About us
One of the city’s top small architectural practices, London-based Scenario has been designing high-end, hard-working contemporary homes around the capital for more than a decade. Our contemporary house designs have featured in Elle Decoration, Dezeen and Houzz, and we’ve been shortlisted for several prestigious architecture prizes – including the 2018 RIBA London Awards for our landmark project, Scenario House.
In 2007, we established a boutique architecture practice in London with a uniquely collaborative process. Our clients’ objectives for high-functioning first-class architecture inform each of our modern house designs. Liveable, aspirational homes are the product of great communication and a firm understanding of every individual’s unique lifestyle. This understanding shows in our work, and it’s made Scenario one of the best small architectural practices in London.
Projects
Full renovation of a family home, exploring the connection between living spaces
The Scenario House, Stoke Newington during NLA Open house event
Starting your London project
London Architects Your London project
Most building projects in London require approval from the local authority. London architects can help you through the process, collaborating with council officials to see through your application. Scenario Architects has successfully steered clients through the permissions stage.
We’ve drawn up an illustrated synopsis to help guide you through the planning process for a London-based renovation, restoration, addition or new-build.
Focal Shift fire place, first project as local architects in Hackney E9
The Scenario House, Stoke Newington during NLA Open house event
2017
Your project
If you’re considering a high-end residential architectural practice, London based, we’re here to help, whether you’re tackling a renovation, extension or new-build.
Most architecture projects in London 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 the capital. We've created a brief illustrated overview to help you understand each stage of the process.
If you are thinking about starting an architectural project in London, be it a renovation, or an extension to an existing property or even a new build house we are here to help.
We created a brief and illustrated overview of the process to help you understand what to expect through the various stages of a residential, extension, renovation or new build project in London.
Most projects need planning permission from your local council.
TIP: To find out the actual track record which any architects you may be considering has with your local council, go to the planning application search page on your local council’s website and use the search by agent option.
Tip
Working with Scenario Architecture on your London project
London Architects Your London project
Our boutique studio specialises in residential architecture, offering bespoke services for home additions, renovations and new-builds. Based in Wandsworth, we practice across London and beyond.
A RIBA Chartered Practice, Scenario complies with the UK’s strict health and safety criteria. We collaborate closely with our clients throughout every stage of the process, from the design phase, through planning and construction. We aim to deliver every project on time and on budget.
Our skilled team works with the latest 3D design technology: real-time digital visualisations and virtual reality. We feel they are the most effective and efficient tools for seeing through our work, choosing fittings and simulating natural light.
This Chartered Institute of Building case study features a recent Scenario project, demonstrating the benefits of advanced technologies in designing for the domestic sphere.
Working with Scenario Architecture on your London project
Established in 2007, Scenario Architecture is a boutique architecture studio focused on the high-end residential sector, working extensively throughout and around London. We specialise in every scale and type of domestic project, from interior alterations, through full renovations and refurbishments to new build homes. We offer a full bespoke architecture service tailored to fit your requirements and aspirations.
Our friendly and highly skilled team has the knowledge, experience and expertise necessary to take you step-by-step through the challenging and exciting journey of creating your new home. We will work together with you in close collaboration from initial design, through detail design and planning all the way to tender, construction and successful completion of your project on time and within budget.
Scenario Architecture is an RIBA Chartered Practice, which essentially means that we are compliant with the RIBA (Royal Institute of Chartered Architects) strict criteria, covering insurance, health and safety and quality management systems.
As early adopters of latest technology, we use as a standard for all projects a verity of innovative 3D design and visualisation tools to create and communicate design with our clients. Our experience shows that Real-Time visualisations and Virtual Reality tours are extremely powerful tools to streamline the process of choosing material finishes fixtures and fittings as well as simulating realistic natural light conditions.
When we produce accurate and reliable construction information we use the latest 3D BIM technology, (BIM stands for Building Information Modelling) which means that all project information is derived from a single accurate and coordinated 3D model. Using this cutting-edge technology collaboratively with other consultants as well as contractors has proven to save time and cost for our clients.
