RRA Architects

03/09/2026

𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝟮𝟲 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 #𝟰𝟬𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀𝟰𝟬𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝘄𝗲 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗯𝗯𝗲𝘆, 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗱𝗻𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱-𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗾𝘂𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗹.

At midnight on New Year’s Eve 1999, Ford Abbey was ready for the Millennium Bug. Every current drawing had been printed, electronic files backed up onto CDs, generators brought to site and people remained onsite for security, just in case the world’s computer systems stopped working.

Midnight came, the year changed and absolutely nothing happened.

The project itself was far from uneventful, however, with extensive archaeological investigations, the careful conservation of a Grade II listed farmhouse and curtilage-listed barns, followed by the 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak restricting movement through the countryside.

Read the full story at https://rraarchitects.com/restoring-historic-buildings/

27/08/2026

🐄 𝗢𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝗼𝗼-𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗺 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿. 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝟮𝟱 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝘄𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗺𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀, 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘂𝗽𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲-𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗰𝗶𝗿𝗰𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀, 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗸𝗲 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝗼𝗼𝗿𝘀.

Even the old cattle-shed ventilation louvres found new jobs as glazed rooflights. No bull, just thoughtful design, an open-minded client and some seriously skilled construction.

The full story and more photos at
https://rraarchitects.com/converting-farm-buildings/

20/08/2026

𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗯𝗲𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗱𝗱 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲?
𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝟮𝟰 𝗼𝗳 , 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱, 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘄𝗸𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲-𝗯𝗲𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗯𝘂𝗹𝗼𝘂𝘀, 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝘄𝗼-𝗯𝗲𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲.

This neglected end-terrace had three bedrooms, but its narrow ground floor ended in a cramped kitchen and dark bathroom containing the only toilet.

Sacrificing a bedroom and moving the bathroom upstairs released the full width downstairs for a generous kitchen opening onto the courtyard. With a tight budget and carefully directed spending, the completed renovation achieved an excellent return on investment and smashed the ceiling for comparative values on the street.

Sometimes less really is more.

Read the full story:
https://rraarchitects.com/how-to-add-value-through-house-renovation/

17/08/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗶𝗱𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗺. ✨ 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝟮𝟯 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗭𝗲𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗵, 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲.

The client chose RRA after seeing Evesham Micros many years earlier. Faced with a very different site, we designed a house that steps with the contours, opens towards the views and uses a bridge to create a memorable arrival.

Completed in 2015, Zenith still feels every bit as bold today.

More pictures and the story at
https://rraarchitects.com/building-on-a-steep-slope-cheltenham/

Discover how RRA Architects used a bridge, split levels and architectural theatre when building on a steep slope in Cheltenham for Zenith.Category: News

06/08/2026

𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝟮𝟮 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽, 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴. Twenty years ago, RRA helped a client leave London and settle closer to good friends in Skenfrith by transforming a virtually derelict cottage into a comfortable new home.

The Old Shop occupies an extraordinary position, sandwiched between Scheduled Monument, Skenfrith Castle and the Grade I listed Church of St Bridget. Securing planning permission and Listed Building Consent was no mean feat and required careful negotiation with Monmouthshire County Council and consultation with Cadw. Thankfully, our client’s faith in the cottage (and in us) never wavered.

Completed in 2006, The Old Shop remains a private home today, with the former village shop now serving as a rather lovely reading room and private library.

Read the full story at https://rraarchitects.com/renovating-derelict-cottage-skenfrith/

RRA Architects looks back at renovating a derelict cottage in Skenfrith, Monmouthshire, and the friendship that inspired the move.

29/07/2026

𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝟮𝟭 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝘄𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗸 𝗚𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻-𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗲, creating a fabulous yet functional family home with a sculptural, glowing glass staircase, spectacular resin flooring to the same specification as the new floor at The Dorchester and colour-changing mood lighting throughout. Not exactly standard choices for a family home in 2008.

For more photos and details, see https://rraarchitects.com/charlton-park-gate-cheltenham-house-extension/

23/07/2026

It's Week 20, our halfway point in our series, so we have done a bumper 3-for-1 special edition about The Ones That Got Away!
Three projects that had every chance of success, but where timing, policy and circumstance did not align.
Holme Lacy Agricultural College had planning permission, then a last-minute spot listing changed everything.
The Daily Bread had all the ingredients for a brilliant community project, until the car park stopped the rise.
Westfield Special School’s hydrotherapy pool would have made a real splash, but planning delays meant the funding and momentum eventually ran out.

Read on for the whys and wherefores https://rraarchitects.com/the-ones-that-got-away-herefordshire-architectural-practice/

Thank you to Daniel Statham Studios for kindly allowing us to share the Holme Lacy visualisations in the log and project pages.

Week 20 of RRA’s 40 Projects series marks the halfway point with The Ones That Got Away, 3 community-minded projects from a Herefordshire architectural practice.

16/07/2026

#𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝟭𝟵 𝗼𝗳 #𝟰𝟬𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀𝟰𝟬𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗦𝗮𝘅𝘁𝘆𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱. A hospitality refurbishment in a listed building, a changing nightlife scene and a design brief that needed to work from daytime dining through to late-night drinks.

This 2007 refurbishment with ch*****ne bubbles on the ceiling and bold pink and blue washroom artwork, gave Saxtys a stronger identity that worked harder for the way people actually used the venue, from the restaurant and w**e bar to the club spaces and social routes through the building.

A fun one from the archive, and definitely not a beige ceiling kind of project.

Read the full story here:
https://rraarchitects.com/saxtys-hereford-hospitality-refurbishment/

10/07/2026

𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝟭𝟴 𝗼𝗳 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗱.
RRA looked at it and obviously thought, “𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘏𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘖𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘦.”

The result was a full transformation; restored stone walls, a glazed first floor, tree-inspired steelwork, views towards Hereford Cathedral and a design that worked with the River Wye flooding rather than hoping it wouldn't.

This week’s blog is more of a photo story, because the before, during and after shots are doing all the heavy lifting.

See the photo story here
https://rraarchitects.com/watershed-hereford-riverside-landmark/

Week 18 of RRA’s 40 Projects series visits Watershed Hereford, transformed from a forgotten warehouse into a striking glazed landmark.