Pace Architecture

05/10/2026

Could York House be Twickenham’s forgotten treasure? 🏡
For James Munro, it is one of those buildings that deserves far more attention than it gets.
“There are many significant historic houses in the borough of Richmond, including Ham House, Marble Hill House and Turner’s House, but perhaps one overlooked architectural treasure is York House in Twickenham.”
The Grade II* listed house dates from the seventeenth century, but what you see today is the result of many different periods of change.
As James explains:
“Its architecture reflects centuries of alteration, with eighteenth-century remodelling and later Victorian and French influences creating a fascinating layered character.”
That character continues inside too.
“Richly detailed cornices, ceilings, fireplaces and an impressive oak staircase reveal the quality of its craftsmanship.”
Its formal gardens, terraces and riverside setting add another dimension, but perhaps the most interesting thing about York House is that it has never simply become a relic of the past.
It is still used for civic purposes today, which means it continues to play a role in the community around it.
James sums it up nicely:
“Despite its importance, York House remains surprisingly understated, making it a genuine hidden gem of Twickenham and worth a visit.”

What historic building in Richmond or South West London do you think deserves to be rediscovered?
Save and share this with someone who loves local architecture and history.

28/09/2026

We’re excited to share that a new Pace project is getting underway at Lexham Gardens. 🏡

Over the next year, Pace Architecture, Pace Projects and Sandra Flashman will be working together on the full refurbishment of a two-bedroom top-floor apartment in Kensington.

The images we are sharing now are early mock-ups and renders, so this is very much the beginning of the story.
The apartment belongs to a retired French couple and the brief is not about dramatically changing the layout. Instead, the focus is on making the existing space feel much more considered through materials, lighting, furniture, artwork and finishes chosen around the way they actually want to live.

For James Munro, it is a significant milestone; an exciting and substantial collaboration with Sandra and Pace Projects involved together from the outset. That means the design, interiors and construction can be developed as one joined-up process rather than as separate stages.

We’ll be sharing more as the project moves forward, including site visits, progress updates, design decisions and some of the key construction moments. The glazing installation should be a particularly good one to capture, with a crane due to be involved. 👀

Completion is around a year away, so there is plenty still to follow.

Which part of a refurbishment do you most enjoy seeing come together: the early ideas, the messy middle or the final reveal?

11/09/2026

A new full-house renovation has been completed at Campden Grove, Kensington.

We’re worked in collaboration with Agathe Skalli Interiors and Insideout London to help create a home where the architecture and interiors feel connected from the outset.

Projects like this work best when the wider vision is shared early. It allows decisions around layout, materials, finishes and the way the home is lived in to develop together, rather than as separate layers.

What makes a home feel truly well connected to you?

10/09/2026

A first look behind the build at Cottenham Park Road.
Work is now underway and the house is beginning to change.

At this stage of a renovation, much of what you see is structure rather than finished design, but it’s also when the ideas developed on paper start to become much easier to understand. Spaces begin to open up, relationships between rooms change and the future home gradually starts to reveal itself.

This video captures some of those first steps at Cottenham Park Road. We’ll be sharing more from the project as work progresses, so keep an eye out for the next update.

01/09/2026

Behind The Build: Hither Green Project 🏡
There’s a lovely moment during a renovation when you stop seeing timber, blockwork and scaffolding and start seeing the home it’s going to become and we’re getting there at Hither Green.

The first-floor reconfiguration is now complete, new windows are going in and work is progressing on the ground floor extension, which will create a large open-plan kitchen and dining room with a snug and pantry.

At the front of the house, the ground floor is also being reconfigured to make room for a utility and shower room.

There’s still plenty happening on site, but the way the spaces will connect is becoming much easier to see. 🌿

Thank you to Rapid Bee, White and Lloyd and House of Glass for their work in bringing the project together, we’ll keep sharing the journey as the house takes shape.

If you were renovating your home, which would be higher on your wish list: a pantry, snug or utility room?

20/08/2026

"Where do we even start?"

It's probably the question we're asked more than any other.
Whether you're thinking about extending your home, renovating an older property or simply making better use of the space you already have, knowing what to do first can feel overwhelming. The truth is, you don't need to have everything figured out before speaking to an architect.

In our latest blog, we've shared practical advice on approaching the early stages of a home renovation, from understanding your brief to thinking about planning, local context and making confident decisions from the outset.

If you're planning a project in Richmond or the surrounding area, we hope you'll find it helpful.

📖 Read the blog here:

How to start a high-end house renovation project in Richmond with less stress, from early design decisions to planning guidance and the right first steps.

18/08/2026

Relaxation doesn't always look like a spa day. 🌿
Sometimes it's sitting outside with your first coffee.

Watching the garden move in the breeze.
Opening the doors on a sunny afternoon.

Or finding ten quiet minutes before the rest of the house catches up.
Those everyday moments are often the ones we remember most.

Where do you naturally slow down at home? We'd love to hear

14/08/2026

We've all got that spot. 📖
The one where the light is just right.
The one where a cup of tea somehow lasts longer.
The one where you sit down with a book and forget what time it is.
It's funny how the smallest spaces often become our favourites.

Where's your reading spot at home? Tell us below.

13/08/2026

Two London homes. Two very different architectural conversations. 🏡
In Richmond, a project might begin with questions about how the house connects to the garden, how to bring in more light and how new architecture can sit comfortably alongside a period family home.

Move across London to Kensington and the context changes. The streets are denser, plots are often tighter and the existing architecture has a very different character.

That’s one of the things we love about residential architecture.
You can’t simply take a solution that worked beautifully in one neighbourhood and repeat it somewhere else. The best projects start by understanding the house, the setting and how the people inside actually want to live.

Which setting would you rather design a home in: leafy Richmond or urban Kensington?

Share this with someone who loves noticing how London’s architecture changes from one neighbourhood to the next.