estate was slow and taken on in a speculative manner by various builders,…

A garden room outbuilding, single-storey rear extension and Juliet balcony have been granted planning permission in the Chelsea Park / Carlyle Conservation Area within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC). A sensitive approach was taken to design this scheme in the conservation area, preserving the character of the Elm Park Road terraced and outbuilding typologies. The location and size of the new garden room minimises the harmful impact of a large neighbouring outbuilding, providing a more pleasant private garden for the future occupiers. The proposed green roofs and planting, which wrap around the perimeter of the garden, soften the existing tall garden walls, extensions and outbuildings thus maintaining the pleasant green setting of the existing garden. The semi-sunken courtyards were proposed in order to minimise massing impact of the rear extension and new garden room. The landscape has been designed with a variety of textures, preserving the feel…

RDA team. Welcome to Nkesi and David.

Rodić Davidson has completed the refurbishment of a Grade II listed apartment located in the heart of Westminster’s Covent Garden Conservation Area. The property sits on the streets neighbouring Covent Garden built by the fourth Earl of Bedford in the 17th Century. Covent Garden was previously called ‘Convent Garden’, aptly named as the vegetable garden for the convent at Westminster Abbey. The land was subsequently granted to John Russell, the first Earl of Bedford, in the 16th century. One hundred years later, the fourth Earl of Bedford commissioned Inigo Jones to design the square we know as Covent Garden, London’s first piazza. New Row, formerly New Street until 1937, was built between 1635-1637 replacing an existing alleyway connecting St Martin’s Lane to King Street and Covent Garden Market. The Earl of Bedford received a license to build many new houses in the area surrounding the recently constructed Covent Garden which…

Planning permission has been granted on appeal for demolition of an existing three-storey dwelling and its replacement with a four-storey (ground plus three upper floors) contemporary dwelling with a single storey basement level. The new dwelling is located in a multi-faceted backstreet site on the periphery of the Boltons Conservation Area within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC). In our analysis of site, we have identified the solitary nature of the existing building within a varied urban context without a predominant building scale, material or style. We have taken this stand-alone quality as a positive and tried to play to its strength by developing a design with its own unique identity. We have identified ‘cascading’ site character as an underlying contextual commonality that the two immediate neighbours create; one ‘ascending’ away from the site in its massing and the other with its windows ‘ascending’ towards the site.  This…

We are extremely pleased to confirm that our team is back in the studio continuing our ongoing work on current projects as well as undertaking work on new enquiries. As a practice, we continue to maintain the high level of service that our clients are familiar with, while continuing to follow all government advice and ensuring that the health and safety of all of our staff remains paramount. We continue to attend meetings and workshops via telephone or video conferencing including MS Teams and Zoom for the foreseeable future. The office number 020 7043 3551 remains the central and primary point of telephone contact, however, the direct dial numbers and email addresses of our senior staff are: Ben Davidson: 020 7993 5802 [email protected] Siniša Rodić: 020 7043 3553 [email protected] Andrew Watson: 020 7242 5514 [email protected] Nikolas Ward: 0560 003 0365 [email protected] Emily Osler: 020 7831 8882 [email protected] We hope you, your family and…

Out of sight of the Google’s satellite imagery, an extraordinary subterranean world is growing underneath central London. A fascinating study, Mapping Subterranean London: The Hidden Geography of Residential Basement Developments 2008-2017 conducted by University of Newcastle students Sophie Baldwin and Elizabeth Holroyd has identified the scale of the development. 4,650 basement development projects in central London were granted planning permission between 2008 and 2017 . Of the 4,650 consent basement projects, 376 of these applications propose swimming pools, the majority (224) being located within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. With above ground space so limited and planning controls so strict, a new basement is also often the only way to enlarge a central London house. Originally largely unregulated by planning authority, the rules and regulations are now very strict. Despite the increasing regulatory control, it is still possible to create wonderful voluminous spaces that can transform living accommodation and…

It started with Woolworths a decade ago and lots have followed: BHS, Evans Cycles, House of Fraser, Littlewoods, Maplin, New Look, MFI, Borders, JJB Sports, Comet, Blockbuster, Phones 4 U, Staples, Toys R Us, Mothercare, Habitat, Cath Kidson. These failures were all pre-Covid-19. Even worse news is likely yet to come. The impact of our changing shopping habits is deep and structural. There are only so many coffee shops that can fill the voids. The inevitable result are the vacant units and boarded-up shop fronts that are increasingly visible in High Streets throughout the country. With the boarded shops comes redundancy - both human and physical. Social problems increase inline with the decline in our sense of locality and community. Changing economic circumstances forced textile mills to close 100 years ago and in more recent years similar forces have caused factories and docks to shut down. All have left a…

Over the past weeks, Rodić Davidson Architects, like architects and designers around the world, have moved to working remotely from home. Although lockdown measures may be easing soon, some aspects of the shift may well stay with us for ever. We would like to share some of our learning experiences. Zoom & Teams: As a practice we very rarely used video conferencing as part of our day-to-day communication. It is amazing how quickly we, and the world, has adapted. Zoom has made us realise that face to face meetings are no longer a necessity for all meetings. However Zoom cannot replace some aspects of our working interactions: particularly site visits and design crits. Lockdown has had a severe impact on both. Social distancing obligations means site access has be difficult and we have found that it is impossible to effectively translate the creative interaction that takes place in a design…

Post-Pandemic Trends in Residential Architecture At the time of writing, a coronavirus - or more specifically Covid-19 - has swept across the world, leaving only a handful of remote territories unaffected. Covid-19 is having a huge impact on all aspects of our lives. With so many of the world’s population now isolated at home, it brings to the fore the impact of the disease on residential architecture and construction. As a result of the pandemic, we predict a shift in the general consciousness of the public to adapt the way they live in urban, suburban, or un-urban areas. With that in mind, below are our predictions of potential trends to evolve from a life in temporary isolation and the fear of a similar event occurring again in the future.   De-Urbanisation (or Re-Ruralisation of the Urban?) The past century has seen a majority of the world’s population move from the…

Antoine Amphoux, a member of the Rodić Davidson team, was recently involved in the exhibition of research works at the Milano Triennale @triennalemilano as part of the State of Art of Architecture exhibition alongside Mathieu Bujnowskyj and Titouan Chapouly, all former students from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL). The research envisions the future of architecture in an over-connected world. Smart territories in a data-driven society where informational ubiquity will progressively become the norm. Characterised by dense yet invisible electromagnetic forces that suggest the emergence of new health and cryptographic concerns. This vision is to extend architecture’s role to the spatial management of invisible electromagnetic signals as it was historically done with temperature, light or sound over the last centuries. It is a call for a fullspectrum architecture and the exploration of its related new programs and typologies. This work called A Fullspectrum Architecture, On connectivity and electromagnetic landscapes, is part…

Given the rapidly evolving situation regarding the COVID-19 virus and recent government advice, we are determined to serve our clients to the best of our ability throughout this crisis and to emerge, with them, as normality resumes as it surely will. During this unprecedented time, we continue to review the way in which we work and to adapt, as best we can, in order to protect the practice and our staff in order to do the best for our projects and our clients. All Rodić Davidson employees are working from home. The office number 020 7043 3551 remains the central and primary point of telephone contact. The direct dial numbers and email addresses of our senior staff are: William Adams: 020 7831 8882 [email protected] Ben Davidson: 020 7993 5802 [email protected] Siniša Rodić: 020 7043 3553 [email protected] Andrew Watson: 020 7242 5514 [email protected] Nikolas Ward: 0560 003 0365 [email protected] We continue to attend meetings…

Planning permission has been secured for nine self-contained residential units within the former grounds (now carpark) to the west of Grafton House in Cambridge. Grafton House is a Building of Local Interest and situated within the Kite Conservation Area to the east of the historic city centre of Cambridge. Our client has already completed the conversion of the house to create 16 self-contained apartments. The carpark development now forms the second phase of development. The  house was originally built in 1830 and set within extensive landscaped grounds. Historic maps from 1886 show this landscaping. However, the setting has been eroded over time, firstly with the development of houses along the north of the site to Maids Causeway in the late 19th Century and latterly the development of the Grafton Centre in the 1980s. The architectural design and landscaping has developed from close collaboration between Rodić Davidson Architects and Robert Myers…

Works continue on an elegant townhouse dating from the mid-19th Century on Hyde Park Gate, located south of Hyde Park within the Queensgate Conservation Area in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea (RBKC). Hyde Park Gate has historically attracted famous residents including, Sir Winston Churchill, Virginia Woolf, Sir Jacob Epstein, Sir Roderick Jones and Robert Baden-Powell. While it retains many of its original exterior features and decorative elements, the building has experienced numerous internal renovations and alterations over the years, and the rear facade has undergone similar reconfiguration including a series of extensions from lower ground through to second floor level. The client has asked Rodic Davidson to assist with the house’s complete refurbishment and restoration. This includes the incorporation of modern services installation throughout, to ensure the finished property will contain all the functionality and service provision typical of a house of this stature. Rodic Davidson is providing…

