This project reworks and extends a detached house in Colchester, Essex. A modest single-storey rear extension infills the space between the existing rear projections, connecting the kitchen with the adjoining reception room to create a more open and cohesive living space. Generous metal-framed glazing brings natural light deep into the plan and strengthens views towards the garden, while areas of timber cladding give the new addition a warm, contemporary character.

Alongside the extension, the existing rear uPVC windows and doors are replaced with refined, energy-efficient metal units, improving both the appearance and performance of the house. At the front, the entrance is relocated beneath the existing covered porch, creating a clearer arrival sequence, better shelter and a more rational internal hallway. Together, the interventions improve the flow and functionality of the home while complementing its original character without resorting to imitation.

A new-build timber framed house in Essex combines an open plan layout to maximise space, with different floor and ceiling heights to separate the living, kitchen, and dining areas. The design includes a central atrium and a first-floor gallery, creating visual links between the floors. The interior features oak floors and white stained pine ceilings, with Baltic birch plywood used for internal balustrades and built-in furniture, providing a practical Scandinavian styled living space.

This project involves a first floor extension to a detached house in Essex and is currently under construction. The home is arranged as an upside down layout, with living spaces at first-floor level to take advantage of far-reaching views. The extension creates a mid-century inspired open plan kitchen, dining and living area, designed to capture natural daylight and frame the surrounding landscape. An external stair strengthens the connection between the elevated living spaces and the garden below, encouraging everyday use of the outdoors.

Alongside the extension, the existing house is being carefully refurbished, including a new ensuite, upgraded bathrooms and WC, and updated fenestration. A new carport, roofed in a low-pitch pantile, provides a subtle marker to the entrance and improves the arrival sequence. Together, the works enhance the flow and functionality of the home while remaining respectful of its original character.

This 400 m² new-build home sits alongside a large pond in rural Suffolk, carefully positioned to make the most of long south-facing views across the water and landscape.

The house is arranged as a simple linear form, allowing living spaces to open directly towards the pond and creating the sense of the building lightly hovering above its setting. Deep overhanging eaves form a sheltered walkway along the southern elevation, encouraging everyday use of the outdoor spaces and providing natural shading.

Inside, the layout is open and generous, with flowing living and dining areas and a series of vaulted spaces that bring in light and a feeling of calm throughout the house.

Matthew acted as project architect while at Jeff Kahane Associates, to whom the design is attributed.

This feasibility study explored the potential of underused land in Essex to deliver around 30 new homes. The proposals focus on creating a simple, community-led layout, with homes arranged around a shared central green.

By placing landscape at the heart of the scheme, the design aims to make efficient use of the site while encouraging neighbourly interaction and a strong sense of place. The study tested practical, sustainable ways of balancing private homes with generous shared outdoor space, setting a clear framework for future development.

This project involved the refurbishment and extension of a generous 1930s detached family home in North London. A full-width rear extension opens the house to the garden, with a solar shade formed in Accoya timber providing shelter and filtered light. Careful landscaping further strengthens the relationship between inside and out.

New dormer windows improve the bedrooms at roof level, while a glass-balustraded terrace introduces a contemporary note to the home’s original character. Inside, the refurbishment includes a custom kitchen, bespoke joinery and Douglas fir Dinesen flooring throughout, bringing warmth and consistency to the interiors.

A standout feature is the ventilated wine store, designed as a crafted piece of joinery with Japanese shoji screening and integrated LED lighting.

Matthew acted as project architect while at Jeff Kahane Associates.

This project involves a ground floor extension to a detached house in Essex, creating a modern, open-plan kitchen, dining and breakfast space with views across a newly formed courtyard and the existing garden beyond. The layout is designed to strengthen the relationship between inside and out, encouraging everyday interaction with the landscape.

Alongside the extension, the existing house is being carefully refurbished, including a new ensuite, upgraded bathrooms and WC, and the addition of a porch with Crittall-style steel-framed doors. Together, the works improve the flow and functionality of the home while respecting its original character.

This project involved the design of a standalone pool house within the grounds of a listed building in Norfolk. The aim was to create a contemporary structure that sits comfortably within its historic setting.

Inside, vaulted ceilings with exposed glulam beams combine modern engineering with a warm, natural character. Large areas of glazing frame views of the surrounding landscape and draw daylight deep into the space, blurring the boundary between inside and out. The result is a calm, functional retreat that complements the existing building rather than competing with it.

Matthew acted as project architect while at Jeff Kahane Associates.

This project explored the early feasibility of extending a converted barn in rural Suffolk. Initial sketch designs tested how an addition could sit comfortably within its setting, responding to the surrounding landscape and nearby pond.

