Welcome
We are an award-winning RIBA Chartered Practice, specialising in considered, contemporary designs which work sensitively and sustainably with historic fabric.
Studio
Established in 2012, our studio delivers a range of projects from bespoke residential architecture, new build houses, Listed Building alterations, barn conversions, and educational and recreational facilities.
Based in Corsham, a historic market town on the edge of the Cotswolds, we'll work wherever the challenge is, with projects across the UK in Bath, London, Wiltshire, Oxfordshire, the Lake District and beyond.
Approach
Our values
All our work shares a common ethos for high-quality and appropriate design, regardless budget, size or timescale.
We want to hear what our Clients have to say, and from the earliest outline discussions, we actively encourage you to put forward your own ideas and engage with us as initial ideas develop into more detailed plans. Working collaboratively with you throughout the design process allows us to fully understand your requirements and, in so doing, maximise the chances of ensuring the best possible outcome from a project.
Our work develops from an understanding of the unique constraints and opportunities that each site presents, in terms of history, topography and context, to ensure each project is an appropriate response to their setting. For us, it’s simply imperative that each and every scheme responds to both the people they serve and the places they sit within.
Identity
Character and Distinctiveness
One of the joys in design is that it’s a unique response to each brief. We’re simply not interested in pre-conceived ideas, but instead enjoy the journey each project takes.
We are naturally curious, and work closely with all our Clients to interrogate and understand their briefs. We always consider the existing local identity and sense of place to ensure our projects create distinctive, sustainable places that complement their surroundings. Well versed in working in historic settings, we want to embed our schemes within their sites, and which requires us to appreciate place, culture, context and history.
We strive to create buildings that will last or be adapted, and remodelled for future needs. For that to happen, we believe it’s important to understand the past. We want to understand why the forms and materials of relevant vernacular precedents have endured over history, how they come together, and why they have lasted.
Craft
Materials and Detailling
Our designs offer a timeless, pragmatic solution, avoiding the more ephemeral fashions in favour of considered, contemporary work. By combining modern and traditional quality materials with thoughtful detailing and inherent flexibility, we ensure our buildings have longevity and durability built-in.
We celebrate high-quality materials and craftsmanship, often using traditional materials in contemporary ways. Refined detailing and prioritising natural materials allow our work to settle into its context, enhancing its beauty as they patina and weather over time.
We love to work closely with skilled Contractors, and value their talent, knowledge and contribution in helping add finishing touches to projects. Ultimately, we know it’s their talent that allows the finished project to delight.
Fabric first
Sustainability and Environment
We believe good design is sustainable design. And sustainable design is an energy-efficient, healthy and long-lasting architecture.
We appreciate that our duty as built environment professionals requires our buildings to leave a positive impact on their environment. Fundamentally, we believe each project should seek to firstly harness the natural attributes of a site to optimise natural lighting, ventilation and heating strategies.
This ‘fabric first’ approach ensures schemes are well-rooted in sustainable principles, allowing these passive strategies to future-proof schemes and reduce long-term running costs. Additionally, specifying low embodied carbon materials, and integrating appropriate renewable energy strategies, allows us to reduce the carbon impact of projects.
Heritage
Conservation and Listed Buildings
At Matthew Clay Architects, we appreciate each building’s past and seek to celebrate their stories wherever and whenever possible. Our team is listed on the RIBA’s Conservation Register, and we enjoy the challenge of adapting historic buildings for renewed uses.
We’ve had the privilege of working on a diverse range of Listed Buildings across our projects, and we understand how each one has been shaped by its response to local conditions, the availability of materials, and the transfer of craft knowledge from previous generations.
Our work aims to sensitively restore and respect established character, allowing new additions to respectfully work within their context. This is part of our responsibility to both preserving our shared cultural history and environment, and to society as we help give old buildings new futures.
Learning
Development and Training
We are always looking to learn from our Clients, Contractors and our fellow Design Team professionals. Each brief and project is treated as unique and, while we rely on our expertise for any given design, we always view it as a fresh challenge that can be learnt from.
Our team works closely with some of the UK’s leading schools of architecture, notably at the University of Bath and Oxford Brookes. We are involved in tutoring, mentoring and reviewing the next generation of architects. This exposure to some of the finest young minds around not only allows us to pass on our knowledge, but ensures we remain close to the innovative and emerging technologies, which in turn can be incorporated into our professional work.
Our Team
We work closely with our Clients to deliver a highly personable service.
Each project is always centred around you, and complemented by a highly-skilled professional team.
