A studio of top London architects, Scenario has been designing high-end, hard-working contemporary homes across the capital for more than a decade. Their residential projects have featured in Elle Decoration, Dezeen and Houzz and have been shortlisted for several prestigious architecture prizes – including the 2018 RIBA London Awards.
We established our boutique firm in 2007 with a vision to develop a uniquely collaborative process by top London architects, where the clients’ objectives for high-functioning architecture are the main drivers. A liveable, aspirational home is the product of a deep understanding of each homeowner’s unique lifestyle: that shows in our work.
Your London project
Starting your London project
If you’re considering a high-end residential architect for your London project, we’re here to help, whether you’re tackling a renovation, extension or new-build.
Most architecture projects in the capital require planning permission from the local council. With our successful record securing planning permission on behalf of our clients, we can claim home advantage across London.
We’ve created a brief illustrated overview to help you understand each stage of the process.
To help you understand what it takes to obtain planning permission across London, we’ve created this helpful handbook. Download it below.
Tip
Discover if your architect has had success steering planning applications through your local council. Visit the “planning applications” page of your council’s website and enter the architect’s name in the search criteria.Advice
We have created guides for homeowners to provide additional advice and help with your project. The following eBooks are currently available for you to download:1. Planning in London and the home counties - A guide for homeowners
2. Self build - A guide to building your own new build home
Your London project >> Scenario Architecture
Working with Scenario Architecture on your London project
Scenario are top London architects focused on high-end residential projects in and around the capital. Through our bespoke architecture service, we tackle projects of every scale and complexity, from interior alterations and refurbishments to full renovations and new-builds.
Our highly skilled team can walk you step-by-step through the challenge of designing your new space. We collaborate closely with our clients from the initial drawings, detail design and planning through tender and construction to the project’s successful completion. On time and on budget.
We use innovative 3D design and visualisation tools as a standard on all projects. Our experience shows that real-time visualisations and virtual reality are efficient tools for choosing finishes, fixtures and fittings, and simulating natural light.
Our expertise with 3D building information modelling (BIM) produces reliable construction information, so all our project data comes from an accurate, coordinated 3D model. Using this cutting-edge technology collaboratively with consultants and contractors saves our clients time and money. This Chartered Institute of Building case study featuring a Scenario project demonstrates the great benefits of this advanced technology for domestic architecture.
Scenario is a RIBA Chartered Practice. We comply with the strict criteria of the Royal Institute of Chartered Architects, covering insurance, health and safety and quality-management.
Further Reading
Some would argue London architects are the most prestigious and best trained in the world. This is because of the city’s reputation for defining architectural styles throughout history and, more recently, for its creative rebuilding and repurposing after the Second World War. Our architecture schools attract top instructors and students from around the world, replenishing the talent pool for future generations. London’s architects set themselves apart by committing to innovative contemporary mediums and learning cutting-edge techniques. Top London architects keep up with developments in technology and building through their association with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), creating contented work atmospheres in the office and on site.
The delicate nature of many old properties in the capital, along with the city’s complicated planning and building regulations, means starting an architectural project can be daunting. To find a top London architect, search the RIBA website and its cache of resources first. The industry’s professional body and watchdog, RIBA provides the tools homeowners require for discovering a trustworthy practice. It keeps a database of more than 40,000 case studies that match homeowners with the specialists they need within every budget.
A great architect should be a problem-solver first and foremost: fitting the rhythm of your life into a physical shape and making sure every element of your home can be achieved structurally legally and financially. The professional you choose should create a bespoke space deeply attuned to your needs – not just today but in the future. He or she will be able to design special touches that make your life more efficient and pleasurable. Less a costly investment or superfluous expense, a great architect is a value-adder, paying for him or herself over and over. Many homeowners, in an effort to cut costs, end up spending much more to fix the mistakes they make themselves or entrust to a layman.
Once you’ve found an architect you can see yourself working alongside, the transformation of your home will start to move more smoothly. You’ll have the support of an experienced practitioner, beginning from the party walls and working inward, designing hard-working spaces like the kitchen and bathrooms and pushing all those detailed specifications through the planning process. You’ll have a liaison to deal with builders, trades and decorators on site.
By the end of the building process, you’ll have a home you’ll want to live in forever. At the very least, it’ll increase in value for you and any potential buyer.
In our clients words
Great ideas and vision to help with our substantial improvement of a Victorian terrace. In our experience Scenario's method prioritises the final result. That may mean more professional fees or higher quotes from contractors, as they understand the exact requirements.
Great, professional service. Good drawings and models and ultimately passed planning at the first attempt with Hackney Council. Would certainly recommend!
Scenario Architecture have created an outstanding design and space that was beyond my expectations. The design was through their unique process of understanding the client’s daily scenarios and collaborating with the client to come up with a unique design. The design process is one of the most memorable parts of the process and they also stretched my existing ideas to help create this unique space. A stress free journey throughout the whole process which Scenario were indispensable by giving advice on many difficult design and build decisions.
We wanted to renovate our house in a conservation area in central London. Given this involved a complete demolition and new build with an extra floor on top, getting planning approval was always going to be tricky. Scenario did an amazing job on the new house 'envelope' and throughout the planning phase. We couldn't have wished for better from them and having succeeded in gaining planning approval owe them a very big 'thank you'.
Scenario were great at thinking imaginatively and coming up with a design for a ground floor extension that was more ambitous than other architects we spoke to. They also helped us find a contractor who was able to complete the project working within timescale and our tight budget. I would recommend for mid to large sized projects with sufficient budget to allow for full utilisation of their creativity.ADVICE
FAQ
- Scenario based design – We start each and every project with a meticulous analysis of our client’s vision, requirements and aspirations. We do this by asking our clients to imagine their everyday scenarios living in the completed house and describe their desired interaction with it.
- Uniquely interactive - Our client’s deep involvement in the process does not stop with completion of the brief. Our design meetings are highly interactive, informal and fun.
- Designed to reflect you – Based purely on your lifestyle, aspirations and requirements and free from externally imposed concepts, metaphors and pre-conceptions, a completely fresh and unique design will gradually emerge and it will tell your story not ours.
- Collaborative – We start the conversation with planners early and advise most of our clients to seek pre-planning advice prior to submission of a full planning application. Our experience shows that when properly consulted and liaised with, most planning case officers will be receptive to conduct a professional dialogue, increasing chances of successes.
- Strategic – We tailor a custom planning strategy for each project based on its circumstances such as planning history, local context and specific challenging elements. We sometimes split applications or introduce minor tweaks to the scheme during the consideration period in conversation with the officers to prevent one contentious element from jeopardising approval of the main scheme.
- Professional – Our experience shows that the quality and clarity of the submission in terms of background research, planning history of the property and context, precedent and of course the arguments presented to support the case has a tremendous effect on success rate.