Designing Spaces That Bring Communities Together
Designing Spaces That Bring Communities Together There is an old assumption in planning and development that if enough houses are built, community will naturally follow. Experience suggests otherwise. Communities rarely emerge simply because people happen to live in the same place. They grow through repeated encounters, shared experiences and the gradual development of trust. They […]
How to Design a Home That Lasts for Generations
Homes rarely stand still One of the more interesting things about houses is that they rarely stand still. Families grow. Children arrive and eventually leave home. Working patterns change. Parents become grandparents. Sometimes adult children return. Sometimes they don’t. The needs of a household at one stage of life can be very different from those […]
The Long Work of Funding Church Projects
The Long Work of Funding Church Projects As part of marking 25 years of practice, we have been revisiting a number of projects and conversations that have shaped our work over time. Recently, we spoke with Canon Annette Reed, who has recently retired after many years in parish ministry, during which she led a series […]
Starting with certainty: measured building surveys and 3D scanning
Starting with certainty: measured surveys and 3D scanning Most of our projects begin with a simple question. Is there a project here at all? Before design work starts, there is a stage of testing what is needed, what is possible, and what already exists. That last part is often less straightforward than it sounds. Buildings […]
A Church for a New Town – Northstowe Cambridgeshire
New communities do not emerge fully formed. Homes, schools and roads may appear quickly, but the deeper fabric of community life — the places where people gather, support one another and build relationships — takes longer to grow. Northstowe, a new town just north of Cambridge, is now entering that stage of its development. Archangel […]
Downing Place URC — Architecture that Supports Community Life
As Archangel marks 25 years of designing with purpose, we have been reflecting on projects where architecture has helped communities flourish in practical, long-term ways. One such project is Downing Place United Reformed Church in central Cambridge, where a programme of retrofit and extension has helped the church adapt to changing patterns of use while […]
Revisiting Impington Mill Cottage — 20 Years On
Impington Mill Cottage is a Grade II listed home in Cambridgeshire, restored and re-ordered by Archangel Architects in the early 2000s. Twenty years on, we revisited the project to explore how thoughtful design can transform the flow, comfort and daily life of a historic building. Reflecting on 25 Years of Practice As part of our […]
Learning by Doing: A Deep Retrofit in Milton
Learning by Doing: A Deep Retrofit in Milton Practical lessons from real-life eco home retrofits in Cambridge. At Archangel, we believe a great way to learn is to do. Designing buildings for others hones our skills, but working on our own homes takes that learning to another level. It allows us to test ideas, explore […]
Café Fifty Five: a year of welcome
Transforming a derelict pavilion into a community café On the edge of Manor Park, a long-disused sports pavilion stood empty. Pitches were quiet, shutters closed. In 2023 St Luke’s Church began work to reimagine that building as Café Fifty Five: a place of welcome and community, help and hope for all. After planning hurdles, funding challenges, […]
Small Changes, Big Impact: Designing for Dignity and Inclusion
At Archangel Architects, we often say it’s not the biggest projects that make the biggest difference.Sometimes it’s a single room. A hoist. A bench.A door wide enough for everyone. As architects based in Cambridge, we believe inclusive design should be a core part of how we shape everyday spaces — from parks and public toilets […]