Overheating in UK homes: why fabric-first design matters more than ever
by Sean Ronnie Hill on Dec 17, 2025
For years, the UK built homes to keep heat in. Now we are discovering the uncomfortable truth: many of them cannot keep heat out.
Most London extensions are beautifully designed. And they will be expensive to run for the next fifty years
by Sean Ronnie Hill on Dec 10, 2025
There is a particular pattern we see repeatedly in prime London residential projects. The design is considered. The materials are excellent. The kitchen is extraordinary. And the energy performance of the building has barely been thought about.
AI in construction - tools that give time back to humans
by Sean Ronnie Hill on Dec 9, 2025
Construction doesn’t have a technology problem. It has a time, focus, and energy problem.
Designing Retail Spaces for the Slow Fashion Economy
by Sean Ronnie Hill on Dec 7, 2025
The future of retail won’t be built on speed. It will be built on meaning.
Origami House: A Folded Copper Extension for a Victorian Terrace in Haringey
by Sean Ronnie Hill on Dec 5, 2025
Late Victorian terraces are some of London’s most understated masterpieces. Calm, rhythmic façades - repeating brick, sash windows and front gardens - form the familiar streetscape loved by generations. Yet, behind those façades are homes adapting to 21st-century life. Our Haringey pr …
Biophilic Architecture in London: A Low-Energy Retrofit Rooted in Nature
by Sean Ronnie Hill on Nov 26, 2025
Biophilic architecture in London has never been more relevant. As families seek healthier homes, lower energy bills and deeper daily connection with nature, retrofit becomes a powerful tool for transformation. Twelve Arches embodies this shift.
RISE in Print: A West London Architect’s Perspective in Domus Nova’s Autumn Edition
by Sean Ronnie Hill on Nov 26, 2025
Our feature in Domus Nova’s Autumn Edition Some moments arrive quietly yet carry weight. Our inclusion in Domus Nova’s Autumn Edition is one of them. As a West London architect working at the intersection of sustainability and design, being invited into this publication feels like a r …
Corten House, Kensal Rise
by Sean Ronnie Hill on Nov 21, 2025
A Low-Energy Retrofit for Modern Living in Kensal Rise Some houses whisper their limitations the moment you step inside. Corten House was one of them. A classic Kensal Rise property with solid bones but a layout shaped for another era: tight rooms, minimal daylight, disconnected livin …
Cold Water in Hyde Park, Before the City Decides
by Sean Ronnie Hill on Nov 21, 2025
There’s something quietly surreal about walking through Hyde Park before sunrise. The city hasn't committed to the day yet. The light is grey-blue, the air carries that particular cold that sits in the chest, and somewhere near the Serpentine you get the first whisper of: what exactly …
A Shift to Credibility: Why Net Zero Buildings Demand More From All of Us
by Sean Ronnie Hill on Nov 21, 2025
There was a quiet honesty in the seminar I attended, led by the sustainability consultants Eight Versa, on the new UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard. Behind the charts, targets and timelines was a simple call to action for our industry:
