Alchemilla Architects Ltd is a RIBA Chartered Practice based in rural Somerset in the Blackdown Hills
Our work ranges from extensions and refurbishment projects to single houses and barn conversions. The refurbishment of a Victorian terraced house to EnerPhit standard, a barn conversion to holiday lets, the refurbishment and alteration of a listed town house and highly energy efficient buildings for an animal shelter are part of our workload. We work with listed buildings and in Conservation Areas, providing designs which will blend into a historic context as well as modern. We provide an imaginative, personal service, tailored to the needs of our clients whether this means a “Grand Design” or a bespoke new garden room. As a RIBA Chartered Practice, we follow a rigorous quality control procedure with all our projects being designed and checked by a Chartered Architect.
We see architecture as integral to the built environment, and pride ourselves in providing a full service from inception to completion. Part of this is a strong commitment to energy efficient buildings with our principal, Wiebke Rietz, certified as a Passivhaus designer.
The Passivhaus concept has been developed over the last 20 years, and is a tried and, more importantly, tested method of construction employing a rigorous quality standard for energy efficiency. It can be applied to any new buildings as well as retrofitting existing ones. The standard relies on designing for energy efficiency, good insulation and air-tightness with heat recovery. As a practice we can help improve existing homes by recommending strategies to reduce energy consumption as well as going the full Passivhaus certification route and all shades of making buildings more efficient in between, whilst maintaining modern comfort levels.
From listening to and formulating our client’s brief, preparing a sketch design or strategy, preparing planning and building regulations applications to site inspections and hand-over our service ensures a quality building, comfortable and easy to maintain. We add value to even the smallest projects by improving sale-ability, whether it is through adding the “wow”-factor, reducing bills, or by designing a building that is fit for purpose and future-proof. By guiding our clients through the construction phase we help to keep the project on time and within budget.