A case study featuring one of our projects was published by the Chartered Institute of Building, demonstrating the great benefits of this advanced technology specifically with domestic projects.
Scenario Architecture in London deliver design and architectural expertise for residential projects. We were established in 2007 by Ran Ankory and Maya Carni who both trained with the AA School of Architecture. Scenario have grown to an award-winning team of nine. We have been featured in Dezeen and Elle Decoration UK.
Our highly experienced team of architects Stoke Newington work with clients using innovative 3D and Virtual Reality technology that simulates your new home before the first brick is even laid. This simulation technique allows you to see beautiful scenarios, designed to fit your life. An organic process, it often influences the choice of materials and design methods.
If you are looking for a top architects London, we can help with your project. We are a RIBA Chartered Practice and we operate across the following areas and postal districts: Camden, Dalston, Hackney, Hampstead, Highgate, Haringey, Islington, East London, Knightsbridge, Kensington and Chelsea, Mayfair, Notting Hill, North London, West London, West Hampstead, Shoreditch, Southwark, Stoke Newington, N1, N6, NW3, N16 and E5.
Full-width extension opens to the beautiful garden of this Victorian property
Complete renovation and extension of a family home
A glazed roof draws daylight deep into the plan
Scenario is an established architecture practice focusing on contemporary residential design. We take on projects of every scale and scope, from home refurbishment, renovation and expansions to new-builds.
Victorian renovations are more compassionate today than they’ve ever been, with homeowners striving to preserve architectural elements like decorative cornicing, ceiling roses, skirting boards and dada rails. Sash windows are being replaced by specially made wood reproductions and wood-burning fireplaces recouped after being sealed off for decades. Paint companies like Farrow & Ball have built multinationals out of replicating the de rigueur colours of Victorian times. And new tile ceramicists are bringing back traditional motifs with contemporary silhouettes, for front gardens and foyers. Hardwood floors have made a comeback, with timber salvage and reproduction going strong.
Most renovations focus on transforming the core of the home, and revolutionise the kitchen and bathrooms in the process. To recoup the extra floor area today’s families have become accustomed to, London architects are extending into voids in the lofts and side returns common in Victorians. Small period kitchens can open up into the side return without eradicating period features; in the recovered space, a corner can be reserved for a powder room or utility room. Ditto the loft: pushing up the ceiling and pushing out dormer windows can make new space available for an en suite bathroom.
With extending out into dead space comes the welcoming in of natural light. Upward-facing Velux windows become possible once the upper floor is properly extended and the main floor pushed out beyond the confines of the original footprint. If a second-storey extension is permitted in your plans, an internal void can bring natural light from the top floor downwards, and vice versa.
London Architects In our clients words
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 designed a kitchen extension for us, and we are delighted with the results. The process was well organised, planned and delivered, and the whole team were a pleasure to work with. I would highly recommend them for their design, planning and project management skills. 
Worked with these guys on the internal development of our office. From start to finish they were great. They got what we wanted first time and really made working with them very easy. Their aftercare has been great too helping us deal with something that they were not involved with in the first place. Will highly recommend them to anyone. See all Google reviews
Working with Scenario Architecture
One of the top architectural practices in London, Scenario is a boutique architecture studio 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 for 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) technology produces reliable construction information, so all our project data comes from an accurate 3D model. Using this cutting-edge technology collaboratively with consultants and contractors saves our clients time and money. A Chartered Institute of Building case study featuring a Scenario project demonstrates the great benefits of this advanced technology for domestic architecture.
Scenario Architecture 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 systems.
In our client's words
Dalston is less a defined London territory than it is a neighbourhood of like-minded people. Roughly defined in the west by the A10, the city’s oldest Roman-dug road, it floats between Clapton, Hoxton and Islington. But more than its geographical location, it expresses itself with its liberal, tolerant, international attitude.
The working-class population that first settled here in the 19th-century, rippling out from the Regents Canal, converted farmland into industrial sites and small Victorian cottages. They were joined by immigrants from multiple countries and religions, together building up a modest community outside the confines of the City of London. After a postwar slump, the neighbourhood came alive toward the end of the last century. Artists began settling here, spilling out from Hoxton and Shoreditch, seeking inexpensive post-industrial workspace, artistic freedom and places to exhibit their art. As per the rules of gentrification, young professionals and families followed. They’ve transformed the old warehouses, factories and stables into appealing and spacious homes. And in the brownfields between them, architects have designed experimental contemporary homes, creating housing where none existed while pushing the boundaries of their craft.
Live-work spaces, purpose-built apartment blocks and modern terrace housing have sprung up among the historic brick and contemporary timber constructions, giving the neighbourhood a dynamic and unpredictable character. People of all cultures and brackets live side-by-side, and businesses are popping up to serve them. They combine to make Dalston an area of great potential, for people who seek a multicultural atmosphere and an unconventional lifestyle.
If you’re a fan of heritage housing, look to the streets radiating east off Stoke Newington High Street and Kingsland Road. Streets like Forest Road and Richmond Road, leading to Gayhurst Community School and London Fields, are chock-a-block with tall, broad Victorian family homes and repurposed factories. With the old brick and ironwork maintained, new residents are slowly fixing them up and maximising their potential. Further north, Shacklewell Lane, Sandringham Road and St Marks Rise are attracting new buyers to the grand tree-lined streets. Homes here rise to four storeys, many of them in need of an upgrade. Buyers seeking a fixer-upper, or a tired family home on which to put a personal stamp, would have lots of opportunity here. At the heart of this enclave sits St Marks Dalston, one of the largest neighbourhood churches in the country – larger in area than Southwark Cathedral. Its Gothic rose window and French-inflected tower, built a century ago, dominate the road.
Loft extensions are more of a rule than an exception in Dalston, as are side-return kitchen extensions. Local architects like Scenario are well versed in the expansion and renovation process here, and manoeuvre their designs successfully through the planning and heritage departments. The results are often stripped-back, light-filled versions of the original Victorian architecture, offering vast entertaining spaces and private nooks for growing families.
Further Reading
British architects are some of the most distinguished and highly trained in the world. The long and noble history of creating good quality architecture across the British Isles has given our architecture schools a strong foundation, excellent instructors and a rich history of heritage properties. Beyond that, commitment within the industry to good-quality contemporary architecture and the pursuit of cutting-edge techniques and styles has pushed the nation’s architects to the top of the heap. Architecture practices in London and beyond from the Royal Institute of British Architects keep up with developments in technology and building codes as well as social codes, creating a contented work atmosphere on site.
To find a highly qualified, trustworthy architect, the RIBA website and its great cache of resources should be your first step. A professional membership body and watchdog, RIBA provides all the tools you need for discovering the best practitioners. After all, if you’re going to put your most valuable asset in someone else’s hands, it’s worth employing the gold standard: someone educated and experienced in house design, building and the nation’s rigorous planning regulations. A good architect is a problem-solver: fitting the rhythm of your life into the bones of your home and making sure everything can be achieved legally and financially. A great architect will create a bespoke space deeply attuned to your needs – not just today but in the future – incorporating special touches that make your life happier. 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 more fixing the mistakes they make themselves or entrust to a layman. RIBA has a project database of more than 40,000 case studies that can match you with precisely the specialist you need for your home within your budget.
Once you’ve found an architect you mesh with personally as well as on paper, the process of transforming your home will go more smoothly, from designing to your personal specifications and pushing those specs through the planning process to dealing with builders, trades and decorators on site. RIBA architects don’t make these claims lightly – their reputation depends on it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s The Difference Between Outline Planning and Permission In Principle?
Before taking on any major building project, it’s essential to apply for planning permission. This ensures that your project is legal and there are no land restrictions in place. Fail to get planning permission and you could be heavily fined or your project may even be ordered to be demolished (which could result in huge amounts of time and money down the drain).