Rodic Davidson Architects, working with Eight Associates, are seeking to achieve the first ever BREEAM Outstanding for a Grade 2* Listed Townhouse in Central London.  Sustainability is at the forefront of our generation‘s agenda with the European Parliament declaring a climate emergency back in November 2019. Awareness is increasing: Greta Thunberg has motivated and inspired the young and her actions have shone a light on the urgency of change. There is now a scientific consensus that the terrible bushfire tragedy currently playing out in Australia is a direct result of climate change. The construction industry counts for around 38% of energy emissions and the built environment makes up 40% of the UK’s carbon footprint. Much of our practice's work involves the refurbishment and repurposing of existing buildings, many of which are in conservation areas and/or are listed. Listed buildings are given wide-ranging exemptions from environmental compliance. In the past, with lesser…

Corner Cottage, is featured in the Don’t Move, Improve! 2020 showcase of London’s best home renovations. The spectacular site with long south easterly views encountered developmental and construction challenges involving a radical rethink to the spatial organisation. To see further details and images of the project please click here. To find out more about the Don’t Move, Improve! Awards, visit the free public exhibition at New London Architecture on Store Street from 11th February 2020, and view our featured project, Corner Cottage.

RDA has secured planning permission for a new-build residential scheme in the grounds of a prominent building in Chesterton, Cambridge. 25-27 High Street is a grade II listed building in the Chesterton Conservation Area. Part of the front property dates from the 18th Century. Alterations have been carried out over the years, including modifications to the roof and extensions to the rear of the property. Historic maps show that the building was once a public house named ‘Bowling Green Inn’. The building has been used as an office for many years with medical facilities in the rear extension. Our proposal creates eight new-build apartments to the rear of the large site and retains B1 office use within the existing listed building. Alterations and enhancement works are proposed to the listed building to increase the quality of the office space. The new-build elements of the scheme have been arranged to form…

Our Winter 2019 exhibition celebrates the work of Albany Wiseman, a local artist particularly known for his scenes of London. Albany has lived in Bloomsbury for many years and used to have a studio in Pied Bull Yard. Our Bury Place windows display some drawings of the streets of Bloomsbury from 1974 (The Case Against Destruction). In 1974 Albany affectionately produced a series of illustrations as an engaging protest that celebrated the diversity of shops and community that was earmarked for demolition to make way for the creation of the British Library. We have complimented Albany's 1974 sketches with contemporary photographs, produced at a similar scale, by Jon Spencer. Our courtyard windows display more recent works including some from Albany's exhibition, “Garden Squares of London”. Many of the squares painted are situated in Bloomsbury.  Albany's career has covered many aspects of art, from book illustration, poster design, limited edition lithographs, watercolour and…

Rodic Davidson Architects have obtained planning permission for the creation of a new café, play equipment and the extension of a shop and WCs for the Audley End Miniature Railway. This permission will provide the improvements associated with the railway’s future ambitions to consolidate as one of the leading attractions in the area. Audley End Miniature Railway conceived by the late Lord Braybrooke in the early 1960’s. Lord Braybrooke’s passion for engineering and railways led him to create this wonderful, eccentric minature railway within the original grounds of Audley End house. The track was laid in 1963 and the line was ready in 1964. Two steam locomotives were available for the opening; Western Thunder and Curwen Atlantic, both of which pulled four articulated carriages built by Audley End Estate’s carpenter. The original line was extended to its current form in 1979 and is now around 1 ½ miles long. Lord Braybrooke…

Listed Building Architects Rodic Davidson has secured planning and listed building consents for extension and refurbishment of a listed country house in Surrey. Our designs reference and reinterpret some of the dominant forms of the Domestic Revival style of the original house. Domestic Revival (sometimes known as ‘Arts and Crafts’) and Queen Anne styles were both influential in the development of middle-class suburban estates in the 1880s and 1890s. Domestic Revival houses moved away from historicist and ecclesiastical styles towards more accessible coziness and homeliness. The architecture incorporated steeply pitched tiled roofs, dormers, timber framing, tall, dominant chimneys and tile-hung walls. Watercolour by Jan Gordon, 1918

Spring is here! From left to right: Alison Courtot, William Adams, Sinisa Rodic, Caspian Watt, Pippa Griffiths, Laura Van Breuseghem, Ben Davidson, Andrew Watson, Ian David, Nik Ward, Charlotte Hornung.

We have a fascinating project project on the northern side of Soho Square. The property is a grade 2* listed town house built in 1768 and located within the Soho Conservation Area. The Soho Conservation Area, designated in 1969, was one of the first in the country. It was designated two years after the the Civic Amenities Act was passed in 1967. Soho Square was laid out in the 1680s on land known as Soho Fields, which was granted by King Charles II for development. Our own office, 400m to the north east at 67 Great Russell Street, was built by John Nash only 9 years after in 1777, illustrating the rapid development that took place at the time. In preparation for forthcoming Planning and Listed Building applications, we came across this wonderful section drawing that illustrates, spatially, the immense changes that have enveloped the property since 1768. Richard Seifert's Center Point, recently refurbished…

Our project, Sartor House, is featured in the Don't Move, Improve! 2019 showcase of London's best home renovations. The project, which was completed last year, involved the full refurbishment of a Chelsea townhouse including a double height glazed rear extension. To see further details and images of the project please click here. To find out more about the Don’t Move, Improve! Awards, visit the free public exhibition at New London Architecture on Store Street from 23 January 2019, or pick up a copy of the accompanying magazine that features Sartor House.  

Work is progressing at pace at our project in Suffolk. The fair-face concrete walls to the new kitchen pavilion have been poured and the formwork struck. The barn is being re-roofed and the original timbers cleaned by dry ice blasting.

We are delighted to announce the launch of our new website. This project has taken several months of careful planning with the wonderful team at the District - a website and design agency in Cambridge. Amongst the many new changes, we now have an entirely new section of the website for exhibitions at the practice. Take a look here to see some of our previous displays. We hope you enjoy exploring the site!

Rodic Davidson Architects has obtained planning and listed building consents for the demolition of an existing Grade II listed mews building located in the RBKC’s Hans Town Conservation Architecture Area and its replacement with a new build contemporary house, incorporating an additional mansard floor and a two-storey subterranean basement extension. Working closely with Savills Planning and Turley Heritage, Rodic Davidson Architects developed a proposal that enhances the group value of the property alongside its immediate neighbour as well as reference the mews typology of the street. The highly context sensitive contemporary approach was agreed with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea's planning and conservation officers as well as with their special Architectural Appraisal Panel. Prior consultations with the neighbours and local amenity groups ensured that no objections were received during the formal application process and consent was granted under delegated powers.

We are delighted to welcome Alison Turnbull to our exhibition space on Bury Place this Summer. Alison will be displaying works from her on-going series Japanese Paintings (2000 – present). These small-scale, geometric paintings are based on arrangements of tatami mats used in traditional Japanese interiors. Twice as long as they are wide, and laid out in interlocking grids, mats were originally designed to accommodate one person lying down or two seated. They act as units of measure, both for Japanese architecture, and for these intense and luminous abstract paintings. Alison Turnbull was born in Bogotá and lives and works in London. She has exhibited widely both nationally and internationally. Recent solo exhibitions include If Mimicry Minded (Matt’s Gallery, London 2018); Cloud Diagram (Art Seen, Nicosia 2016); Alison Turnbull (De la Warr Pavilion, Bexhill 2013 - 2014) and Alison Turnbull (Talbot Rice Gallery, Edinburgh 2012). She has also realised a…

Rodic Davidson Architects are delighted to announce that our mixed-use development in Reading Town Centre was granted Planning and Listed building permission at Committee Hearing this week. The project, which includes four buildings, is our largest ever and will create over 100,000sqft of residential, retail and office space. The permission will allow the creation of a new nine storey mixed-use building, the refurbishment of three Listed buildings, and a redirected public right of way through the development. The design responds carefully to a series of important historic neighbours, whilst significantly increasing the height in comparison to the existing building. This has been achieved by stepping back the upper floors, away from the primary facades, to respect critical street views. The front elevation facing Town Hall Square reacts to its very different neighbours on either side, matching form and materiality while creating a new cohesive whole.

