Syte Architects

Launch summary

Syte Architects was established in 2000 to establish a studio with a design approach that embraced a spirit of investigation. The intention is that projects are not the product of a house style, but emerge from a process of research and investigation. Where careful consideration of materials, light and the site, alongside the client’s brief and budget, create an architecture that is beautiful but allows the opportunity for inhabitation and the patterns everyday usage to form part of the architectural expression. We are constantly inspired by the richness of London, the city that forms the context of many of our projects. We are very lucky to work within a calm studio space that is filled with natural light and looks out across one of London’s great squares. The studio has a friendly and relaxed atmosphere and we firmly believe that good design should be a enjoyable process. The result of this is achieved by collaboration, where all members of the studio can openly contribute and ask each other, and our clients, “what if?” Through this approach we aim to identify and achieve the full potential of every project we work on. Ideas are tested and investigated using a variety of traditional and digital media including physical models, freehand sketches, drawings and rendered visuals. Selected drawings and models are developed to represent the ideas behind the project and convey the spatial atmosphere of the proposal. We always aim to produce drawings that are beautiful and graphically considered. A strong emphasis is placed on an understanding of building materials and the construction process. We are committed to producing an architecture that is elegantly detailed and where qualities of materials, space and light can become evident. Alongside regulatory and technical concerns, careful consideration of the design and drawing of construction details allows the initial design concept to be carried through into the completed building. It is our belief that architects are well placed to help mitigate the impacts of climate change. Our approach to this is to prioritise a simple ‘fabric first’ approach to design, rather than the adoption of technology based solutions.