What architectural services do we provide?

What we do

Architecture is often understood as design. The sketch, the model, the finished building. What is less visible - and frequently underestimated - is the full breadth of professional service that sits behind a successfully delivered project. This article sets out what working with Ström involves, from the earliest conversations through to handover and beyond.

Full architectural services

We provide a complete architectural service across all stages of a project - from initial feasibility and brief development through to planning, technical design, construction oversight and handover. This covers the full scope of the RIBA Plan of Work, adapted and refined through the Ström Way - our own structured delivery process developed over fifteen years of delivering bespoke homes internationally.

For clients who want to understand the detail of how each stage works in practice, our process page sets this out in full. What follows here is a broader picture of the services we offer and how they can be tailored to the specific needs of each project.

Beyond the core service

Many of our projects extend beyond the standard architectural scope. Depending on the nature of the brief, we can also provide:

Site appraisal and acquisition advice

• Before a project begins, the choice of site is one of the most consequential decisions a client makes. We can assess a site's potential, identify planning and construction constraints, and advise on whether it is the right foundation for the building you have in mind.

Interior design

• For clients who want a single point of design responsibility across the whole building - from the architecture to the interiors - we offer interior design services that ensure the quality and coherence of the architecture is carried through to every surface, fixture and fitting.

Bespoke furniture and product design

• Where standard products do not meet the standard of the architecture, we design bespoke joinery, furniture and built-in elements that are integral to the building rather than added to it.

Landscape design

• Working in collaboration with specialist planting consultants, we extend the design process to the external environment - ensuring that the relationship between building and landscape is as considered as the architecture itself.

3D visualisation and modelling

• We use advanced 3D modelling and in-studio rendered imagery throughout the design process, giving clients a clear and accurate understanding of the building before it is built. This supports confident decision-making and reduces the risk of uncertainty at later stages.

Tailored to your project

No two projects are identical. The scope of our involvement varies depending on the scale, complexity, location and ambitions of each client. Some clients engage us for the full service from site appraisal to handover. Others come to us at a specific stage - for a second opinion on a concept, for technical design support, or for construction oversight on a project where the early stages have already been completed.

For international projects, the structure of our role may also vary. In some cases we act as Lead Designer and Lead Consultant throughout. In others, we work alongside a locally appointed architect who manages statutory compliance and local submissions, while we retain design authorship and oversight. Whichever structure is appropriate, the same standards apply.

Working with the wider team

Architecture does not happen in isolation. A successfully delivered building is the product of a well-coordinated team - structural engineers, environmental consultants, cost consultants, specialist subcontractors and many others. We take responsibility for leading and coordinating that team, ensuring that information flows clearly and that the design intent is maintained across every discipline.

We are also experienced in advising clients on which consultants they need, and when. Appointing the right people at the right stage is one of the less visible but most important contributions an architect can make to a project's success.

A service built around you

What we offer is not a fixed menu. It is a professional service structured around the specific needs of each client and each project. The buildings we design vary enormously - in scale, location, brief and budget. What does not vary is the level of care, rigour and design commitment we bring to each one.

If you would like to understand how our services would apply to your specific project, we would be pleased to talk.

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