RDA has successfully gained planning permission for a substantial rear extension to a Georgian terrace house in the heart of Westminster’s Belgravia Conservation Area.  The proposals went before Westminster’s planning sub-committee with officer recommendation, and was approved unanimously by the sitting councillors. The consented proposals include the extension of the existing closet wing and the addition of an additional storey and a half to the closet wing.  The scheme also includes an infill extension to the rear of the main building at ground and first floor, enlarging the rear rooms at these levels.  To create an internal connection at lower ground floor level between the front vaults and the main house, the space beneath the front door entrance bridge is to be enclosed and a new exterior door to the lightwell introduced. This consent represents highly valuable additional floor space to the property, allowing for better circulation and more generous…

With shape, structure, functionality and design being the key factors for both architects and shoes designers in creating a harmonious balance between interiors and exteriors, we at Rodic Davidson Architects are very excited to showcase our new window display on Bury Place which features work from Katarina Mootich Bespoke Beat. Born in Belgrade, Katarina Mootich started her fashion training in 1991 at the Marangoni Institute in Milan. In 1997, Katarina continued her studies in London at Cordwainers College, which is the training ground for many of the UK’s top names in footwear design. Mootich launched her eponymous  footwear line in 2000 and in May 2005 Mootich opened her flagship store in Elizabeth Street (Belgravia). While fitting her clients in Elizabeth Street, Katarina realised that there is a greater need for a personalised approach to the making of shoes than a  ready-to-wear collection could offer. "Immense diversity of the foot shapes + the individuality of left…

Construction work continues at an amazing artist studio house in Chelsea, London with a stunning twin floating staircase! The before and after photos of the twin staircase show the progress of the stair works featuring the cantilever floating steal supports that have been clad with Dinesen timber boards. A gorgeous glass balustrade installation will be coming soon...update to follow!

Rodic Davidson Architects have recently been developing an exciting new rural housing scheme in Suffolk. The proposal consists of a large-scale masterplan for new dwellings as well as the conversion of existing listed agricultural barns and main farmhouse into residential accommodation. The sketches shown demonstrate the concept behind our scheme and how the development would be appropriated by the end user. The new-build housing would create much needed residential accommodation to the area and would be arranged in informal clusters on the site, echoing the ad-hoc layout of the nearby village. The proposal plays on the threshold between public and private space and seeks to create dwellings that respond to the community as much as they do to the individual occupier. The site is further connected to the village and nearby amenities by the introduction of new pedestrian access routes and the provision of new community facilities on site such…

Rodic Davidson Architects are very excited to have recently gained planning approval for the Artist Studio in the rear garden of an Oast house in Kent. In its rural and listed surroundings, we have designed a building which responds sensitively to its context whilst providing our client with the much needed environment, volume and space to produce her work. The building is fragmented into 3 sections, gradually shrinking in size towards the Oast house. This form succeeds in meeting a number of aesthetical and practical challenges. It is a design which allows for sufficient windows below the roof line sections to be included to produce optimum working daylight within the space. The studio will allow the artist to work from home promoting a sustainable approach to flexible working practices.

RDA have successfully gained planning and listed building consent for the alteration and renovation of a Belgravia mews house. The proposals include the amalgamation of the ground floor of the mews into the main town house on Eaton Place (which, of course, it historically served) along with a new basement across the combined properties incorporating a spa. The project is on-site with completion due end of 2019.

We have been working on a new studio for our friend, Anna Dickerson. Anna has painted a series of beautiful jewel-like paintings of birds in her garden and these form the new window display in our office. Anna lives in an Oast House in Kent surrounded by orchards. Her garden is a riot of bold pinks, reds, yellows and greens and these colours are vibrantly reflected in her paintings. Anna trained at the Glasgow School of Art and Rhode Island School of Design. She has exhibited widely and has worked as Artist in Residence at London Zoo. Anna has work in the United Nations collection in Rome and in private collections worldwide. We invite you to come and view Anna's beautiful paintings in our studio. The display will continue until January 2018. Please also look at Anna's website: www.annadickerson.com

For an all too-brief-a-moment the basement of our new-build house burst to life with brightly coloured walls and floor. The material is a flexible, elastic layer which has been applied to the outer concrete basement walls and floors. Within two weeks the material will be sandwiched between by the internal concrete walls and floor slab and completely concealed. This specialist material, supplied by Total Vibration Solutions, is used to dampen vibration and noise within the house. Our scheme’s basement is within three metres of a London Underground tube line and vibration was identified as a risk for the project. The isolation material will reduce internal noise and vibrations dramatically making for a quieter, calmer home. The differing colours of the material reflect their different compressive strengths. Stiffer layers are positioned under heavier parts of the building so that the total deformation of the material is even and controlled. The project,…

Here are some images of our London Festival of Architecture event held earlier today. This year's theme is ‘Memory’ and we opened our studio with an exhibition celebrating the theme by launching our latest window-box exhibition, Memories of a Craftsman, featuring over 100 mid-century carpentry tools made and used by Ben's grandfather during his career as a cabinet maker.

RDA Open Studio: Memories of a Craftsman The London Festival of Architecture is Europe’s biggest annual architecture festival. This year’s theme is ‘Memory’ and Rodić Davidson Architects are delighted to be taking part for the second year running. On the morning of Saturday 10th of June, will be hosting an open studio morning celebrating architecture in relation to memory and craftsmanship. This event will mark the launch of Rodić Davidson’s latest window-box exhibition, Memories of a Craftsman, featuring over 100 mid-century carpentry tools made and used by Ben Davidson’s grandfather during his career as a cabinet maker. We will also have some of our latest work on display. Please come along to 1 Pied Bull Yard, Bloomsbury, this coming Saturday between 10.30am and 1.30pm, to see these wonderful hand tools and share some coffee and croissants in our studios. We look forward to seeing you! Click on the link below to find out…

Here are some of Natasha's photos of her recent trip to the Bluebell Open Day at the Architecture Association’s Hooke Park. Located in Dorset, Hooke Park is a 150-hectare working forest with several lodges and timber workshops. Previously the park was part of the Parnham Trust’s School for Woodland Industries, through which three architecture studies of round-wood construction were built - the Prototype House and Workshop (by Frei Otto and Richard Burton, 1987 and 1989) and Dormitory (by Edward Cullinan Architects 1996). The students of the Architecture Association can learn about forestry management, experimental timber construction and can use the workshops to create prototypes and models.

Planning Permission has been granted on appeal for our contemporary new-build apartment scheme in a Conservation Area in Kensington. The proposal will create five new apartments on a complex site within a dense historic context. The scheme takes the existing rhythm of the street elevation, providing a contemporary understanding of the found Arts and Crafts heritage. To protect sense of privacy, the proposed apartments are inward focused, arranged around generous interior courtyard gardens. We are using this seclusion to provide a soothing spatial experience to contrast the hectic and often visually excessive experience of the surrounding urban life. We are now commencing detail design with a view to start construction later this year. (Images by Rodić Davidson Architects & Hayes Davidson)

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea have approved RDA’s proposals for a substantial new upper addition to a prominent corner building in Ladbroke Square, Holland Park.  The planning consent was granted with the support of both the Case Officer and Conservation Officer and in spite of RBKC's current policy CL8 which typically resist roof extensions to buildings already extended. The Officer Report commented, “…an exception is made in this particular context as the adjacent property at 2/3 Ladbroke Square is two storeys higher than the application site. The proposal would partly obscure the uncharacteristic high level party wall which has resulted from this earlier extension. It would also retain the traditional subordinate relationship and detachment from the eastern terrace extending along the southern side of Ladbroke Square.” "The revised scheme is of a design and materials which would preserve the character and appearance of the conservation area and the appearance…

Planning Consent has been granted for the change of use of the first and second floors of a commercial building on George Street to create to two new self contained apartments. The proposals include the reconfiguration of the ground floor retail unit, and the extension of the upper floors at the rear in order to maximize the interior floor space and the natural light received at these levels. The site is listed locally as a Building of Townscape Merit and lies within the borough’s Central Richmond Conservation Area.  Richmond has extensive policies and guidelines applying to the creation of new residential units, and the design had to be developed carefully with the input of a number of specialist consultants in order to ensure the proposals satisfied the various statutory requirements.  Supporting specialist documents included Daylight/Sunlight Analysis, Sustainability Assessments, Construction Traffic Management Plan, and a Commercial Viability Assessment.

It is with delight and pride that we announce that William Adams has become an Associate. William joined Rodic Davidson Architects in 2012 and has worked on many of the practice's notable projects including North Vat, Dungeness and many new build and refurbishment schemes. William is a talented, diligent and committed architect and, above all, is a pleasure to work with.

