MEET THE EXPERT - ARCHITECTS
+44 (0)7729 599 589 | +44 (0)20 8425 2209 DARREN@DOANDCO.STUDIO | WWW.DOANDCO.STUDIO Interview with DARREN OLDFIELD Director, DO+CO STUDIO
DO+CO is a Dulwich-based architecture practice founded in 2013 and specialising in thoughtful, sustainable homes that respond to the way people really live. Led by Darren Oldfield, the practice works with homeowners on renovations, extensions, new homes and complex existing buildings, often helping clients make sense of the process for the first time. Most people commissioning a major home project are doing it once, so the same questions come up again and again. Here, Darren answers some of the most common. HOW MUCH IS MY PROJECT ACTUALLY GOING TO COST? This is usually the first question, and it is completely understandable. The important thing to know is that cost is not just the builder’s quote. There are professional fees, surveys, planning costs, party wall matters, VAT, contingencies and client- supplied items to consider too. Our role is to help clients understand the whole picture early on. We do not want to design something that looks wonderful but is completely disconnected from what someone can realistically afford. Good design should be ambitious, but it also needs to be buildable. HOW LONG DOES THE WHOLE PROCESS TAKE? The build itself is often the easier
part to predict. For the kind of homes we work on, construction might take seven to nine months, sometimes longer for larger or more complex projects. The stage people often underestimate is getting to site. Design, planning, technical information and finding the right builder can take six to twelve months. That time is valuable. It helps reduce risk, make better decisions and avoid trying to solve everything once the builder is already on site. WILL YOU LISTEN TO HOW WE WANT TO LIVE? Yes. Listening is where every good project starts. We don’t arrive with a fixed house style or try to impose a particular look. We want to understand how people live, what frustrates them about their home and what they need it to do in the future. Listening also means being honest.
For us, it is about making intelligent decisions. That might mean improving insulation where you are already rebuilding, bringing in more natural light, upgrading glazing, choosing materials carefully or specifying heating systems properly so they actually work. Sometimes the most sustainable approach is not to replace everything, but to understand what can be retained, improved or adapted. CAN YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF A RECENT LOCAL PROJECT? Southfields House in Wandsworth is a good example of our approach. The project transformed a former dairy on a corner plot into a calm, contemporary family home. The challenge was to bring in more daylight, improve the connection to the garden and create a better sense of flow, while still protecting privacy from the street. The final design uses timber, brick and glass to create a home that feels warm, practical and personal to the family. It was shortlisted for a RIBA London Award 2026, but the real success is that it has changed how the family live every day. For anyone thinking of commissioning an architect, my advice would be simple: take advice early, be honest about your budget and choose someone who listens carefully before they draw.
If something is likely to be too expensive, too complicated or
difficult to achieve through planning, we would rather say so early. That honesty helps make the process more enjoyable and the outcome stronger. DOES A SUSTAINABLE HOME HAVE TO COST MORE? Not necessarily. Sustainability is not about doing everything at any cost.
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker