Balham Architects
About us
The diverse residential architecture of Balham – not to mention its convenient position on the Northern Line – makes it a highly coveted and accessible neighbourhood in Southwest London. The neighbourhood is known for substantial brick homes of all eras tucked into quiet residential streets. Wherever you live in the area, a vast park or top restaurant is never far away.
Nestled amongst a vibrant community of diverse individuals, Balham boasts an impressive selection of cafes, restaurants, and shops that cater to every taste bud and retail desire. With charming local pubs and unique independent retailers, as well as larger chain stores, Balham truly has something for everyone to enjoy.
We established Scenario in 2007 with a vision to develop a uniquely collaborative architecture. We take a considered approach to our clients’ desires, placing their aspirations for a new, architect-designed home in high definition. The clients’ needs are the main drivers of our design process.
A highly functional home is the product of a deep understanding and precise analysis of each homeowner’s unique lifestyle. That shows in our work. Scenario’s tailor-made homes tell the story of our clients – not ourselves. Our landmark project Scenario House, was covered widely by the media and shortlisted for several prestigious architecture awards – including the 2018 RIBA London Awards.
Scenario Architecture is a RIBA-chartered practice on top of the latest methods and technology. Founders Ran Ankory and Maya Carni, graduates of London’s Architectural Association, take a fresh, inventive approach to expanding and revamping period properties. Building an extensive portfolio of residential projects throughout London, they see the city’s most diverse neighbourhoods as their backyard.
With more than a decade’s experience adding vaulted spaces and graceful curves to classic period homes, Ran and Maya have earned their place as London architects of choice: changing the architectural landscape house by house. Their work has featured in Elle Decoration, Dezeen, Houzz and Ideal Home.
Your Balham project
If you’re considering a residential architectural project in Balham, we’re here to help, whether it’s a renovation, extension or new-build.
We’ve created a brief illustrated overview to help you understand each stage of the process, whether you’re planning a home extension, renovation or new-build in Balham.
Most architecture projects in Balham require planning permission from Wandsworth Council. With our successful record securing planning permission on behalf of our clients, we can claim home advantage across residential London.
Tip
Discover if your chosen 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.
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.
Working with Scenario Architecture
Scenario is a boutique architecture studio focused on high-end residential projects in and around London. We tackle projects of every scale and complexity, from interior refurbishments to full renovations and new-builds, through our bespoke architecture service.
Our experienced, highly skilled team can take you step-by-step through the challenge of designing your space. We’ll collaborate closely from the initial design and planning through tender and construction to the successful completion of your project. On time and on budget.
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.
Early adopters of the latest technology, we use 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 and fittings, and simulating natural light. We use 3D building information modelling (BIM) to produce reliable construction information, so all our data comes from an accurate 3D model. Using this technology collaboratively with consultants and contractors is proven to save 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.
Balham Architects
In our client's words
Balham Architects
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.
Balham Architects
Great, professional service. Good drawings and models and ultimately passed planning at the first attempt with Hackney Council. Would certainly recommend!
Balham Architects
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.
Balham Architects
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'.
Balham Architects
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.
Further Reading
Balham, located in the Southwest of London, is not just any ordinary neighbourhood. It’s a blend of diverse residential architecture and easy access to the Northern Line. The area boasts of substantial brick homes from different eras lining the peaceful residential streets. Balham combines convenience with luxury, with numerous top restaurants and vast parks located just a stone’s throw away. Come and be a part of the highly coveted neighbourhood in Southwest London, where convenience meets style.
Located just minutes away from Clapham Common, Brixton, Victoria Station and Tooting Bec, Balham has everything you need right on your doorstep. With direct trains to Gatwick Airport in less than half an hour, travelling has never been easier. Not only is Balham affordable compared to other Central London areas, but it’s also becoming one of the most sought-after places to live in the capital.
Balham is a vibrant and exciting area bursting with personality. The local community is diverse, resulting in an eclectic mix of cafes, restaurants and shops to suit every need. From quaint pubs to major retailers, there’s something for everyone here. Check out our recent blog post for a comprehensive guide to living in Balham.
Frequently Asked Questions
- As a dynamic practice operating in London’s premium residential market, managing projects remotely and conducting virtual meetings was a very familiar territory for us, long before the pandemic began and ‘working remotely’ became the norm.
- Our clients have very busy lifestyles and may move between several different locations, both within the UK and beyond, during the lifecycle of a typical project.
- To accommodate such client needs and enable us to run their projects smoothly we had all the technology and know-how associated with remote working in place for several years.
- Read our full (Virtual) Process
- 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.
- The decision period clock only starts ticking once the application is validated by the Council, This requires then to check that the forms are completed correctly and that the submission contains all the necessary drawings, statements and reports.
- Although required by law to provide a decision within the statutory eight weeks period, it is not uncommon for councils to miss the deadline of the consideration period, normally only by a few days, sometimes longer.
- In some cases the council may ask us as your agent for an extension of time, this may be requested due to internal reasons or as an acceptable result of a professional discussion that we are conducting with them about certain aspects of the application that they are not sure about.
- Our experience shows that planning officers respond better to projects when they feel consulted and collaborated with. We find that when we truly listen to their often helpful and valid feedback and treat them as consultants for the projects and not representative of an evil enforcing authority, they tend to collaborate well with us and demonstrate increased flexibility.
- Although the council in theory have eight weeks to consider your application, in practice they are constantly overloaded. They will only look at your application in the last few days of the consideration period. If this is the first time that they come across a scheme that they were never consulted about, our chance to secure permission for you in a single attempt is significantly compromised.
- The standard practice is for the council to consider the full planning application as submitted and then issue a yes or no decision. Case officers are not required or even encouraged to enter a discussion with us or accept resubmission of minor changes to the proposed scheme during the consideration period.