Studio
At Charles Barclay Architects we believe architecture should be inspiring and creative as well as functional. During the design phase we devote the necessary time with our clients to finding the best architectural solution for their situation. We then take great care over the architectural details and choice of materials to make spaces that bring delight and a sense of well-being as well as providing utility.
We collaborate with a number of trusted consultants and contractors to ensure the design is faithfully translated into built form. We are used to working within the constraints of time and budget, while being adept at finding creative solutions to the inevitable problems that arise during construction, particularly when working on existing buildings. We have an impressive track record of winning planning consents with tricky local authorities, and negotiating alterations to Listed Buildings with their Conservation Officers.
Above all, we guide our clients through the construction process refining the design as we go, so that the end product is something they can be justly proud of.
Our work has been featured in the following publications:
- 100 Contemporary Green Buildings
- Abitare
- Architecture & Culture
- The Architects’ Journal
- The Architects’ Journal Specification
- Architecture 09 RIBA Buildings of the year
- Architecture Today
- Building Design
- C3
- Casabella
- Country Life
- DB Deutsche Bauzeitung
- Detail Magazine
- Ecologik
- Evening Standard
- Grand Designs
- Homebuilding & Renovating
- House & Garden
- Icon
- Inhabit Architecture Today
- Interior Details
- New Architecture 2, The Architecture Foundation
- Progetto Legno
- Riba Interiors
- Uptown Magazine
- Sequences Bois, Insertion dans la nature
- Sublime
- The Sunday Times
- Wallpaper
- WOODE
- The Worlds of Interiors
- XXI
Competitions
- 2011 runners-up, Room for London competition organised by Living Architecture
- 2010 winners of design competition, Café on Windrush Square, Brixton
- 2008 short-listed in Nature category, World Architecture Festival, Barcelona, Kielder Observatory
- 2005 winners of RIBA open competition, Kielder Observatory
- 2005 runners up, CABE Anglo-French housing competition at Melun-Senart, Paris with Atela Architects
- 2002 commended, Urban Sustainability Competition at Lochend, Edinburgh
- 2001 runners up EUROPAN 6 for housing in Southwark
Exhibitions
- 2013: Kielder Observatory exhibited Architecture of Necessity, Virserum Konsthall, Sweden
- 2010: Summer Exhibition, exhibition at the Royal Academy of Arts London
- 2009: Open House London, The Look Out in Islington, featured
- 2007: Open House London, Eco Funnel in Holloway, featured
- 2006: Kielder Observatory, exhibition in Hexham, Northumberland
- 2005: Open House London, Double Cottage in Wandsworth, featured
- 2001: Make your case, exhibition at the Architecture Foundation, London
- 2001: EUROPAN 6, In Between Cities exhibition at the Architectural Association, Bedford Square, London
- 2001: Minimal Existence, exhibition at Isokon Flats, Highgate, London
- 1998: Architecture Foundation Roadshow, Hammersmith and Fulham
We hired Charles Barclay for the renovation of our London terraced home, and honestly couldn't have asked for a better experience. Alongside Charles, Alvaro was our main point of contact throughout the project and was absolutely brilliant, always one step ahead, bringing ideas to the table that we hadn't even thought of yet but that perfectly matched what we were going for. It felt like they genuinely understood our vision for the house.
The whole process was impressive throughout. Things moved at a great pace but never at the expense of quality. The attention to detail was there at every stage. Charles and Alvaro’s responsiveness was second to none- no chasing, no waiting. Questions got answered quickly and we always felt in the loop.
One thing that really stood out was how accommodating they were with meetings. As a primary school teacher, daytime slots for meetings don't work for me, and Charles and Álvaro never made that feel like an inconvenience. They always made time to meet in person, even at the end of the day (often on a Friday!), which made a huge difference.
The finished project has exceeded every expectation we had. They turned quite a small terraced home into a light-filled open space we get joy from every day (Even our sofa delivery people said they have never come into such a bright and open terraced home, noting that they usually tend to feel a bit cramped and dark).
If you're looking for architects who are creative, amazing at considering how to maximise space and light, efficient, and so easy to work with, look no further!
