London Architects Studio Bark - Read About The Studio Here

About our Practice
Meet the Team
Awards and Selected Press

Studio Bark is an award-winning architecture practice creating high quality, sensitive, environmental design.

Studio Bark is a young studio with a great passion for designing outstanding architecture and challenging the status quo. We:

Design
We have a successful track record securing planning permission for ambitious designs on challenging sites across the UK. Our portfolio of built work encompasses residential and community projects with a specialism in bespoke homes and have extensive experience delivering projects through Paragraph 80 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). In addition to architectural design services outlined in the Bark Client Journey, we offer site finding and site evaluation services drawing upon our detailed knowledge of planning policy.

Build
Depending on the project, specialist construction and fabrication services can be provided through our contracting arm, Studio Bark Projects. We have developed the widely-published U-Build flat pack construction system for aspiring self build clients.

Teach
Through continuous dialogue with academia, we periodically run educational construction projects to explore the rich territory between speculative design work and on-site pragmatism.

Innovate
We challenge outdated ideas about architecture, construction, education, and modern business management.

Wilf is a founding member of Studio Bark, Studio Bark Projects and the recently launched U-Build construction system. He is a passionate and diverse practitioner, who enjoys designing and making beautiful spaces. He believes that the very best of architectural manifestation is born from the combined understanding of people and nature. His approach to design transcends into finished buildings; designed for the people within them and for the environment around them. He has an eye for detail and loves working with innovative, natural and locally sourced materials, culminating in his unique understanding of low energy construction techniques.

Wilf completed his undergraduate architecture studies at the University of Brighton and went on to complete his masters at the University of East London. In addition, he has an MA in Sustainability and Design. During his professional career, he has taken a leading role in a number of ambitious live-build projects, working collaboratively with diverse teams to deliver a range of interesting buildings and structures. This work has led him to become an expert in ‘true self-build’ and one of the pioneers of the empowering U-Build system. He is a keen public speaker, who is always ready to be involved in constructive dialogue on social, political and environmental issues.

Steph has been a member of Studio Bark since its formal beginnings in 2014, becoming a director in 2016. He is also a founding member of U-Build, an innovative ‘true self-build’ construction system. During his architectural education at the Mackintosh School of Architecture and London Metropolitan University, Steph combined his time in the studio by getting his hands dirty working on a number of small scale construction projects. His on site experience has translated into a deep understanding of construction and a love for working with natural materials. He now shares this knowledge and experience with students during Bark Live Builds and the Construction Week programme at the University of East London.

With a shared passion for the preservation of the natural environment combined with a passion for design, Steph is able to draw on the unique qualities of a site and translate a brief into something coherent and sensitive. He sees each project as an opportunity to explore new, environmentally focused ideas to create unique and beautiful, low impact designs. In the studio, he brings a rigorous design eye and plays a leading role in design discussions. Often defaulting to the pencil and drawing board, he is able to quickly visualise and represent ideas. He has played a key role in number of successful Paragraph 79 applications including, Pivot House, Billingford House and Water Farm. His other notable projects include Holloway Lightbox, Ebenezer House and Marsh House.

Nick is a founding member of Studio Bark Projects and the U-Build construction system, and a Director of Studio Bark. His experience spans environmental architecture, traditional carpentry, government funded research programmes, and deep energy retrofits. He creates a style of architecture that is thoughtfully considered, environmentally responsible, and highly emotive. Nick is a specialist in Paragraph 79, having led a national study into the policy on behalf of the studio. The study, launched in 2018 and still ongoing, has resulted in the National Paragraph 79 database, which gives the practice an unparalleled wealth of knowledge on this forward thinking policy.

Nick is also our in-house Passivhaus Designer and has contributed to a number of journals and publications, including the Environmental Design Pocketbook and the Passivhaus Designer’s Manual. He speaks regularly at events on behalf of the studio and was named a ‘Rising Sustainability Star’ by Building magazine in 2014. His knowledge of zero waste and circular economy thinking helps drive many of the decisions made within the practice, and his experience with Building Performance Evaluation helps to make sure that our buildings don’t just look good, they also perform.

Lauren is an architect with a passion for material exploration supported by environmental design. Lauren joined the studio in 2021 having previously worked at Mae, where she worked on a mixture of large scale housing developments and smaller community buildings.

In 2019 Lauren was part of a small group that founded Architects Climate Action Network, ACAN and as part of her continued environmental advocacy Lauren sits on the ACAN Steering Group and regularly speaks at environmental seminars and international events.

Lauren has previously worked in welding and fabrication workshops and still enjoys the odd weekend in the wood workshop.

Sarah’s passion for hand-drawing is central to her design process, complimenting the team’s creativity methodology.

Alongside her architectural design work, Sarah sits on the RIBA Guerilla Tactics Steering Group and is an active member of the Architects Climate Action Network, coordinating the Education Group during its first year of activity. Sarah is passionate about architectural education and has been a studio tutor at the University of East London and a visiting reviewer at the Sheffield School of Architecture. During 2020/21 she has worked closely on the educational live-build programme ‘No Building As Usual’, addressing climate change and diversity in education.

Prior to working at Studio Bark, Sarah worked with local authorities and community groups across Yorkshire. This provided a valuable framework for understanding planning processes, policy and the complexities of delivering high quality spaces.

Tom is an architect with experience across a diversity of scales and typologies, from installations and temporary structures to low-energy residential and public buildings. Prior to joining Studio Bark, he worked for artist Wolfgang Buttress and was a core member of the competition-winning team for the highly-acclaimed UK Pavilion (now ‘the Hive at Kew’).

Tom has a passion for the experiential potential of architecture, including it’s poetic and performative aspects. His specialisms include environmental design, parametric modelling and digital fabrication. Tom studied at the University of Nottingham where he has also taught and is currently a studio tutor at UEL.

Hannah is interested in how the built environment effects user experience. She has developed her passion for environmental and affordable design working on a number of community building projects. Hannah joined the studio after graduating from the University of Sheffield’s Collaborative Practice course, and has worked on a number of residential and education projects in London and Sheffield.

Naomi joined Studio Bark in 2021 and has fast become a much-valued member of our small team.

In previous roles, Naomi has specialised in residential projects in rural settings. These projects necessitated a highly sensitive approach to local character and design development, which she skilfully brings to her work at Studio Bark.

Prior to joining Studio Bark, Naomi graduated from the University of Edinburgh with her final thesis exploring ground conditions and our human responsibility to exploration, sensitivity and questioning relationship to our physical environment.