Matthew Clay
Director
Jack Jarrett
Project Architect
Hamish Cumming
Architectural Assistant
Elias Sopwith
Architectural Assistant
Indi and Tali
Studio Wags
Guide to Services
RIBA Plan of Work
We know undertaking a construction project can be an exciting, but nonetheless daunting, experience. We tailor our services to help you achieve your aims, basing our services on the RIBA’s Plan of Work to allow us to provide as much, or as little, help to you along the way.
The Plan of Work is designed to be adaptable, allowing it be used across all project sizes and complexities. Made up of eight work stages, each has its own tasks, processes and outputs, addressing a phase of a project’s progression from concept through to completion.
We never oblige our clients to appoint us for the whole process, and as any project develops we’ll discuss in more detail how we might be able to help.
Here’s how we might typically structure our service work in alignment with the RIBA Stages as we move through a project…
Feasibility
RIBA Stage 0
Not sure where to begin? Feel free to contact us with an idea of what you might like to achieve.
We’ll always begin any project with a broad-brush feasibility, meeting with you on site to discuss your requirements, reviewing the budget, timings and project risks, before putting together a fee proposal. This gives you early outline of not only our services, but also those of any other necessary professionals, and at which stages to involve them to bring most benefit you and your scheme.
Preparation and Brief
RIBA Stage 1
Once appointed, we’ll begin to prepare the ground for all future design work. We never arrive with pre-conceived ideas, so working closely with Clients to form their brief, setting out project outcomes, spatial requirements, and an overall vision allows a unique response to each and every project.
Where necessary, we’ll work with known and trusted surveyors to pull together reliable information (such as Measured Building and / or Topographical Surveys), to allow all subsequent design work to be based on accurate information.
Concept Design
RIBA Stage 2
The fun begins! This concept stage is all about developing your brief and initial ideas, and seeing how they can be reconciled to a built-form.
One of the many joys in design is that there is never one ‘right’ answer, and we know we don’t have a monopoly on what is ‘right’! Often at this stage we’ll develop a range of possible solutions to test against your brief. We’ll test ideas by modelling (physically and / or digitally), sketching, interrogating precedents, and discussing ideas in person with you. We’ll provide you with a report, aiming to give you enough to make a considered decision on the design direction for the overall project before taking things further.
Spatial Coordination
RIBA Stage 3
Once initial concepts have been tested and reviewed, we’ll look to reconcile these into one preferred design.
By the end of this stage, we’ll have developed the scheme to sufficient detail for any necessary submission to be made to the Local Authority, be it an application for approval of Planning, Listed Building Consent or Permitted Development.
Where necessary, we may engage other consultants at this point (such as Ecologists, Arboriculturists, or other design professionals) in order to fully support an application. We will source quotations, liase, manage and coordinate their involvement into the project.
Technical Design
RIBA Stage 4
Once approved, this next stage involves working up the design to a sufficiently detailed technical information. The primary purpose of this stage is to check the scheme meets current Building Regulations, but can also allow a tender package which can be priced by any invited Contractor(s).
If not already part of the Design Team, at this stage we’ll coordinate and liase with fellow professionals (Structural Engineer, Party Wall Surveyors, Interior Designers etc.), making sure all critical information is captured in the drawings, documents and schedules.
We’ll make Building Regulations submissions, dealing with any technical queries on compliance, and - if you want - can advise you on and support you with procurement and tendering to help ensure reputable and appropriate contractors are considered.
Construction
RIBA Stage 5
This is where we really start to see the lines come to life as construction works (finally?) begin!
We’ll advise on a suitable level of engagement for us, which may depend on a project’s complexity, budget, and Clients’ experience working with a Principal Contractor.
Typically we’d look to prepare and administer contract information between all parties, ensuring that all are mindful of their duties and that the design produced is delivered on site. On site, we’d attend regular meetings between Client and Contractor to inspect and certify works, ensure progress is as expected, and resolve any issues as they arise.
Handover
RIBA Stage 6
A moment of calm…
When we’ve certified construction work has reached Practical Completion, Contractors can leave site and there is a final handover back to the Client, allowing you to enjoy your new space!
It’s reasonable for there to be some settlement after any work, so most contracts allow you to ‘test drive’ things for a period of 6-12 months for any snags to appear. During this process, we help identify any snagging issues and defects, and once the Contractor has revisited to remedy anything that needs rectifying, we’ll issue our Final Certificate.
In use
RIBA Stage 7
We're always interested in feedback, and making sure designs perform as expected. This can be as informal as a quick catch-up over coffee, or a more formal, in-depth analysis of the building's operation.
If you want too, we’re also more than happy to provide advice on any future phases to help complement and complete your new space, whether it be landscaping, or perhaps the selection of key fit-out items , or even more construction!
All in all, our services allow us to provide as much, or as little, as you'd like to help make your vision become a built reality.
