What Community Sports Clubs Need to Know Before Appointing an Architect

by Imran Jahn on Apr 23, 2026

Dusk view of Sutton Churches Tennis Club pavilion by RISE Design Studio, showing exposed glulam timber roof structure and vertical timber cladding with courts beyond.

Lessons from designing Sutton Churches Tennis Club's new low-carbon clubhouse - and what every club committee should ask before the process begins.

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Topics: Sustainable architecture Planning permission Community Architecture Sports Architecture Appointing an Architect Mass Timber AECB CarbonLite Sutton Churches Tennis Club

Scallop House: From Concept to Developed Design

by Sean Hill on Apr 14, 2026

Buff lime render rear extension on Victorian yellow-brick terrace, Stoke Newington N16 CGI. Japanese garden, timber deck and oak kitchen visible. RISE Design Studio London.

Winston Road, N16 - Victorian Rear Extension, Stoke Newington

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Topics: Sustainable architecture Planning permission Sustainable Natural Materials Clay Plaster rear extension stoke newington victorian terrace Hackney Low-Energy Design Lime render

The Real Cost of Building a New Home in London in 2026

by Sean Hill on Mar 31, 2026

Hampstead House new build replacement dwelling North London, grey brick facade with vertical timber battens, contemporary house between period neighbours, street elevation at dusk.

So you've decided to build from scratch. Now comes the question everyone asks and almost nobody answers honestly.

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Topics: Passivhaus Sustainable architecture Planning permission London New build self build London Architecture hampstead low energy home New Build House Construction Costs Passivhaus London North London

Scallop House: A Sculptural Rear Extension in Stoke Newington

by Sean Hill on Mar 25, 2026

Sculptural pink lime render rear extension on Victorian terrace, Stoke Newington. Curved cylindrical columns frame glazed doors opening to garden. Scallop House by RISE Design Studio N16

Winston Road, London N16 - Rear Extension

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Topics: Sustainable architecture rear extension stoke newington victorian terrace Winston Road N16 Scallop House Hackney Low-Energy Design

The Real Cost of a House Extension in London in 2026

by Sean Hill on Mar 19, 2026

Glazed rear extension to a Victorian terraced house in London featuring sculpted timber arches, swimming pool and mature garden planting - illustrating high-specification house extension design and construction costs in London in 2026.

So you've decided to extend. Now comes the question nobody gives you a straight answer to.

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Topics: Passivhaus Sustainable architecture Renovation London house extension London Architecture low energy home Construction Costs EnerPHit London North West London

Biophilic design has become a buzzword. Here is what it actually means to do it well.

by Sean Hill on Mar 18, 2026

Biophilic kitchen extension in Notting Hill with full-height black-framed sliding glazing, timber-clad ceiling, rooflight, and lush fern garden planting. Indoor-outdoor living by RISE Design Studio, London architects specialising in sustainable residential design.

Somewhere between Instagram and the interiors press, biophilic design stopped meaning something. It became shorthand for a fiddle-leaf fig and a linen sofa. We want to unpick that, because the real thing, done properly, is one of the most transformative things you can do to a home.

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Topics: Notting Hill Architects architect Kensington Chelsea biophilic design London kitchen extension Notting Hill RBKC architects Passivhaus London sustainable home design EnerPHit London

Why We Give Our Time to Architecture That Matters: RISE Design Studio & the Paddington Old Cemetery Chapels

by Sean Hill on Mar 11, 2026

Architectural concept visualisation of a glazed contemporary pavilion designed by RISE Design Studio within the courtyard of the Grade II listed Victorian Gothic chapels at Paddington Old Cemetery, Queen's Park, London

Every year, RISE Design Studio commits a set number of hours to charitable and community projects - work we believe in, offered pro bono. Right now, that commitment is focused on one of London's most compelling heritage and community stories: the restoration of the Victorian Gothic ch …

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Topics: Community Architecture Queen's Park Sustainable Architect Pro bono

What a Sketch Taught Me About Leadership, Sustainability and the Non-Linear Path

by Sean Hill on Mar 6, 2026

A Career Path As It Actually Looks - diagram presented at an IWD lecture showing a winding route with dead ends, a reminder that progress is never linear

Published for International Women's Day 2026

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Scallop House: A Rear Extension in Stoke Newington

by Sean Hill on Mar 1, 2026

Close-up of curved pink lime render columns flanking a tall arched window, Scallop House Stoke Newington. Kitchen visible beyond. Victorian terrace extension by RISE Design Studio London.

Stoke Newington is a neighbourhood that wears its layers lightly. Victorian terraces line streets that have absorbed wave after wave of change - yet the area retains a quiet coherence. Gardens are generous. Brickwork is warm. The pace of life is slower than the city that surrounds it.

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Topics: Low Energy Homes rear extension stoke newington curved architecture victorian terrace circular rooflight