The proposals focused on creating a more inward-looking courtyard to one side, balanced by open views to the rear across the wider countryside. The aim was to understand the site’s potential and establish a calm, measured relationship between building and landscape from the outset.

This project involved a new four-storey side extension and associated improvements to a Victorian red-brick mansion block in Battersea. The central aim was to design an addition that sits comfortably alongside the existing building, respecting its character without resorting to pastiche.

The extension draws on the proportions, material palette and horizontal banding of the original block to create a sense of continuity, while remaining clearly contemporary. The result is a calm, restrained intervention that complements the historic fabric rather than competing with it.

Matthew acted as project architect while at Barbara Weiss Architects, to whom the design is attributed.

This project involved the design and delivery of a new-build home in Suffolk, developed to achieve near Passivhaus performance. The house combines very high levels of insulation with MVHR and an air source heat pump to create a comfortable, low-energy home.

Conceived as a largely single-storey pavilion, the design is anchored by a tower-like bedroom that rises above the roofline to offer long views across the village and surrounding landscape. Inside, generous vaulted spaces and open-plan living areas are balanced with pocket doors to allow the home to adapt to daily life. A large circular rooflight at the centre of the plan brings daylight deep into the heart of the house, acting as a calm focal point to the main living space.

The project was completed while Matthew was senior architect at Project Orange.

The sketch design for a Victorian semi-detached house in Essex, focusing on exploring viable options for extending the property while enhancing the use of the existing space. Our objective was to integrate an additional bedroom and create an extra room on the ground floor, thereby increasing the living area and improving functionality.

This project involved the conversion of a barn in rural Norfolk under Class Q, with careful additions including new external cladding and a generous open-plan living space.

A sheltered BBQ courtyard was introduced to extend everyday living outdoors, making the most of the building’s setting. Reached via a long, winding track, the converted barn offers a quiet retreat that sits comfortably within the surrounding landscape.

The project was undertaken while Matthew was at Jeff Kahane Associates.

This project involved the redesign of a kitchen and bathroom within a narrow galley space in an existing home in Essex, working to a tight budget and within clear constraints. The brief focused on making the most of what was already there, with minimal structural change.

By carefully planning layouts and built-in storage, the design maximises usable space without feeling cramped. The result is a practical, well-crafted kitchen and bathroom that balance efficiency with a clean, contemporary finish.

This project involved the careful renovation and extension of a Georgian house in an urban part of Kent, set among close neighbouring properties.

The scheme includes a loft extension to make better use of the roof space, alongside a new front studio linked to the main house by a light-filled glass connection. Together, the additions increase usable space while remaining sensitive to the scale and character of the original house.

This project involved the design of a combined garage, workshop and photo studio in Yorkshire. Defined by a sinuous curved wall built in Yorkshire stone, the building has a strong, crafted presence within its setting.

Inside, the layout includes generous storage, a WC and a small tea station, allowing the space to function as a focused place for making and creative work. Carefully detailed sliding doors and a brise soleil to the south help control light and temperature, creating a comfortable interior throughout the day.

The result is a building that goes beyond a simple garage or workshop, offering a well-considered and enjoyable place to work. The project was undertaken while Matthew was at Jeff Kahane Associates.

Sketch proposals for a narrow, long house to fit within a tight plot. Built primarily over one-storey, the plan looked to create connectivity between internal and external spaces whilst providing all the necessary functional spaces required for a modern family home.

This project involved the refurbishment and loft extension of a Victorian semi-detached villa in Islington, carefully planned to improve the use of space across the house.

The basement was reconfigured to create a quiet, self-contained guest area, while the new loft extension introduces a well-considered staircase, bedroom and mezzanine. From the upper level, views are drawn through the house towards the garden and the park beyond, strengthening the connection to the setting.

The project was completed while Matthew was project architect at Jeff Kahane Associates.

This project explored an early sketch design for a loft extension within an existing butterfly roof in Islington. The proposal tested how an ensuite bedroom, a small terrace garden and discreet solar panels could be integrated into the roof form.

The aim was to maximise usable space while maintaining a balanced, sustainable design that sits comfortably within the existing building. The work was undertaken while Matthew was at Jeff Kahane Associates.

This project explored the conversion of an existing barn in Suffolk into a small collection of sustainable homes. Building on previously approved Class Q consent for five dwellings, the proposals retain the barn’s original form, scale and material character, while carefully updating the fenestration and external detailing.

The approach focuses on giving new life to a disused structure, creating attractive, well-considered homes with a strong relationship to their rural setting. The project was completed while Matthew was project architect at Project Orange.