A lot of people don’t realise that there are different types of planning permission - and that in some cases you can even choose between two different types. When proposing a self-build, there are two types of planning that you may be able to apply for: Outline Planning and Permission in Principle. Both types of planning permission have different benefits. This post explains exactly what the difference is between the two and how to tell which one is right for you.
What is Outline Planning?
Outline Planning is the older system of the two. It is used at an early stage to determine whether a proposal is likely to be approved by a planning committee. Unlike full planning permission, you do not have to submit all the details of your project straight away - it simply allows you to know early on whether the land can be built on and whether the basic concept has support. This prevents you wasting money on design and resources on a project that would never have been accepted anyway.The two stages of Outline Planning include:
Stage 1: (outline planning consent) this involves submitting a brief outline of your project early on to see if it is likely to be accepted in full.
Stage 2: (reserved matters) this involves submitting the details at a later date. At this stage, you’ll already have certainty that you can build on the land and carry out the brief concept of your project - you may simply have to tweak details if they are not approved.
Why choose Outline Planning?
Outline Planning is suitable for building projects of all sizes from building a small home to a large residential estate. When it comes to building entire streets of housing or large apartment blocks it is often the preferred option. It can also be used for small projects such as self-builds.An advantage of Outline Planning is that it has been around for so long and some planning committees are more comfortable with it when it comes to complex residential projects. A building that is to be evenly used for residential and commercial usage may benefit more from Outline Planning than Permission In Principle.
What is Permission in Principle?
Permission in Principle is the newer system of the two, having only been introduced as recently as 2016. It was introduced as a simplified version of Outline Planning to help make applying for planning permission easier.Like Outline Planning, you do not have to submit all the details of your project straight away. It is made up of two similar stages.
Stage 1: (Permission in Principle stage) this is used to determine whether the site is appropriate for your proposed project.
Stage 2: (technical details consent) this is the stage where you then get any details approved. By this stage, you’ll already be certain that you can build on your chosen land.
Unlike Outline Planning, Permission in Principle is targeted at smaller residential projects. To apply for this type of planning permission the project must meet these criteria:
— It must consist of no more than 1 to 9 dwellings. — It must occupy a total development space of under 1000 square metres. — It must be on a site under 1 hectare. — The majority of the floorspace must be used for residential use. Any commercial usage should be limited
Consequently, Permission in Principle tends to be well-suited to self-builds and small-scale housing developments. On top of being more simplified than Outline Planning, it is also generally the more affordable option.
Why choose Permission in Principle?
If you’re planning a self-build on an area of land less than a hectare, you may find that this form of planning permission is ideal for you. The simplified approach of Permission in Principle can make it much easier to negotiate than Outline Planning. Unless you’re planning something fairly complex, you may prefer to stick to this form of planning permission.The Permission in Principle application is also cheaper, making it ideal for those on a tight budget. If you’re unsure as to whether your plans will be accepted and don’t want to spend huge amounts of money on something that could well be rejected, applying for Permission in Principle could save you some money.
Outline Planning vs Permission in Principle: A quick summary
The pros and cons of each are as follows:The pros of Outline Planning
— Ideal for projects of all sizes — Better suited to complex projects in which residential and commercial usage may be blurred
The cons of Outline Planning
— Application process is more complex than Permission in Principle — Typically costs more than Permission in Principle process
The pros of Permission in Principle
— A simplified application process for simple construction projects — More affordable than Outline Planning
The cons of Permission in Principle
— Not suitable for large building projects — Not suitable for heavily commercial projects (projects should be primarily residential)
Deciding between Outline Planning and Permission in Principle
You may still not know which planning permission route is right for you. Possibly the best way to choose between the two could be to consult in the advice of an architect. There are architectural practices in London that can help you to work out the best suited route for you.An architect may also be able to help you with the application process itself. With the help of an architect, you can also be sure that any plans submitted are professionally designed. Start searching now for a suitable architect to work with so that you can get your project underway.
