Rural Studio

Rural Studio architecture practice is based in County Down Northern Ireland. RURAL: A Place of Innovation STUDIO: A Home for Creativity.

RIBA Chartered Architect practice is skilled at designing innovative, bespoke homes in Rural and Urban locations. Rural Studio is a Chartered RIBA Architect Practice that helps self builders, individuals & families create sustainable homes. Specialising in bespoke housing the practice approaches each project creatively whether is a one off a new rural home, the remodelling of a Victorian town hous

e or the creation of home-office work space. To get in touch message direct from our website, email or call our office on 028 4489 8401. Rural Studio prepares stunning designs for new build homes, extensions, conversions and renovations. During the Lockdown to help deliver great designs and develop concepts for projects clients meetings are online using Zoom. Meetings via Zoom provide the ideal opportunity to meet from the safety of your home to begin the concept design process. A full concept design appraisal will then be developed to sketch up the ideas and start to develop a scheme. We enjoy working closely with clients, listening to their needs and generating ideas that resolve the challenges of each individual project. From first conversations to that lead to concept designs and planning submissions the assurance of working with a RIBA Chartered Architect Practice has the added assurance of working with a highly qualified business with clear policies about the environment, diversity, health and safety. We are passionate about the opportunities of sustainable development and have pledged to commit to the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge of achieving NetZero in our building designs. Our work is designed to protect and enhance the natural, built and historic environment whilst considering economic and social objective net gains. Principal Architect Robin Parsons completed his Architecture Master Degrees at Edinburgh University before working in Newcastle upon Tyne and winning awards for luxury accommodation schemes. The launch of Rural Studio was a return to the Bespoke property sector a passion of Robin's working on meaningful life-changing projects

03/04/2026

Delighted to have acted as Architect for the Down Railway Museum Maghera Engine Shed renovation works:

24/03/2026

We’ve recently submitted an outline application for a sensitive infill site, proposing a contemporary rural home that draws on the character of traditional agricultural buildings while embracing modern design. The design features a simple gabled long-barn form, with the main living spaces upstairs and a recessed balcony to capture sea and mountain views. A recessed balcony is carved into the roofline, creating a sheltered outdoor room that frames the landscape.
Materially the scheme incorporates natural stone, standing seam metal and timber cladding to reflect traditional barn materials in a contemporary manner.

19/03/2026

Beautiful weather for the start of works on site in Killyleagh! We’re looking forward to seeing progress, and hopefully the weather holds long enough to get out of the ground. Great to be working with SC Developments Ireland Ltd on this project

16/03/2026

Delighted to Sponsor Down Triathlon Club Beyond the Wall National Series Triathlon and Beyond the Wall Aquathon Youth Series. Wishing all the athletes and volunteers a great day of sport 🖤💛

06/03/2026

Our sea front home in Killyleagh breaks ground next week, with our new build in Donaghadee following in just a few weeks.

It’s exciting to see these two new-build homes for private clients about to commence, and both projects are in safe hands with vey reputable and well-established building companies.

12/12/2025

Planning was recently granted at committee for a barn conversion to a two bedroom property. The barn in question, located near Newry, is a highly unusual and unique 1940s era construction, with a barrel vaulted upper storey, concrete base level and external stair.

Planning policy CTY 4 ‘The Conversion and Reuse of Existing Buildings’ supports the sympathetic conversion and adaptation of existing buildings so long as a set of key qualifying criteria can be met, including the permanent nature of the structure.

Policy 6.73 of the Strategic Planning Policy Statement (SPPS) supports the sympathetic conversion and re-use of a locally important building where this would secure its upkeep and retention. The term “locally important” is not defined and is therefore open to interpretation. We successfully argued that the building’s 80 year age, together with the farming history of the site, contributed significantly to its local value. When combined with the sustainable benefits of retaining and reusing an existing structure, these factors persuaded the committee that the proposal represented a worthy and commendable scheme.

10/12/2025

Kicking off our festive roundup of 12 recent projects with the most recent first, we’re excited to share an early design for a new build family home in south County Down.

Designed as a replacement dwelling on a semi rural site, the layout balances family living with connection to the landscape. An open plan kitchen and dining space forms the heart of the home, while a linear wing houses bedrooms and bathrooms for privacy and retreat.

The concept is shaped around an L form, framing views and drawing daylight from the southeast through to the southwest. This arrangement also creates a sheltered outdoor area, protected from prevailing winds to the north and west.

Externally, natural materials take centre stage, ensuring the home sits comfortably within its surroundings and feels part of the landscape.

03/10/2025

Not all of our projects involve new-builds. This Friday, we’re highlighting a recently submitted planning application for the extension and remodelling of an existing bungalow. The proposal aims to enhance the internal layout and increase natural daylight throughout the home, while introducing a spacious new kitchen and dining area, an additional bedroom, and a dedicated home office.

Improving access to the garden—currently very limited—has been a key driver of the design. A glazed gable extension from the kitchen will open directly onto the outdoor space, creating a stronger connection between inside and out. The new additions will feature standing seam metal roofing and timber cladding, while the existing bungalow will be re-rendered in white to unify and uplift the overall aesthetic.

The garden, currently constrained by a blockwork retaining wall, will be transformed with staggered planters that step up the slope, forming a more inviting and accessible landscape. The rear yard will be resurfaced with limestone paving, soft grass elements, and a natural stone boundary wall to provide privacy and a sense of enclosure.

01/08/2025

Hot off the heels of our recent approval with Ards & N. Down, we've just submitted the planning application for this 4-bed property in the Killinchy area. Hoping this will also be a speedy approval process 🤞😀

20/05/2025

It has been an enjoyable challenge to develop design concepts for a new house in Donaghadee. The project replaces a derelict bungalow on a compact site near the town centre. The proposed home is designed to maximize its sea views to the rear (east), with a garden accessible through sliding glazed doors from the living area. Upstairs, the master bedroom features picture windows framing the coastal scenery. The push-pull form helps to break up the broad frontage, echoing the traditional narrower façades of neighbouring properties. A dynamic interplay between white render and timber cladding adds visual interest to the exterior.

Address

8A Jericho Road
Killyleagh
BT309TE

Website

https://www.ruralstudio.co.uk/

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