Rodic Davidson Architects are delighted to present a selection of photos from a recent site visit to our residential project in Wimbledon. The property, which is nearing completion, has been extended by way of a roof conversion and generous rear extensions at ground and first floors. Large areas of south-facing glazing and clever use of rooflights throughout have given the house a wonderfully bright and contemporary feel – especially on a beautiful spring day!

Rodić Davidson Architects have won planning and listed building consent at appeal for a listed town house in Molyneux Street, London W1. The Planning Inspector asserted in reference to RDA’s proposed rear extension that ‘These forms, the differing materials and the lightweight and transparent nature of the glazed elements would avoid any sense of the extension as a whole introducing an unduly horizontal emphasis’.  The Inspector further contended – in direct response to Westminster’s reason for refusal - that ‘not only would the principle building’s rear wall remain largely unchanged, but it would remain visible through the glazed parts of the extension’, and that, ’Whilst glazing of the proposed scale and detailing proposed in this case is not a traditional feature of buildings of this age, glass is nonetheless a traditional, high quality and durable material.  Using it in the manner proposed here would still allow the dwelling’s original plan…

We are delighted to announce that our scheme to revitalise and restore the Queens Head in Chelsea received planning consent at RBKC Committee Hearing in February 2017. The project provides a newly restored public house which has been neglected for many years with a significant increase in ‘front of house’ public space while also providing three new apartments and a new terraced house. The public house will be fully repaired and refurbished and its layout improved to provide a superb, friendly pub. On the ground floor the space is extended into one bar area stretching the full depth of the building. The original, much-loved fireplace is retained. Windows to the street, previously hidden by WCs, will be revealed improving visibility and daylight into the pub. At basement level a new public space is created with booth seating in the vaults below the pavements and the traditional range cooker revealed as…

We are pleased to announce that our boathouse project in the Scottish Highlands has received planning consent. The boathouse scheme consists of two, timber-clad, pitched roof forms situated on the edge of Loch Affric. The larger of the two forms has been designed to house a custom-made boat to assist deer stalking on the Glen Affric Estate. Recreational boats will be housed under the smaller pitched roof structure. It was intended for the design to be referential to the local vernacular; composed of a simple expression of forms and materiality. Detailed design is well underway and completion is expected by late Summer 2017.

Our beach house in Dungeness, North Vat, has been long-listed for the RIBA House of the Year 2016 and will be featured on Grand Designs House of the Year on Channel 4, Thursday 8th December 2016 at 9pm. North Vat, completed in 2015 won an RIBA South East Regional Award in 2016 and was shortlisted for the 2016 Manser Medal. North Vat replaces an existing fisherman's cottage in Dungeness’s unique shingle landscape. The house was conceived as a ‘cluster’ of small shed-like structures, referential to the local vernacular of pitched roof huts, scattered along the beach front. The plan form of the proposed cluster was derived from the locations of the existing sheds and cottage, minimally adjusted to provide a simple living layout whilst maintaining a low impact on the ground ecology and sustaining the sense of randomness that we found in the original buildings. The windows and roof lights…

We are extremely excited to announce that our Glen Affric recreational spa pavilion has received planning consent last week. Located on what is often described as the most beautiful glen in Scotland, our proposal seeks to embed the new structures sensitively within this extraordinary landscape and the cluster of existing buildings. The V-shaped footprint and positioning on a southeast facing hill affords generous views over Loch Affric. The pavilion is divided into two parts with the sitting room area reaching eastwards on a lower level and spa area facing westwards on a higher level. The pavilion’s form was developed to address this division, but also to follow the natural terrain of the hill with reference to the mountains beyond. The building gently slopes down and thus nestles itself discretely into the landscape. As such, the proposed architecture seeks to become an integral part of the terrain as opposed to standing…

We have changed our window display to celebrate some of our hand drawings. Curated by Natasha, the display presents hand drawings across a series of projects.

Congratulations to Pippa on becoming an Architect and for passing her Part 3 with distinction. The letter arrived this morning!

We are 12 months into refurbishing and extending this wonderful five storey property located on one of Chelsea's prettiest and most discrete garden squares. The development includes construction of a double height glazed extension to the rear of the property, directly linking the living areas at ground and lower ground floor levels and allowing natural light to flood deeply into the space. Upstairs, all room layouts have been altered and the loft space converted into a playful central mezzanine which gives impressive tall ceiling heights to the bedrooms bringing light and views over London roof tops. These images show the project during various stages of its construction which is due to complete at the end of November 2016.

We are pleased to share that North Vat has made the long list for the WAN House of the Year award 2016. This is World Architecture News’ most competitive and longest running award category. The award is a ‘celebration of the most ambitious and inspiring projects that have been designed by architects across the globe’. The short list will be published in late October with the winner announced on 1st of November. Click here to read more about the project.

Rodić Davidson Architects are excited to have been nominated for two awards for North Vat in Dungeness. Winners of the Sunday Times British Homes Awards and the Manser Medal will be announced at a combined ceremony in October. North Vat previously won a RIBA South East Regional Award 2016 and has been long-listed for the RIBA House of the Year 2016. Read about the project on our website here

We are excited to announce that our Suffolk farmhouse redevelopment project received Planning and Listed Building Consent in July. The historic farmstead dates from the 17th Century; incorporating a Grade II listed farmhouse and Suffolk Barn.  Our heritage consultant describes the farmhouse as ‘a rare survival of an early farm building with a skillful and complex timber-framed structure’ (Purcell, 2015). Both buildings currently stand derelict and in poor state of repair. Rodić Davidson Architects were asked to develop a scheme that seeks to create a single family house complex; combining, extending and converting the existing agricultural and listed building elements. This includes the conversion of the Suffolk barn into a private gallery, which will allow the display of the extensive art work and objects collected during the family’s residence abroad. The farmhouse will be interlinked to the barn and new kitchen pavilion and the new living room annexes via a light-weight…

Ian and Stephanie had a successful site meeting for our Middlefield project this morning. We think the 'office' and 'boardroom' are particularly charming.  

Rodić Davidson Architects held an open studio at our offices in Pied Bull Yard, Bloomsbury on Saturday 11th June, as part of the London Festival of Architecture. Many guests visited us throughout the day, some of whom had been following the London Festival of Architecture itinerary, some of whom wanted to visit us specifically and some of whom were just passing. All were equally welcome. Local artist Albany Wiseman gave a lunchtime drawing lesson outside in the courtyard which was well attended.

A Planning Application has been made on a property very close to us to convert from a hairdressing salon (A1) to dog grooming salon (Suis Generis). There is something about this that we find amusing.

Rodic Davidson Architects have won a RIBA South East Regional Award for North Vat, a black timber-clad house built on the desolate shingle of Dungeness in Kent. The jury commended the intimate relationship between designers and the resultant, finely-judged balance of high architecture and comfortable beach living, calling North Vat 'one of the best' of the collection of architect-designed houses in Dungeness. Read about the project on our website here

Rodić Davidson Architects, acting for developer Capus Land LLP, have submitted a planning application for a contemporary new-build apartment scheme in a conservation area in the heart of Kensington. The proposal seeks to create five apartments on a complex site within a rich historic context. The scheme takes key references from neighbouring properties; developing the existing rhythm of the street elevation, whilst providing a modern understanding of the surrounding Arts and Crafts heritage. The design responds to the deep site which is enclosed by neighbouring properties and gardens. To protect neighbours’ views and sense of privacy, the proposed apartments are inward facing and arranged around generous courtyards. These courtyards further provide the scheme with an abundance of natural light and amenity space. Images by Hayes Davidson

We're excited to have North Vat, Dungeness shortlisted for the RIBA South East 2016 Award. Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at the Ascot Racecourse on April 28th. Click here to read more about our project

We've had a good start to 2016. Here are some images of what we've been up to: Artist Albany Wiseman came and gave us a drawing class over a glass of wine or whisky. We'll be having these every other week. Michael Driver from the Brick Association came and gave us one of our most interesting CPDs. Great to see someone with so much passion. We learnt a lot. Siniša has been discovering the wonders of virtual reality. We couldn't be a real Architecture studio without a 'uniform' - this week it was plaid shirts! We've been busy designing furniture for our newly refurbished basement. Watch this space. Our projects have kept us busy with lots of internal design crits. And finally we have a newly hand painted sign on our new studio. Starting to get settled in!  

