Architects in Cotswolds

‘Darcy Architects delivered a fantastic service, we can’t praise them highly enough. Great communication, professional attitude and extremely helpful, even after their part in the process was technically complete. When we encountered some difficulties due to the national rise in material and construction costs, Jonathan went above and beyond offering excellent suggestions and support to enable us to review our plans and continue with a build that would otherwise have been rendered null and void. Jonathan also put us in touch with other excellent professionals, including our Structural Engineer and Construction Team. The whole process was made so much easier simply by choosing the right firm, we highly recommend Darcy Architects with complete confidence.’

Hugh W - Cotswolds

Design and Planning in Cotswolds

Planning in the Cotswolds is shaped as much by landscape and settlement character as by the individual building.

The Cotswold Design Code places strong emphasis on understanding local morphology, topography, roofscape, materials, boundaries, vegetation and views before developing the design. On rural and edge-of-settlement sites, landscape impact can therefore be as important as floor area or building form.

Cotswold character is also more than simply using natural stone. Proportion, roof pitch, gables, chimneys, window depth and the relationship between buildings and the landscape all contribute to local identity.

The District also contains a high concentration of listed buildings and Conservation Areas, where understanding heritage significance is essential before altering or extending a property.

Our approach is to begin with the site itself — its landscape, history and built character — and develop an architecture that responds naturally to those constraints rather than imposing a predetermined style.