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Journal

11 things we consider when designing an eco home

A low, contemporary pale-brick house with a timber-screened upper storey, deep roof overhangs and full-height glazing opening to a paved terrace, set among trees and reflected in a natural planted pond, with a boulder and a dog on the near bank. RISE Design Studio.

A good eco home isn't a matter of bolting on green features. It comes from a set of decisions made in the right order, from the orientation of the building down to the last junction.

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Stone, durability and reuse: a conversation with Artorius Faber

Title card for a conversation on natural stone: two men, Sean Ronnie Hill of RISE Design Studio and Edward Smith of Artorius Faber, stand against a wall of large raw quarried stone blocks, with the Artorius Faber logo. RISE Design Studio.

The materials we choose say a lot about how we value what we build, and few of them repay that attention like stone.

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Reinventing Timber: A New Chapter in Sustainable Building

A detailed view of three stacked Superwood planks in varying warm tones, showcasing the fine grain and engineered density of this sustainable, high-performance timber alternative developed for low-carbon architectural applications.

One of the quieter shifts happening in construction materials research is worth paying attention to. Superwood, a bio-based material produced through a process that works at the cellular level of timber, is beginning to demonstrate properties that challenge the assumption that strengt …

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Beyond Repair, Built for Tomorrow: Crafting a Contemporary Rural Home near Faversham

Visualisation of a modern barn-style replacement dwelling near Faversham, Kent, designed by RISE Design Studio. The sustainable home features natural timber cladding, a pitched metal roof, open-plan living spaces and large openings connecting to the rural landscape.

Hidden behind a screen of wild grasses and hedgerow just outside Faversham sits a plot that tells a story many know but few want to face: a house that once served its time, now left to the elements, a shell clinging to life it no longer has. When we first stepped onto this patch of Ke …

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How to find the right architect for your London home

Sean Ronnie Hill and Imran Jahn, Directors of RISE Design Studio, in conversation in a studio, one seen from behind in the foreground, the other listening across a desk. Between them a large monitor shows a 3D render of a low-rise residential scheme. A timber staircase and warm interior sit behind. RISE Design Studio.

Designing or renovating a home in London is a chance to change how you live and how lightly the house sits on the planet, and getting it right starts with choosing the right architect. There are plenty of architects in London, but not all of them share your priorities or understand wh …

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Do I Need Planning Permission for a Shed or Garden Office? A Guide to Building Sustainable Outbuildings

A modern garden office studio designed by RISE Design Studio, built with sustainable timber, natural light and a green roof, sitting quietly in a London back garden — showing how a permitted outbuilding can add purposeful, low-impact space to your home.

At some point, many of us outgrow our homes — not in spirit, but in space. A quiet garden office, a sturdy shed, a timber studio for work, play or simply to sit still. These aren’t just buildings — they’re small revolutions in how we choose to live, lightly and purposefully.

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Why an Architectural Feasibility Study Matters

Section drawing of Douglas House in Kensal Rise showing sustainable features such as external blinds, green roof, lowered floor, winter sunlight path, cross ventilation and dual aspect layout, used to support early-stage feasibility studies and passive design strategies.

Every project begins long before a spade touches soil. It starts in that hazy, hopeful place where ideas spark and dreams form — and where the wise pause to ask: Is this really possible?

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Mews Houses: Breathing New Life into London’s Best-Kept Secrets

Interior of a renovated London mews house designed by RISE Design Studio, featuring a minimalist staircase in warm timber, marble kitchen surfaces, and brass fixtures—blending sustainable materials with elegant, modern detailing in a compact, efficient layout.

London holds many stories. Some are loud and proud. Others whisper.

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A New Standard for Living: Why Passivhaus Matters

Exterior view of a sustainable low energy London home designed by RISE Design Studio, featuring high-performance insulation, triple-glazed windows, and a contemporary aesthetic aligned with Passivhaus principles.

At RISE, we believe that architecture has the power to restore balance—between people and planet, cost and comfort, purpose and performance. The buildings we design must rise to meet more than just today’s needs. They must lead. They must inspire. They must work.

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A Padel Court Under the Westway

Indoor padel court concept by RISE Design Studio, with a green playing surface and net, pale mesh perimeter walls, a fully glazed end wall opening onto a planted living wall, and a large rooflight with linear ceiling lighting above.

Drive west out of central London and you pass under the Westway without really seeing it. Most of us do. It is a road on stilts, a long grey ribbon of concrete carrying traffic over the rooftops of Notting Hill and Ladbroke Grove. Underneath, in the gaps between the columns, the city …

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