Rodic Davidson Architects have won planning consent for a new build 6 storey development consisting of 8 self-contained apartments with a ground and lower ground floor bar/restaurant in Southwark. The front façade of the building is designed to be a subtle bridge between its two immediate neighbours, first continuing along the same plane as its adjoining neighbour, then stepping forward in line with the other. The front façade will be built from brick ranging from dark brown to sand in colour mediating between the differing brick colours of its neighbours.  The cladding has dark bronze panelling that is quietly expressed as a secondary material separating the two brick elements. The roof will be in tiles to match the brick colour and detailed to a minimal junction with a concealed gutter thereby articulating the two building volumes as sinuous surfaces, intertwined to achieve a sense of continuity between them and make…

We are pleased to be shortlisted for the WAN Small Project Award with our Cambridge Garden Studio and Workshop. Judges Naomi Migram said our project was "An elegant solution to a typical garden shed".  And Carl Turner "A beautifully crafted project to tell a story about a family legacy". Read more about the project here. Link to WAN Awards here.  

Construction work is now underway to create a new family house in the Ladbroke Conservation Architecture Area in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. We are retaining the front façade and the party walls, behind which everything else is new.

Our black timber house, North Vat in Dungeness, has been featured on Dezeen. Link to Dezeen article here Link to the project here

We are mid-way through the conversion of two large properties in Kensington into nine apartments. Construction began in early 2015 and following completion of the structural work late last year fit-out work is now progressing to complete the development. Our scheme creates contemporary lateral front-to-rear apartments. Each will benefit from a lightwell in the centre of the building providing natural light to rear rooms, provided with comfort cooling and high specification acoustic treatment to windows to the street.  Eight apartments are accessible via a new lift as well as a reconfigured staircase with access via a private walkway at the back of the building.

Although the majority of our work is in London, Rodic Davidson work across many sectors and over the years we have built an expertise in working on the design of efficient, small unit, affordable accommodation. We have undertaken many schemes and in this instance,  working for repeat clients and closely with Savills Planning, we are pleased to announce that planning consent has been secured for the extension and renovation of a large hostel in Leyton, London E10. The hostel will be extended with 25 additional rooms adding to the centre’s ability to offer good quality but affordable accommodation. Construction is expected to commence early in 2016.

A Building Study of North VAT, our black timber house in Dungeness, has been published in The Architects' Journal. The article was written by Jay Merrick, architecture correspondent for The Independent and photographs are by Hélène Binet. Jay Merick writes, "The design re-expresses the fragmentary nature of the small black wooden house and huts that previously stood on a large hardstand on the shingle. The new architecture is a tidily compacted arrangement of black domestic fragments; a main house linked to a pair of small pitched roof bedroom pavilions by a glazed l-shaped entrance volume" and he describes the 'detailing and highly crafted build quality ' as 'exceptional'. Link to AJ article here Download PDF here

Our Camberwell project is now under construction in Knatchbull Road. The development includes the conversion of a former public house into four apartments and a new build house. The new two bedroom detached house is proposed to the south of the site. The building respects existing building lines and uses material treatments while also presenting a contemporary approach to material use and spatial configuration. The external envelope of the dwelling consists of two differing yet complimentary facade systems: Firstly, a system of vertically orientated fibre cement board panels in anthracite grey that are divided into a rhythm as they wrap the building. This arrangement forms a dynamic facade that varies in density and thickness. The front of the building, at ground floor level, is the primary entrance to the property as well as a sliding doorset allowing access from the bedroom/study to the front garden area. Secondly, vertical timber slats,…

Rodić Davidson Architects have secured planning consent at appeal for an additional mansard storey to a terrace of six maisonettes on Bute Street, located in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. The additional storey will transform the maisonettes from small 2-bed duplexes into 3-bed family sized units. A new first floor rear extension will provide dining room space off the kitchen and the new mansard roof will accommodate a master bedroom and ensuite bathroom. The new extension references the existing architectural language and will create a uniform appearance and new rhythm to the rear, improving the symmetry of the group of buildings. The brick and window frames are to be composed of materials to match those of the existing building. Watercolour by Liam Wales

Working closely with Savills Planning and Turley Heritage, Rodić Davidson Architects have today secured an advantageous planning and listed building consent for the conversion of a prime Belgravia property back from apartments to a single family dwelling house. The consent also includes a new part basement extension along with an infill rear extension and other alterations including air conditioning throughout. An existing lean-to conservatory roof structure located between the main former townhouse and the mews property behind will be removed, resulting in the creation of an outdoor space at lower ground level. Walk-on rooflights will be introduced within this area to provide natural light to the basement below. The windows at the rear will be replaced which is a key heritage benefit to the scheme.

By William Adams As the demand for floorspace in Central London increases, more building owners are investigating the potential to restore and renovate the often forgotten historic vaults that are found adjoining the front lightwells of many London townhouses.  Originally used to store coal (the coal was delivered from the street above down through a service hole), these vault spaces typically span the width of the property’s frontage, and extend about 2-3 metres beneath the street above.  The floor to ceiling heights can be low, though this can be overcome by lowering the floor internally and providing steps down into the vaults.  The vaults can often be connected to the main house by introducing an internal ‘link’ contained beneath the structure of the ground floor entrance bridge which reaches across the lightwell from the pavement to the front door. Rodic Davidson Architects are presently working on a number of vault…

By Anish Mistry In July 2015, the Chancellor, George Osborne announced a series of planning reforms to increase house building and address the shortage of housing supply across the UK. The government announced the changes in a report, called 'Fixing the foundations: Creating a more prosperous nation', which outlines a series of reforms to the planning system. In particular, one reform announced states that, ‘the government will therefore work with the Mayor of London to bring forward proposals to remove the need for planning permission for upwards extensions for a limited number of stories up to the height of an adjoining building’. This reform will only apply to London; however, the details of the policy remain unresolved and are unlikely to apply to conservation architecture areas (according to the Greater London Authority). Reforms announced include: > Permitted Development Rights will be introduced in London, to allow upwards extensions for a…

We are looking to recruit recruit at experienced Part-I (or newly qualified Part-II level). The successful candidate will have the following essential qualities: 1. have exceptional design ability 2. be confident, articulate and enthusiastic 3. be proficient at AutoCAD 2015 4. be entirely fluent in spoken and written English 5. be able to visualise, illustrate (ideally through hand drawing) and present ideas clearly All applicants must have at least one year experience of working in a design-led architectural practice. Interviews to be held w/c Monday 20 July. Application procedure here

Sinisa is in Iceland. Here are some iPhone pics...

Ian has just snapped this shot from our front window. VILHELM HAMMERSHØI painted the view in 1905. See our original news post about this view here.

Back in February we received an email from two enthusiastic German architecture students, Christine and Kathrin, studying in their first year at the Technical University of Darmstadt. Their email read: “… we are currently working at a project focusing on wooden constructions. Our task is to recreate the Garden Studio and Workshop in Cambridge (Project No 0723) at a scale of 1:50 as a wooden construction….” We sent them a couple of drawings and a photo and here is their model. Well done from RDA to both Christine and Kathrin and good luck for the rest of your studies.

Scott and Vinnay are two bike-loving industrial design students from Cambridge who have designed a range of beautiful, handcrafted, birch plywood mudguards. Long guards or short guards either in plain birch ply or with a walnut stripe inlay. Embossed leather mudflaps and stainless steel hardwood. You choose. Scott and Vinnay are just the kind of quality-obsessed entrepreneurs that we love at Rodic Davidson Architects and when they approached us we were only to pleased to allow them to make their products and film their promotional material in the Cambridge Workshop.

Sinisa is in Hong Kong meeting a client. Here are some pictures.

Rodic Davidson Architects has successfully secured planning and listed building consent for a new sub-basement under a Grade 2 Listed House in Eaton Place, within the Belgravia Conservation Architecture Area. The houses of Eaton Place were developed by Cubitt for the affluent middle and professional classes in the early 19th Century. A neighbouring house was featured in the TV show, upstairs, downstairs in the early 1970's. Two interesting sections were produced for the TV Times which show a typical use, floor-by-floor, of the house. The basement being occupied by the kitchen, servants rooms, scullery etc. The sections are reproduced from the 1972 edition of the TV Times and TVLife.

Some images of our recently completed mews house in Belgravia, SW1. We added a basement and mansard roof thereby almost doubling the floor area to circa 2500 sqft.

The first office birthday of the New Year...

A beautiful Primrose Hill house that we refurbished a few years ago is featured in the recent Paddington film. Referred to as Windsor Gardens in the film, the filming location was actually Chalcot Crescent in Primrose Hill.

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has today won its battle to further tighten its control over basement development in the Borough. Following a hearing by The Planning Inspector on the 16th, 17th, 18th, 23rd and 24th September 2014 the submission documents from both sides were subject to a 6 week consultation starting on Thursday 2nd October 2014 through to Thursday 13th November 2014. The report published today by the Planning Inspectorate has found that the Council's proposals for a tougher basement regime to be sound. Basements will still be permitted but the rules will now be considerably stricter than those previously in force (based on the Subterranean Development SPD from May 2009). Here are some of the key areas where the basement policy will now be tightened: 1. A restriction to single storey (the exception only being for large, comprehensive developments). 2. A reduction in the extent that basements can extend into the…

For fear of being rather boring, we don't normally post our regular birthday celebrations at Rodic Davidson. But this one is special. It only happens every 10 years. Happy Birthday to Stephanie!

