Keep up to date with planning news, sketchbook ideas, press and publications here.
By Paul
TAS Architects has designed a new low energy sustainable home in Hertfordshire for a couple and their four children. Our brief was to provide spacious and versatile living areas that maximise natural light and provide a feeling of a cozy, warm home that’s comfortable and functional. The home is orientated to make the most of the sloping south-facing garden and...
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By Lizzie
We were delighted to find out that our Listed Building Extension has been Highly Commended at the RIBA Suffolk Design Awards 2022. The judges said, “A fun, yet well-articulated, contemporary addition to this a timber framed home, bringing much needed height and light into the property and a connection to its well-established garden. Taking its lead from the...
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By Lizzie
We were delighted when Homebuilding & Renovating Magazine asked if they could feature Loxley Stables in their October 2022 issue. The article focuses on Paul and Sophie’s self-build house, but expands on the collaborative nature of the three-house development and the context of the build. The development is rural and within the curtilage of a listed...
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By Christophe
In June 2022, new Building Regulations came into effect that have a significant impact on new build homes and home improvements. From now on, new homes must produce 30% less carbon emissions than current standards. Those looking to extend or renovate a home will also face more stringent regulations. To mitigate the higher cost of necessary measures, it’s important...
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By Lizzie
Finding a site on which to build a new home in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is a wonderful opportunity. It can be extremely difficult to gain planning permission in an AONB for a new home on an empty plot – though not impossible. A more accessible option is to find a site with an existing dwelling and create a design for a new home that considers...
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By Christophe
All new build projects, and most extensions, require planning permission from the local authority. For some projects this can seem like a leap into the unknown. If the plot or house is in a sensitive area or presents a new style to a neighbourhood, for example, it can be impossible to guess whether permission will be granted. In these cases, one option is to open a...
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By Paul
Today, sustainability needs to be central to the design process. We were delighted that RIBA has created its 2030 Climate Challenge, which we’ve signed up to. This campaign aims to help architects design with a “climate conscious trajectory”. It’s a set of voluntary performance targets in three areas for sustainable architecture: operational energy use, water...
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By Paul
2021 was a great year for architecture awards for TAS Architects! Following on from winning two RIBA awards for Woodside Mews and Manor Ridge Barns, we have won two awards with the Hertfordshire Association of Architects (HAA). In an online awards ceremony, the HAA team announced that our new build scheme Loxley Stables, located just outside Tring, won in both the...
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By Christophe
We’re delighted to have been granted planning permission for the full refurbishment of a beautiful townhouse in Notting Hill. This application for a London house extension was more complicated than some, involving significant liaison with the Westminster planning department and a specific focus on protecting urban greenery. The four-storey family home currently has...
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By Lizzie
While the impact of buildings on the environment is coming under a brighter spotlight, so is the impact of buildings on the people who inhabit them. More people are keen to live in dwellings that bring in lots of natural light, for example, and maintain a comfortable temperature. Increasingly, home owners are paying attention to how the fabric of their homes could...
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By Paul
When people reach retirement age, they often start to consider their living situation. They might choose to downsize, to relocate to somewhere they’ve always dreamed of living or to move to a home that they know will suit them no matter what the future holds. For someone opting for the latter move, they will probably have several priorities. Single-storey living is...
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By Paul
We recently gained planning permission for an exciting project: the creation of a highly sustainable, new-build, single-storey dwelling in a secluded location in Hertfordshire. Our client is extremely keen to take a pioneering approach, using the most sustainable techniques and materials possible. When complete, Long Barn will be a shining example of how carbon...
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