Andrew Catto Architects

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Andrew Catto Architects

🏠We have renovated and built everything for residential purposes since 1999
☎️ 020 8785 0077
📍Putney-SW15 2SH

02/10/2026

RETROFIT FIRST. DESIGN SECOND.

One of the biggest shifts happening in architecture is not about designing more buildings.

It is about doing more with the buildings we already have.

Across London, retrofit and adaptive reuse are becoming increasingly important. For us, good architecture has always started with the same question:

What can we retain, improve and transform before we replace?

Better insulation.
Smarter layouts.
Low-energy systems.
Renewable energy.
Better natural light.
More useful spaces.

And, importantly, architecture that responds to the character of the existing building rather than erasing it.

The most sustainable building is not necessarily the newest one.

Sometimes, it is the building we choose to keep.

# SustainableArchitecture

18/09/2026

Open House returns this weekend.

Although Andrew Catto Architects are not participating with a project this year, Melissa took the opportunity last weekend to visit a selection of Open House buildings, exploring a wonderful mix of contemporary new builds, carefully considered extensions and historic buildings.

What stood out was the evident care behind each project: thoughtful design, beautifully crafted details and a real appreciation for the character and potential of each place.

Visiting buildings in person is always an inspiring part of architectural practice. Seeing how materials, spaces and ideas come together and how others have approached the challenges of making and adapting buildings , offers fresh perspectives and plenty of inspiration.

We’ve shared a few photographs from the visits below, capturing some of the details and spaces that particularly caught our eye.

If you’re exploring Open House this weekend, we hope you discover something inspiring too.

11/09/2026

OPEN HOUSE WEEKEND | STARTS THIS SATURDAY

Open House Festival 2026 starts this Saturday, 12 September, opening the doors to some of London’s most interesting homes, buildings, and spaces. This is a great opportunity to explore some inspiring residential architecture right on your doorstep.

Here are a few homes worth putting on your list:

📍 Green Lodge, Roehampton
56 Roehampton High Street, London SW15 4HJ
Saturday 12 September | 10am–4pm

A fascinating low-energy family home by Stylus Architects, carefully embedded into the landscape of Putney Heath. Much of the accommodation is concealed below ground, creating a surprisingly generous home while keeping the building's presence restrained. Concrete, larch timber, natural light, and carefully designed internal spaces come together to create a really thoughtful piece of residential architecture.

📍 15 Edge Hill, Wimbledon
15 Edge Hill, London SW19 4LR
Saturday 12 September

Another opportunity to explore residential architecture locally, with the project offering an interesting look at how a contemporary home responds to its site

📍 Six Columns, Crystal Palace
Saturday 12 September | 10am–5pm

The RIBA House of the Year 2024 — an architect-designed family home where materials, light and spatial sequences create a distinctive domestic environment.

📍 W House, Fulham
Sunday 13 September | 10am–4pm

A striking refurbishment and extension, exploring the relationship between an existing home and a carefully considered contemporary addition

Open House is a wonderful opportunity to step inside buildings that you would normally never have the chance to visit and to look closely at the ideas, details, and decisions that make a house work.

As architects, we particularly enjoy seeing how different practices approach the challenges of extending, adapting, and creating homes for modern family life.

A note from us:
The projects and photographs featured in this post are not projects by Andrew Catto Architects.
Look around. Ask questions. Get inspired.

04/09/2026

ETROFIT IS NOT COMPROMISE. IT IS INTELLIGENCE.

Good architecture doesn't always mean starting again.

Here, we worked with an existing Victorian house, retaining its character while rethinking how the ground floor connects with the garden. The existing bay was carefully redesigned, and the floor level lowered, creating a stronger connection between the interior and exterior and making the space work better for contemporary living.

The building wasn't replaced.
It was understood, adapted and improved.

For us, this is what retrofit is about. Making the most of what already exists, retaining embodied carbon, and finding new value in existing buildings.The best sustainable material is often the building that's already there.

28/08/2026

Last night at Mamma Mia! one of the dads in the musical, who is an architect, looked at the building and said, “This building is my baby.”

My daughter looked at me because she knew!

As architects, we get attached to our projects. We care, we watch them grow, see them take shape on site, and finally become something beautiful that once existed only in our imagination.

Just like our children, our projects are our babies.

My daughter may get a little jealous… but I absolutely love what I do!

17/08/2026

A lot can happen behind the scenes.

From sketches and site visits to completed projects, industry conversations and the everyday moments in between, every frame tells a small part of the story.

Different projects. Different challenges. One shared commitment: thoughtful architecture that works for the people who live in it.

A glimpse into life at Andrew Catto Architects.

And the story continues.

03/08/2026

Most people see the finished home.

What they don’t see are the conversations, the sketches, the revisions and the countless decisions behind it.

For Andrew, architecture has never been about creating impressive buildings. It’s about understanding how people live, solving problems with thoughtful design and creating homes that will stand the test of time.

Years of experience don’t just shape projects.
They shape the way you think.

If you’re planning to renovate, extend or build in London, it all starts with the right conversation.

31/07/2026

Every stage tells part of the story.

In today’s Site Diary, Melissa takes us on site to share the latest progress and explain the thinking behind this stage of the project.

Great architecture isn’t only about the finished result. It’s about making the right decisions at every step of the journey.

29/07/2026

The best renovations don’t just transform a room. They transform the way you live.

This project began with a clear ambition: to replace a dark, disconnected space with a bright, welcoming heart of the home.

Natural light, a stronger connection to the garden, carefully considered materials and a layout designed around everyday living have completely changed the experience of this home.

Every decision was made with purpose. Not simply to create a beautiful kitchen, but to create a space where cooking, gathering, relaxing and everyday moments naturally come together.

Thoughtful architecture isn’t about following trends. It’s about designing a home that works beautifully for the people who live in it.

Thinking about extending or renovating your home in London? We’d love to help you explore what’s possible.

27/07/2026

What most people see is a finished home.

What we see is thousands of decisions, carefully connected to create it.

Address

176 Upper Richmond Road
London
SW152SH

Telephone

+442087850077

Website

https://www.andrewcatto.co.uk/

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