At Rodic Davidson Architects, the majority of our projects are located within the densely built fabric of central London. Designing within this context comes with the constraints of adhering to specific planning policies and legislation pertaining to light. A ‘Right to Light’ is a legal matter and is therefore distinct from planning considerations such as Sunlight, Daylight & Overshadowing assessments. A development may therefore be granted permission by planning authorities but halted by an injunction if the rights of a landowner or leaseholder were breached. A right to light may be defined as a form of “easement that gives landowners the right to receive light through defined apertures in buildings on their land” (Law Commission: Rights to Light). In defining the extent of the aperture, the amount of sunlight is irrelevant; it is instead measured in relation to the amount of sky visible from the working plane. A right to…

The scaffold has come down and our apartment building is complete. Here are some photos. See main post: Apartment Scheme, Southwark, SE1 PDF Brochure Download

Prior Approval in the Countryside Changes to the planning laws in March 2014 have allowed us to explore converting redundant farm buildings into residential use. Here is an example of a redundant concrete agricultural building that we are proposing to retain but re-use for a different use (albeit with some radical changes!). The idea is a simple one: remove the hay, cut the roof to bring in light, sandblast the concrete and install a swimming pool. What could be easier?

We often use perspective images to present our ideas, particularly to planners. The choice of presentational medium is important. Here is the same proposal (for a roof top extension to a property in north London) presented by Computer Generated Image (CGI) and also by water colour.

RDA invited local residents and business owners to their offices for a preview of the exhibition 'The Case Against Destruction, A Case for Celebration'. The exhibition features a series of drawings by Artist and local resident Albany Wiseman, who forty years ago documented the streets opposite the British Museum in drawings, when their destruction was threatened. Alongside Albany’s original drawings, photographer Jonathan Spencer produced a responsive photographic series depicting the streets as they are today. RDA opened its doors to people in the local area and were very pleased to be joined by key residents who had campaigned to save this part of London forty years ago, including long-standing local MP, Right Honorable Frank Dobson. RDA keeps its doors open to the public until Friday 25th July. For more information, please see; www.rodicdavidson.co.uk/news/celebration/

Rodic Davidson Architects have been successful in securing a planning consent from Southwark Borough Council for the conversion of ground and basement floors of the former Prince of Wales public house to form 4x flats, together with the provision of a contemporary new build dwelling house within the former yard area.

The longest day of the year. A brand new Webber. Some big German sausages. Lovely weather. Lovely house. Even lovelier hosts.  All thanks to Ian, Chloe, Ebenezer and the New Towns Act 1946.

A Case Against Destruction, A Case for Celebration Exhibition Opening Hours Monday 14th July - Saturday 19th July 1pm - 6pm Monday 21st July - Saturday 26th July 1pm - 6pm at Rodic Davidson Architects, 1 Pied Bull Yard, WC1A 2JR Since moving to Pied Bull Yard on Great Russell Street, Rodic Davidson Architects has been learning more about the area's recent history. The historic area of London where RDA is now based, opposite to the British Museum, forty years ago faced the prospect of total demolition. In the late 1960s the Government announced plans to demolish these streets, now known as 'Llttle Bloomsbury', 'Bloomsbury Village', or 'The 7.5 acres', to create a site for the new British Library building. A creative and passionate protest began to protect the interests of more than 600 residents, the many independent retailers and businesses within the area. Bloomsbury celebrated it's way out of…

Our detailed proposals are almost complete for the contemporary refurbishment of a beautiful listed town house in Notting Hill. We have secured planning and listed building consents for a new basement under the garden along with the contemporary refurbishment of the listed town house and its associated artist studio in RBKC. The client's brief was to add value to their unmodernised home.  Our response is to sensitively restore the listed property and discretely integrate modern services with additional accommodation providing an open-plan living arrangement and new amenities. The proposed swimming pool, cinema and games room are accommodated within a new basement under the rebuilt artist's studio and new garden. The basement roof lights and a light well are carefully incorporated within a new landscape design thereby bringing ample of daylight and allowing natural ventilation at the basement level whilst preserving the intimacy of the secluded rear garden. The re-built artist studio opens…

The painting is called 'The Uncanny' and dates from 1905 when Hammershøi was visiting London (he lived on the first floor of what is, now, our office at 67 Great Russell Street). Of 67 Great Russell Street, Vilhelm Hammershøi said: ‘Today I have found a place I like and where I believe I can get something done.’ The original painting is now held by the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen. In their exhibition, Vilhelm Hammershøi: The Poetry of Silence,  28th June - 7th September 2008, The Royal Academy exhibited the painting. The RA Exhibition Guide discussion of the 'The Uncanny' is reproduced here: "In this painting we see the view down the side of the British Museum, along Montague Street. The perspective is only slightly raised, as though the artist were standing with his easel in the road. The road, however, is deserted; there is no trace of humanity. Our gaze is also barred in several ways. Our eye follows the high railings,…

Our new-build project in St John's Wood is taking shape. Led by Ian and assisted by Stephanie, the detailed design is progressing rapidly. In late 2013, working alongside Savills Planning, we achieved a very advantageous planning consent for our client. Our consented scheme has a GEA of 545.6 sqm. This replaces the original house which had a GEA of 213.7 sqm. This represents an increase in floor area of 155%. Despite this significant increase, our proposal is also very sustainable and is designed to meet Code of Sustainable Homes Level 4. An air-source heat pump will be incorporated and this, alongside high levels of insulation will result in running costs 51.9% less than the original house despite the increase in floor area. Here is some imagery of the interior.

Another update on progress from Dungeness...

Rodic Davidson Architects work on many projects involving basement extensions within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC), and so we follow the Local Authority’s views on subterranean development with real interest.  RBKC is in the process of revising their basement policy, and their current draft proposal is outlined below: ‘The Council, [RBKC], will require all basements to be designed, constructed and completed to the highest standard and quality.  To achieve this basement development should: a. not exceed a maximum of 50% of each garden or open part of the site. The unaffected garden must be in a single area and where relevant should form a continuous area with other neighbouring gardens.  Exceptions may be made on large sites; b. not comprise more than one storey. Exceptions may be made on large sites; c. not add further basement floors where there is an extant or implemented planning permission for…

Rodic Davidson Architects, working with Savills The London Planning Practice, have been successful in reversing a decision by The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) to refuse planning permission for a mansard roof extension to a listed mews house in the Hans Town Conservation Area, Knightsbridge. In allowing the appeal, the Planning Inspector stated, 'I consider it is a well designed scheme that would be attractive and an appropriate addition to the host building' where ‘the new roof would serve to give a better balance between [the appeal property and its immediate neighbour]’. This Appeal decision comes a few months after Rodic Davidson Architects, again together with Savills The London Planning Practice, secured Planning and Listed Building consents for a two-storey basement extension at the same property (see our previous news post).  

Rodic Davidson Architects have submitted a detailed Planning Application for a contemporary two-bedroom house that will sit adjacent to a former public house in Southwark. In addition to the new building, the proposal also involves the conversion of the public house into four new residential units.  The design of the new house is influenced by the height, proportion and arrangement of its surrounding buildings and uses crisp, contemporary materials. Its external envelope consists of two complementary façade systems; vertical timber cladding encloses the living areas to promote privacy and provide solar shading, whilst grey cement fibre cement board panels wrap around the house to emphasise the defragmentation of the building’s mass.

In 1952 it was agreed, after a public enquiry, that the network of little streets in front of the British Museum should be pulled down to make room for the British Library. In 1962 the minister of Works (as he then was) appointed Sir Leslie Martin and Colin St John Wilson as architects. The proposals became detailed in the early 1970s and the February 1974 edition of the Architectural Review was scathing of the emerging scheme design, "St George's is hemmed in a narrow, chillingly unsuitable gulch. The British Museum is faced, much too close, with an unbroken front of building which is much larger than itself; and the north/south route through the site has been extinguished altogether." "This may, conceivably, be the way to build a library. Emphatically it is not the way to rebuild a central piece of city." A campaign was mounted by Camden Council and presented in a booklet; Bloomsbury:…

Here are some links to photos of the journey Bloomsbury to Belgrade and the surprise arrival (for Sinisa) of the others in the office on Saturday night: RDA Facebook page

Sinisa was born in Belgrade 40 years ago today (alright, actually he was born in Zrenjanin which is 70 kms north of Belgrade).  Ben was born in Bloomsbury slightly longer than 40 years ago. To celebrate Sinisa's 40th, the two of them will be driving from Bloomsbury to Belgrade, leaving on Monday 7th from WC1 and arriving in Belgrade (hopefully) on Saturday 12th in time for supper. Some things are planned for the journey which we will be posting on: RDA Road Trip

Here are some more images from our project on the shingle in Dungeness.

