Raising Value

Prior to founding MARR Architects Laura developed a reputation for successfully leading, designing, and completing projects with multi-disciplinary teams, for property developers and local authorities, which were design-led whilst being responsibly cost and resource conscious.

Our approach is to add value through imaginative strategic design thinking and exploration, to maximise the potential of the final built project, within the project specific constraints and opportunities.

We are skilled at balancing innovation and pragmatism to produce proposals that are viable and maximise performance and beauty.

Sustainability

Longevity and sustainability are central to our objective and intrinsic to our approach.

We like to retain existing building fabric, with its locked in carbon, where practicable. We employ a fabric first approach which we have found, through analysis by a leading housing developer client, to be the most cost-effective way of working towards net zero carbon.

We have experience of reviewing sustainability options with key consultants, and of contributing to environmental assessments, to exceed the Building Regulation requirements and meet the Greater London Authority targets. We are well versed in BREEAM, the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP), and can even design to PassivHaus standards if desired. This puts us in a good position to produce proposals that should align with the emerging Future Homes and Buildings Standard that is expected to be introduced in 2025 to ensure new homes achieve zero operational carbon targets.

Although many urban sites are constrained and programmatic requirements take priority, we always seek to create passive buildings that are shaped by their context and orientation, and also consider thermal mass, natural materials, maximising daylight (whilst avoiding overheating), ventilation (whist avoiding noise and pollution), and connection to nature and biodiversity. These are all aspects that are proven to improve wellbeing. Heat recovery ventilation systems such as MVHR, circadian lighting and biophilic design can also improve mental and physical health, if designed and maintained well. Cities offer opportunities for good social connection, arts, culture, and diversity. We believe that creating buildings and surroundings that are cultural places with artistic identities, thoughtful connections, and which are inclusive, should be prioritised to engender healthy communities.

Ultimately, we believe that buildings and places must be loved to be truly sustainable and stand the test of time. To this end, and to create a long-lasting positive impact, we place great importance on high quality healthy design, including durability, adaptability, and also on the way buildings look and feel.

MARR Architects is a signatory to Architects Declare and is committed to the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge targets.

MARR Architects keeps abreast of the latest thoughts on sustainability in the built environment and follows thought leaders including, Leti, Timber Development UK, Built by Nature, The Good Homes Alliance, the NLA and the RSA.

Holistic Design

To achieve our vision we employ a holistic approach to design which includes significant early test-evaluate-refine processes, taking into consideration the potential outcomes at the beginning. This is an iterative design process from inception to completion.

Our extensive back catalogue of delivery experience gives us a good head start allowing us to focus our energy and creative effort on developing proposals with conviction (with the input of the wider team) that are integral and purposeful, whilst also being unique and uplifting.

With this approach the design is not compromised by the reality of compliance, safety, materiality, detailing, craftsmanship, and buildability, but enhanced by it.

This holistic approach and broad experience make us better at managing and producing realisable, beautiful, and sustainable designs, demonstrating a careful attention to detail whilst keeping an eye on the wider context.

Teamwork

We believe that the journey is as important as the destination, and that working in an organised open way, collaboratively at all stages, with a shared vision, common goals, and objectives, is the best way of getting the most efficiency and joy out of the process and the design outcome.