Architecture isn’t about a fixed point of perfection; it’s about enabling a building to change and grow and how we influence that process. The best architecture demonstrates a clear sense of place, and at Mallett we strive to achieve this, particularly in our rural work.
A place has countless variables that influence all things found there; these can be incredibly wide ranging, but together they ultimately deliver an overall feeling or understanding of being in that particular place. We begin a project by identifying some of these variables such as aspect, surrounding land use or existing materiality, and draw them into the design process. We want to enhance and accentuate the sense place and view it as an organic process. We want our design to be rooted in the landscape or history of a place; that’s its starting point. From there it develops and grows, we draw in functionality, beauty, sustainability and materiality but ultimately we want all of our projects once they have grown into the finished building to manifest those characteristics unique to its place.
The appeal of doing more work in the country is the broader scope for new build, and with less creative constraints that one might get in urban planning. However, what emerges is that there are no less parameters to the design process. Instead of being restricted by the rights of light, historic fabric or boundary lines, you ultimately end up restricting yourself anyway, through the design framework or brief development. You might insist on a southern aspect, a chosen structural frame method, focused material choices or Passivhaus standards, for example. Perceived constraints are usually actually the lights that guide us and should not be cause for frustration. This is definitely something that we have drawn into our urban work at Mallett, and this runs across our rural work.
Local materials and sustainability are crucial for aesthetics and sustainability. Materials are a key part to creating a sense of place, both in drawing the local landscape into a project and also the vernacular architecture. I was on Orkney recently and it was fascinating to see how the local flat sandstone has influenced not only the appearance of homes but also the structural architecture of the buildings, over many hundreds of years. At Mallett we advocate the integration of local materials in reducing unnecessary haulage and processing. Bricks are a great example; there are excellent brick reclamation merchants in most areas of the UK, as are quarries, although fewer and further between, if we can use stone produced in the UK its far better than importing from Italy or Iran, and adds the story of the place. We are really keen on sourcing timber, cut to spec from local sawmills for example. We did this on both Black and Stone and Untouched Forest recently. This materials-first approach to sustainability is always our first port of call.
But as well as aesthetics and sustainability, I believe we are motivated to use local materials and craft from a deep level, as individuals, and as part of a community. It comes back to the sense of place again; regions of the UK can have very specific and complex identities based on in the local craftsmanship which in turn has been directed by the availability of raw materials. Perthshire for example has a long history of using rough cast on the outside of buildings, this is largely down the porous nature of the local stone but also down to the availability of smaller grade gravel and the need for a textured hard-wearing finish. The vernacular architecture reflects this, and the local tradesmen still pass ways of doing things from one generation to the next. Timber joints, ground drainage, stone cutting, smith work; they all have local variations in methods and style, that are part of the local culture. It’s really important that these skills are preserved, and we actively strive for this in our work. By using local craftsmen and materials where we can, we become part of the heritage of the place, and, I hope, help keep the skills alive. This is very important to us as a practice.
Furthermore, it’s important that these skills are showcased at a national level. Featuring a particular skill or detail in a project – Draw pegging of Oak beams or how we form a stone corbel – in a location or context where it might not traditionally be found, spotlights them as artforms. In this way we can explore differences in approach, keeping the skills relevant, but also create dialogue with others. There is such value inherent in diversity of approaches and opinions in this field. We can all learn, and add to the richness of architecture, as an important contribution to its place.
One current example of using those skills from rural work into future projects is a stunning refurbishment of a grade 1 listed Elizabethan home in west London that we’re working on. It is great fun, with a real contrast between the historic and the new. It’s all drawn together by craftsmanship; careful oak beam repairs highlighted by lighting, reinstatement of lime plasters, new stone finishes abutting period fibrous plasters perfectly for instance. We build a sense of a place in history, as well as a geographical sense of place, and I believe the materials and craftsmanship make it.
This diversity and cross-pollination of materials, skills and craftsmanship, whether that’s busy central London restaurant redesigns; agricultural barn conversions, traditional mews houses, or high-end domestic projects. Each project demands acute understanding of place, craft, and modern life. We believe that being grounded, really rooted in the place, is essential to the project’s success and longevity.
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