Here's another update from our new build project in Dungeness - the weather is improving, the windows are in and the house is water-tight.

Having achieved Planning permission in late 2013, RDA have entered into the detailed design phase of a new build house project in St. John’s Wood.  The project involves the replacement of the existing house with a  new contemporary property of almost double the size of its predecessor.  The footprint has only been marginally increased. The significant additional increase in area comes from a new basement and rear and side extensions. The design seeks to provide a unique contemporary response to the character of the existing street scene by echoing the proportions of neighbouring houses using high quality handmade brick.  Through the introduction of a basement and a single storey extension at ground level, the new house will offer double the floor space whilst retaining the existing massing at first floor and roof level.  Demolition and construction is due to commence this summer.    

Work is progressing on the site of our exciting new build house project in Dungeness.  Here are some images recently taken by the client and Ben. An earlier news post gave a glimpse of what is to come...

RDA recently gained Planning and Listed Building Consent for a two-storey basement to a mews house in the heart of Kensington. Despite a challenging site, and heavy policy constraints, the proposals were approved at Committee last week.  The house is conceived as a composition of interlocking volumes which connect the different levels spatially, and allow natural light to penetrate deep into the building.

As we have grown, we have been looking with increasing urgency for a larger office. A deadline was also set by the expiry of our 5 year lease in our former office in Staple Inn Buildings, Holborn. In early 2013 we found the perfect premises for sale - the former Jessops vintage camera store in Pied Bull Yard, Bloomsbury. The property forms part of a listed terrace of 6 houses (66-71 Great Russell Street) built by John Nash in 1777. It has dual frontage - with one aspect fronting the East Wing of the British Museum on Great Russell Street and the other 'shopfront' opening into Pied Bull Yard at the rear. The camera store had closed several years previously and the property had been empty for many years.  It was unloved, dark, gloomy and completely sealed by security shutters. Before closure, the shop had previously contributed to the eclectic and boutique…

A Hidden Door, Spaghetti Vongole, Peggy Guggenheim, Gondola's, The Dogana and Fireworks. Happy New Year from Venice!

Work moves forward on the construction of our bronze clad apartment block in St Georges Road, Southwark. Here are some pictures from site. An earlier news post can be found here and the project can also be found in our project pages here along with a PDF download

You can never have too many sheds... and they need not necessarily only be enjoyed by men in their 60's. Here is Hebe, aged 3, enjoying her (father's) new workshop. The Telegraph has announced the Shed of the Year. We didn't enter ours but the shortlist prompted a few more photos after it was completed. The shed is a wonderful place to be. After a break in construction during the winter (see here for the News post), the workshop was finished in spring 2013. Dezeen Article PDF Download: Nearing Completion Winter 2013 PDF Download: Completed Workshop

Three years ago we made it to Venice for our office Christmas outing. News Post Here. This year we made it to Little Venice via canal boat from Camden Lock.

Forming part of a comprehensive refurbishment project, here are some progress photos of a basement that we are building under the garden of a Listed Regency Villa in Addison Avenue, Holland Park. PDF Download here

In October 1991, Ben was an enthusiastic 19yr old embarking on his 1st year degree at Birmingham School of Architecture. His tutor, Keith Clarke, was equally enthusiastic, much wiser and significantly taller. 22 years on and these differentials remain and it was lovely to host Keith and his current crop of lively students for an afternoon at our new offices. We discussed many of the projects that we are currently working on and we enjoyed being challenged on the detail (says Ben recalling a long conversation about the position and species of a tree).

Bonfire night and the RDA team made a final visit to the shingle for a final supper hosted by our wonderful and enthusiastic clients, Pauline and David.

Last year we were successful in obtaining a revised planning consent for a new-build block of apartments on a prominent corner site in Southwark. Building work is now well underway with completion due in Spring 2014.

The government has, today, released details of the areas which have been granted exemption from the office to residential permitted development rights coming into force on May 30th 2013. Seventeen councils have been granted exemptions from the rules in specified areas with the The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea and The City of London receiving borough-wide exemption. The Central Activities Zone (CAZ) has also received exemption. Download map here. The CAZ spans north and south of the river and the maps showing the location of the exempted area can be downloaded by clicking on the borough names: Camden City of London Hackney Islington Lambeth Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Southwark Council Tower Hamlets Wandsworth Council Westminster City Council  

The first phase of our project to develop 29 high quality small HMO apartments is nearing completion. Working with The London Planning Practice / Savills as Planning Consultants, we successfully obtained planning consent for a land use swap utilising a property owned by our clients elsewhere in the borough. The new apartments, when complete, will be available for rent.

We will shortly be submitting a detailed planning application for a new house in Dungeness. Here is a sneak preview image...

We have reached the final stage of our refurbishment of a former Artist's studio in Chelsea, SW3 - an Olive tree is craned over the roof of the house to the rear roof terrace. Two cameras - one strapped to the tree and the other hand-held. Click here to watch the video!  

We have been working on an office studio at the end of a long garden. Two buildings have been designed. Both are timber framed and very light. The larger studio building is very highly insulated (using 150mm Cellotex combined with Super Tri-Iso) and incorporates a super efficient air-source heat pump. Calculations indicate that the annual heating bill will  cost less than £21 in electricity costs. The building is wrapped with a black timber rain screen over a complete wrapper of a rubber membrane for water-proofing. The rain screen is low-cost tanalised softwood, usually used for roofing. Click for PDF Download with further pictures of the building work.

We have secured Planning consent for a two storey basement in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. As the year draws to a close, Rodic Davidson Architects have successfully negotiated five planning consents in 2012 for subterranean extension in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC). In order to achieve the Planning Consents, we have to ensure that our designs comply with the RBKC Subterranean SPD. This document requires very detailed additional information to be submitted alongside any application for a basement extension. Back in 2010, we were the first architectural practice to gain a planning consent under the new policy guidance and we have built considerable expertise in achieving basement consents within the Borough.

We combined our Christmas office lunch with a field trip to Dungeness where we have an exciting project to build a new house on the shingle. PDF Download

Groundwork pioneered environmental regeneration through partnerships. Earlier in the year, John Davidson OBE, Ben's father, gathered together some of his former colleagues and suggested that they write a book about the formation and early years of Groundwork. Edited by Walter Menzies and Phil Barton, the book is a collection of the personal perspectives of some of the people who formed the Groundwork story in the early, formative years. John, sadly, died before the book was completed. The book launch was held in Manchester Town Hall on Wednesday 31st October 2012. The contributors to the book are: Derek Barber, Phil Barton, Douglas Evans, John Handley, John Iles, Lindy Kelly, Walter Menzies, Rob Morley, Yoshi Oyama, Adrian Phillips, Sue Price, Richard Sharland, Tony Struthers, David Trippier, Alan Wenham, David Wilcox and Peter Wilmers. Link to purchase book from Amazon Link to Operation Groundwork Website

An early start flying Stansted to Amsterdam. We walked around the old town and visited the apartment development in Silodam by MVRDV. Then fast train to Rotterdam and lunch followed by a walk to the Kunstahl Museum. Designed in 1992 by Rem Koolhaas / OMA. OMA is still based in Rotterdam although now has offices in China and New York as well. We took the train back to Schiphol in time for the last flight back to the UK. Here are some pics: PDF Download

We made a site visit to Dungeness where we have a project to build a new house on the shingle. PDF Download  

An article was published in the Evening Standard today: "We've spent £100,000, say neighbours fighting basement development" The owner of a house in Strathmore Gardens achieved Planning Permission to construct a 2 storey basement 18 months ago. Strathmore Gardens is in RBKC and so it must be assumed that Planning Consent was acheived in accordance with their adopted Subterranean Development SPD. That neighbours objected is not unusual. What makes this case unusual is that the planning permission was overturned at judicial review on the basis that it would cause disruption and damage to their properties. By adoption of the Subterranean SPD, RBKC were the first Local Authority to adopt specific basement planning policies. However, increasingly, RBKC have been faced with a series of judicial review applications concerning basement developments for which they have granted planning consent. In April 2012 RBKC published a document titled 'Basement Extensions: Issues' which sets out the existing Council…

Rodic Davidson Architects have worked alongside the team at Bruton Street Management Ltd on many projects. Bruton Street Management is headed by Andrew Kafkaris RICS, who is capably assisted by Charlie and Jo-Ann. We have found that they, consistently, deliver clients a first-class professional service and we have no hesitation in recommending them. We find that Andrew and his team work very pro-actively: an attribute which is extremely rare in other managing agents. For us, as architects, it is particularly frustrating when we have beautifully refurbished an apartment but to have little control over, what are often, shabby common parts. Their new website was launched today and we wish them all the very best.

