Architects for people who love older buildings
You might already live in a home you love, but know it could work much better. Or perhaps you’ve found an older building and you’re trying to understand what can realistically be done with it.
Abode Architects works with character homes, listed buildings and properties in conservation areas across Scotland.
We help you understand the building first, develop the right design and guide the project through approvals, technical work and construction.
START HERE
We work with homeowners and developers. They can be looking at similar buildings, but their priorities are often very different.
A homeowner may be thinking about family life, comfort and creating a home they’ll enjoy for years. A developer also needs to understand viability, residential yield, consent risk and whether the project makes financial sense.
We understand both sides and know how to balance them.
Who we work with
Homeowners
You may love your home but know it could work much better. We help homeowners renovate and extend older properties for modern life without losing what made the building worth buying. That might mean adding new space, making better use of what’s already there, or a bit of both.
Developers
An older building can look like a brilliant opportunity. Before going too far, you need to know whether the opportunity is real.
We help developers test possible layouts, residential yield and the likely route through planning or listed building consent. We also look at technical constraints that may affect cost or delivery.
Diagnose. Design. Deliver.
Diagnose
Most projects begin with ideas, assumptions and unanswered questions. Before we start designing, we look at what you want to achieve, investigate the property and identify the constraints that could shape the project.
For many clients, this begins with a Needs & Options Review. It gives you a clearer brief and a more grounded route forward before you commit to detailed design.
Design
Once the main questions have been answered, we begin developing the design properly. We work through the layout, character, light and materials while continuing to check decisions against the brief and budget.
We also prepare and manage the approvals the project needs, which may include planning permission, listed building consent and building warrant.
Deliver
An approved design still needs to be priced, coordinated and built. We prepare the information contractors need, help you compare tenders and can stay involved during construction.
Existing buildings have a habit of revealing the unexpected once work begins. Our job is to answer those questions and carry the thinking from the earlier stages through to the finished building.
The order matters. Diagnose before design, and design properly before trying to deliver. It gives the project a better chance of moving forward with fewer surprises.
Abode Architects is an RIAS Chartered Practice based near Glasgow and working across Scotland.
Connor Steven is the founder and principal architect. He leads the practice and remains closely involved in the direction and delivery of its projects. Connor is a RIBA member and Certified Passive House Designer.
Nicola is our senior architect and brings more than 15 years of experience across high-end residential and commercial projects. Louis is an ARB-registered architect who works with Abode on a consultant basis. Calum is our Part 2 architectural assistant and is working towards completing his professional qualification.
All architects working with Abode are registered with the ARB. Being a small practice means clients get to know the people doing the work and know who to speak to as the project progresses.
Meet Abode
Talk to an architect
If you’re planning a renovation, new build, or something more complex, we’re here to guide the process and remove the pressure.
Book a Project Discovery Call and let’s discuss what’s possible.
Prefer to email first? Get in touch