This project involved the refurbishment and extension of a large Victorian semi-detached villa in Islington, with sustainability at the heart of the approach. Insulation levels were improved and an air source heat pump introduced to provide efficient, low-carbon heating.

The lower ground floor was reworked to create a generous open-plan living space centred around a new timber kitchen. On the upper floors, the focus shifted to restoring and refining the interiors, respecting the building’s original proportions and detailing to create a timeless, comfortable home.

The project was completed while Matthew was senior architect at Project Orange.

This project involved the sensitive extension and reworking of a Victorian semi-detached house in Hampstead, creating a generous kitchen and dining space that opens directly onto the rear garden. The wrap-around extension improves daylight and flow while remaining sympathetic to the original building.

A discreet underground bike storage pit was introduced to solve the practical challenge of secure storage in a dense urban setting, freeing up valuable internal space. At roof level, a compact alternate-tread stair leads to a new terrace, bringing planted greenery into the heart of the home and offering a quiet retreat above the street.

Throughout the house, contemporary detailing is paired with a restrained palette of Farrow & Ball colours to give the interiors a calm, timeless quality.

Matthew acted as project architect while at Jeff Kahane Associates.

This project involved the sustainable refurbishment of a period property in Norfolk, with a strong focus on low-impact materials and long-term comfort. Wood fibre insulation finished with lime plaster was used to improve thermal performance while allowing the building to breathe, and an air source heat pump provides efficient, low-carbon heating.

A small side infill extension introduces a warm, characterful living space, defined by an angled timber-clad ceiling and a new wood-burning stove. Throughout the house, existing materials were reused where possible, balancing sustainability with a high-quality finish, including a restrained palette of Farrow & Ball paints. The project is completed with a new Plykea kitchen and a Mercury AGA Rangemaster cooker, combining traditional character with modern functionality.

Matthew acted as senior architect while at Project Orange.

This speculative project reimagines an underused block in South London as a theatre and public space focused on ideas, culture and public debate. The proposal brings together performance, exhibition and discussion spaces within a single civic setting, creating a place where people can gather, reflect and engage with contemporary issues.

New work, research and creative projects are shared openly through exhibitions, talks and performances, encouraging wider public involvement and conversation.

The site is divided by an overpassing railway, shaping two distinct but connected parts of the scheme. To the south, a series of rehearsal, studio and learning spaces support making and experimentation. To the north, public-facing spaces include a theatre, exhibition areas and debating rooms, all arranged around an open civic space that invites everyday use as well as programmed events.

This project involves the design of a ground floor extension to a house on a challenging, angled site in Chelmsford. The proposal opens up the ground floor and reorients the rear of the home towards the garden, which sits diagonally across the plot.

The extension creates more usable living space and improves daylight and flow, responding to the needs of a growing family while making better use of the site.

This speculative project explores how Ramsgate might reconnect with its musical heritage through a new arts academy focused on music, poetry and public performance. The building is conceived as both a place of learning and a public venue, supporting education, rehearsal and live events.

The academy places particular emphasis on folk music and spoken word, recognising their role in expressing shared cultural identity while allowing individual voices to emerge. Students are encouraged to explore both historic and contemporary traditions, helping to keep them alive and relevant.

A range of performance spaces provide opportunities to share work publicly, while studios support teaching and practice. The scheme also includes a library dedicated to folk music and poetry, alongside an instrument-making workshop focused on stringed instruments, offering a direct, hands-on connection to the craft behind the music.

All events are intended to be open and accessible, operating on a donation basis to remove financial barriers and encourage broad community participation.

This speculative project explores how an underused historic block in Wrocław could be reimagined as a family centre supporting vulnerable young people and their families. The proposal focuses on creating a calm, welcoming environment that encourages stability, everyday routine and positive social interaction.

The scheme brings together residential accommodation, shared facilities and generous outdoor spaces, organised around landscaped courtyards to promote a sense of safety and community. By working with the existing urban fabric, the project considers how thoughtful architecture might contribute to the long-term renewal of a challenging area, offering a practical and humane setting for support and care.

This speculative project explores the design of a new sports centre on a prominent riverside site in Wrocław. The proposal considers how a large public building could respond sensitively to its historic context while making the most of its relationship with the river.

The scheme is organised as a series of connected volumes arranged around water and landscape, creating clear routes, sheltered external spaces and strong visual links to the surrounding city. Particular attention was given to form, scale and movement, allowing the building to sit comfortably within its setting while offering a welcoming and accessible environment for sport, activity and everyday use.