Pictures from site 06.08.2012. Our complete refurbishment and extension of this Kensington Town House is nearing completion. Although part of a historic terrace, the house has been completely rebuilt behind the original facade. At the rear a new basement media room has been added with a structural concrete roof deck allowing for two parking spaces over. This parking, combined with the ability to access the property securely from the rear mews makes this house unique and very desirable in this area of Kensington. The house has been constructed with a steel frame and concrete floors. This construction technique, behind the original facade, means that the sound insulation will be exceptional and unlike any other property of this age. The house has been insulated to current standards and has comfort cooling throughout. Rodic Davidson Architects secured planning consent for a new mansard roof, a first floor rear extension and a ground floor…

A rather ordinary Victorian / Edwardian street in leafy south-west London is the setting for a proposed new-build development of three houses with underground car parking. The site is interesting: overlooking the railway on one side and overlooking a mews on the other, in the heart of St Margarets, Twickenham. Even though the site falls outside the Conservation Architecture Area, Richmond's newly adopted design policies exert considerable control over the aesthetic, with an implied emphasis on 'following the vernacular'. We used CGI's to explore various brick colour options, both with the client and also as a presentational medium to the Planning Authority.

It is with great sadness that we announce that Ben's father, John Davidson, died on May 26th after a long illness. In the early 1980's, John co-founded Groundwork, an organisation that he led to become a major national and international movement. John was an inspiration to many and hugely loved by his family, friends and former colleagues. He will be sorely missed. Below are some links to find out more about John's work: Link: Groundwork Website Link: The Interclimate Network Link: Guardian Obituary 11th June 2012        

Rodic Davidson Architects in Cambridge have undertaken a feasibility study for Morely Memorial Primary School in Cambridge. The school operates across a dual site - bisected by a narrow and relatively quiet residential road. The road presents a physical divide and, through a series of massing plan options, we have explored various different schemes. Download PDF: Presentation Document  

Rodic Davidson Architects have been appointed to refurbish a Grade II listed town house in Notting Hill. Part of our proposed scheme adds a contemporary extension with a green wall and Corten cladding.

A mixed-use development in Southwark. Rodic Davidson Architects have been invited by a developer client to prepare a concept design scheme for a mixed-use development in Southwark.

Rodic Davidson Architects have been appointed by the new owners of this prominent corner site in Southwark to submit a revised scheme (we achieved Planning Consent back in 2011). The revised design which is presently being considered by Southwark Planners, adds a front cantilever, an additional 5th floor apartment and changes to the internal accommodation. Determination is due in July 2012.

Following the budget last week we now have further detail regarding the removal of the zero VAT rate for approved alterations to listed buildings. Always regarded as something of an anomaly (why were repairs and restoration Vatable and extensions not?) this 'loophole' has now been removed. However there is a legal the obligation on owners of listed buildings to keep their properties in good repair. For this reason we support English Heritage’s campaign for the VAT regulations to be amended to reduce the VAT rate on repair and maintenance of listed buildings. Further detail on the VAT changes applicable to listed buildings: 1. If the building contract was signed before the 21st March then this provides for a period of one year to complete the build project after which the standard rate will apply to the outstanding works. This is applicable to all listed buildings from 21st March 2012. 2. If the…

Step-by-step our artist's studio nears completion. Here are the latest photos from site:  

"You employ stone, wood and concrete, and with these materials you build houses and palaces. " Le Corbuiser 1958   Our remodelling of a Chelsea Artist's Studio is nearing completion. The concrete floor was unveiled today after being covered by sheets for the last couple of months since being poured. Exciting times. We were there to witness and record the final polish. Video-1 Video-2 Video-3

Rodic Davidson Architects have recently completed a large refurbishment project on a prime road in Kensington.

We completed this conservation project in Primrose Hill a while ago and, finally, we have taken some photos for the website. Thank you to our clients for being so accommodating. A brief history: The house was formerly two apartments in a poor condition. Built circa 1855 by J Burden, it forms part of a serpentine-shaped terrace of 3 storeys with basements. We obtained Listed Building Consent from the London Borough of Camden and then embarked on a complete refurbishment including the replacement of the Doric portico, the 1st floor bracketed cornice and the plaster cornice details which were all missing (removed in 1970's). We also replaced the non-original cast-iron railings with the correct fleur-de-lys finial detailing.

Rodic Davidson Architects have been appointed to carry out work to a Queen Anne Town House in Mayfair, London. The property is Listed Grade II, built in 1895 by John E Trollope a prominent Mayfair architect. Typical of the terrace, it is red brick with stone dressings and a slate roof. The property formed part of the Grosvenor Estate’s late 19th Century redevelopment of West Mayfair. The house was built 6 years after the creation of Mount Street Gardens. Mount Street Gardens were created out of a former burial ground of St Georges, Hanover Square and named after the Mount Field, an area including a fortification dating from the English Civil War. The Gardens' footpaths are those originally created in 1889, and the bronze drinking fountain of a rearing horse was designed for the local estate agent Henry Lofts in 1891 by Harold Peto and Sir Ernest George, another prominent…

Rodic Davidson Architects successfully secured detailed Planning Consent earlier in 2011 for a new-build apartment scheme on a prominent site in Southwark, London. The site has subsequently changed ownership and we are pleased to be working with the new owners to continue with the project and realise the development of the site. ------ Take a look at the project here in more detail: Apartment Scheme Southwark

To our clients, colleagues and friends: I am proud to announce that on Jan 1st 2012 bdAr Architects and Designers changed its name to Rodić Davidson Architects. The practice has grown year on year since formation 5 ½ years ago and the change in name recognises Sinisa’s enormous contribution to the practice over the last 4 ½ of these years. Charlotte has also been promoted to be an Associate in the practice. We are really proud of the projects that we have worked on over the last 5 ½ years, many of which can be seen on our new website: rodicdavidson.co.uk Please feel free to take a look – I am sure many of you will recognise projects that you know (or even live in!). Aside from our change in trading name, all other aspects of the practice remain the same – and we really look forward to maintaining and building on our valued…

The office spent an enjoyable day in Slimbridge, Gloucestershire. Ashley, the manager of Wild Goose Lodge, brought us a fantastic picnic lunch a few miles downstream. The choice of transport was between walking, mountain biking or canoeing.

Our 2010 office Christmas trip was to the Architecture Biennale in Venice. Ben, Sinisa, Charlotte, Yeevon, Wei Han and Paul. Link to 5th September 2010 Guardian review: Guardian Review

Until the 2004 Housing Act there had been a lot of confusion and contradictory case law on the subject of what constituted a 'House in Multiple Occupation'. The new 2004 Housing Act tightened up the definition. The main element of the definition is that, in order for a house to be an HMO, there must be some sharing of facilities (baths, WCs and kitchens). On 6th April 2010, an amendment to the Use Classes Order introduced a definition of small-scale houses in multiple occupation (HMO) into the planning system. It split the previous Class C3 (dwellinghouses) into 2 seperate classes - Class C3 (dwellinghouses) and Class C4 (houses in multiple occupation). A change in April 2010 gave permitted development rights for changes of use from C4 to C3. and a further change later in the year (1st October 2010) made this permitted development reciprocal (i.e. C3 to C4 became Permitted Development). The effect of…

Ben's restoration and extension to the Old Bookshop in Buckinghamshire has been published in Build It magazine. Download the article here

10 October 2009: An office day out punting in Cambridge. Ben, Sinisa, Maddy, Andrew and others.

15th December 2009: an our office trip to Oslo. We enjoyed the snow and the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet building - which opened to the public in 2008. Charlotte, Sinisa, Ben, Andrew and Maddy.

A project disowned by Le Corbusier. Initially Le Corbusier's contribution to the postwar Berlin cityscape was meant to be part of the Interbau Building Exhibition of 1957 on the borders of the Tiergarten. However, when he announced his intention to build a massive 17-story "residential factory" containing 557 living units, the city authorities decided that they had better find him a suitable location of his own. The site offered to Le Corbusier was at the top of a hill in Charlottenburg with views across the city and immediately next door to Werner March's imposing national socialist architecture of the 1934 Olympic Stadium. Le Corbusier's design was one of his limited edition, off-the-peg unités d'habitation. Number three from a total of five in this series of giant residential buildings following those of Marseille and Nantes. The design for the unités was the result of Corbusier's long-term considerations about modern urban living.…