Architecture is a collaboration.
Working with a bespoke architect in Cornwall should feel like a collaboration, not a transaction. At Studio HAB, we work closely with you from the first conversation through to completion, taking the time to understand how you want to live and what you want your project to achieve. From the initial concept and design development through planning and construction, we guide you through each stage with clear thinking, open communication and a considered approach — turning ideas into a home that feels uniquely yours.
Your journey
01 Free consultation
We meet you on site, or by video call, at no charge. We want to understand not just what you need, but how you live: how you move through your home, how light matters to you, and what frustrates you about the space you have. We’ll discuss your brief, priorities and aspirations, while also assessing the site itself: its planning constraints, its potential, and the ideas it suggests. This first conversation always brings fresh thinking to the table.
02 The Menu: multiple concept designs
If you’d like to proceed, we don't present a single solution and ask you to take it or leave it. Instead, we offer a menu of at least three concept designs. One will closely reflect your brief; the others explore bolder possibilities (e.g. opening into the roof, rethinking how rooms relate to each other, or reimagining the way light moves through your home) This breadth is deliberate: working with your budget we explore options you might not otherwise have considered. This often produces a result that goes well beyond your expectations.
03 Refining your chosen design
Together, we review the options and talk through what resonates with you — what feels right, what doesn’t, and why. Most clients find themselves drawn to different elements from more than one option, and this is where the design really starts to take shape. We take the strongest ideas, details and qualities from that conversation and bring them together into one cohesive direction. From there, we refine the design, developing the proportions, materials, finishes and details until it feels resolved, considered and genuinely yours. The result is a single, confident scheme that reflects your brief while capturing the character and personality you want your home to have.
04 Planning Application
Once the design is agreed, we prepare and manage the full planning submission on your behalf. This includes detailed drawings, a Design & Access Statement and 3D imagery to clearly communicate how the finished building will look and sit within its surroundings. We carefully consider the planning context, anticipate potential issues and refine the proposals before submission. We then manage the application through the process, responding to queries and keeping you informed along the way.
Studio HAB has an outstanding track record of first-time planning approvals, and we intend to keep it that way.
05 Building Control & Technical Drawings
Once planning permission is granted, we produce Building Control drawings to ensure full regulatory compliance. Where the project demands it, we provide more detailed bespoke drawings and specifications to guide your builder through the finer points of construction. We can also introduce you to trusted builders and project managers in our network who share our commitment to quality and craft, helping ensure the right team is assembled for your build.
06 On-site oversight
We don't disappear once your builder starts. Buildings rarely build themselves exactly as drawn: there are always decisions to make and details to resolve in the moment. Having us on site means those decisions are made thoughtfully, and that the finished building reflects the care and craft that went into designing it. We can visit fortnightly throughout the construction phase to ensure the work reflects our drawings, and that the quality we've designed for is the quality you receive.
Project in mind?
Thinking about starting a new build, extending your home or transforming an existing space? We'd love to hear about your ideas.
