We create sustainable spaces and places that offer the chance to be, pause, reflect and grow. Places to retreat to, to be sheltered by. Places that nurture the soul. Places to commune with others. Beautiful places that offer a sense of wonder to all those who encounter and experience them. Places that give back and speak of the people and setting that they belong to – back in time and looking forward to the future.
. . . Wendy Perring, Founder & Design Director . . .
We question our clients, the site, the design, we question techniques, materials, and collaborators. By constantly questioning we are always learning and improving, pushing our designs forward to ensure we are at the forefront of our practice.
It is our belief that quality architecture adds value, both emotional and financial. Our architecture enhances your sense of well-being, the value of which is difficult to quantify in monetary terms. Our design skill, knowledge and tenacity also add financial value as the benefit of realising quality design increases the value of a site and maximises your investment.
We believe that beauty is measurable and that even the most constrained project or site can be beautiful. Often, embracing constraints is a catalyst for inspirational resolutions. We respectfully celebrate the ‘question’, which has resulted in our reputation for bringing success to challenging and complex sites and project briefs.
At PAD studio we are respectful of people and environments, celebrating history and tradition, diversity and uniqueness. We are mindful of our responsibility to nature and how we impact this on both the sites we work with but also the wider environment. Sustainability is complex and we believe it should be considered from the outset and throughout the building’s lifecycle. We do this automatically in the way we approach design and have a wealth of experience in building award-winning sustainable and beautiful buildings.
Our designs are rooted in place and people. We take inspiration from thorough research which in turn informs our design solutions ensuring every project is bespoke.
We respect our clients and their needs, and we respect those who work with us throughout the process – everyone plays a valuable part. We respect the uniqueness of each team member within PAD studio. We practice respect in all aspects of our work and not just through the buildings we create.
At PAD studio we care passionately about what we do, good design inspires us and although the role of an architect is bound by professionalism and responsibility, we work hard to ensure that the design process is celebrated and enjoyed by our clients and by us. We are architectural storytellers, and it is essential that every project has a unique storyline that is considerate of the people and place.
We work collaboratively and every member of the studio is a talented designer supported by the wider team. We are proud to be a female-led studio and we celebrate this, embracing diversity in all its manifestations. We are tenacious and driven, working hard for you and with you. We strive to meet the specific and individual needs of every client ensuring a memorable, personal, and professional experience.
For over a decade as a sustainably focused team, we have fully engaged with climate and biodiversity issues, celebrating these challenges as opportunities. We are proud signatories of the Architects Declare network, and the RIBA 2030 Climate Challenge and aim to meet net-zero (or better) whole life carbon for new and retrofitted buildings by 2030.
Our sustainably focused team have a depth and breadth of experience acquired through many years of practice and collaboration. PAD studio has a flexible support team that assists us throughout the process of design and construction and we regularly collaborate with experienced consultants, experts and academics to facilitate and enhance our working practices and business development.
Originating from the Emerald Isle, Wendy was the founding partner of PAD studio Ltd. With extensive experience leading high profile domestic, arts and education schemes, including Lottery funded Arts projects and over a decade of experience in crafting bespoke homes in sensitive and challenging locations.
Wendy is passionate about architectural education previously acted as a studio tutor and RIBA Part 3 examiner for several academic institutions including the University of Portsmouth and Oxford Brookes. As a proud alumni of the University of Edinburgh she was the guest of honour at the graduation ceremony for her alma mater in 2019.
Currently a panel member on Design South East (DSE), she regularly reviews Paragraph 80 and other high-profile planning applications and has been the invited jury chair and judge on the RIBA Awards panel in 2016 and 2020/21. Wendy went on to graduate from the 10,000 Small Businesses course, run by Said Business School at Oxford University in association with Goldman Sachs in 2022.
Alongside managing PAD studio, Wendy is currently undertaking academic research and writing a thesis entitled ‘Traces of Feminine: Female Led Architectural Practice’. When she has spare time, Wendy is a talented sailor (having notched up over 30,000 sea miles), enthusiastic tennis player, swimmer, gardener and general foodie with a weakness for dark chocolate and good red wine.
Allan is a highly experienced architect and urban designer, specialised in complex and sensitive urban settings and large-scale mixed-use projects. Graduating from Harvard he is also registered in the USA (NCARB) working for Moshe Safdie Architects in Cambridge, MA. In the intervening years, he has won numerous national and international competitions and awards, including several Civic Trust and RIBA Awards with projects such as the Missoni Hotel, Edinburgh St James and Boroughmuir High School.
Collaborating with PAD studio since 2020, Allan joined PAD studio as Director in 2022. He brings his experience and skills to support the growth strategy and expand into areas we are passionate about. When he’s not designing buildings or writing about them, Allan is a keen mountain biker, loves to travel, walk both the Scottish highlands and sunny Spanish hills and a cheeky craft beer.
Jen joined the PAD studio team in 2021 as Architect and PassivHaus designer. Throughout her career Jen has gained experience working on a scale of residential projects around Dorset and the beautiful south coast; from contemporary extensions and renovations, one-off houses to multi-unit residential housing and flat schemes. Alongside her design expertise, Jen pursued her passion for sustainability and environmental science by qualifying as a certified PassivHaus Designer and will be supporting our Post-Occupancy research within the studio.
As well as being a talented architect with an interest in phenomenological theory, Jen has a passion for vintage design, enjoys high-energy gym classes and exploring in the beautiful Jurassic coast with her family and a good vegan treat.
Collette joined the PAD studio team in 2016 and completing her final exams in 2020. Collette is a brilliant designer with a passion for uncovering the truth and history of a place; this richly informs our design work. During her career, Collette has worked on a range of project typologies including large-scale housing developments, public buildings and private residential projects and was instrumental in delivering our ‘Gardeners Cottage’ House. Collette is a trustee and student mentor supporting arts and architecture charity SPUD.
As well as being a great Architect, Collette is a fantastic baker keeping us supplied with cakes and sweet treats. Collette is also a keen runner, gym-goer and spin class fanatic.
Ben has been with PAD studio since 2013, working on housing projects in London, residential projects and Local Authority public buildings. He was a key member of the team which delivered the award-winning Canoe Lake Leisure Pavilion, in Portsmouth. The Pavilion was awarded two RIBA Awards, the Portsmouth Society Best New Building Award and recognised as finalist in the World Architecture Festival and Architects Journal Architecture Awards.
Outside of the office Ben enjoys being active and an outdoor lifestyle. He is often found on Southsea beach in his home city of Portsmouth or cycling around the south of England drinking good coffee at every opportunity.
Having been with PAD studio since 2010, Ricky has worked on a range of award-winning projects in the office, navigating difficult planning policy and developing extensive experience in high-end crafted residential homes. Ricky has been a visiting tutor at the University of Portsmouth where he sought to pass on his passion and understanding of poetics and phenomenology in architecture. Leading PAD studio’s Post Occupancy Evaluation research and development program, he has been instrumental in assessing our completed projects such as New Forest House and keeps the team up-to-date on new sustainable building technologies and construction methods.
He draws on his time travelling around Japan and extends his interest in poetics into his personal passions where he is immersed in the arts and society’s creative culture, is a practising Buddhist and a keen cyclist when he’s not exploring the forest with his Doberman Hank.
Originally from Cumbria and joining PAD studio in 2023, David is an experienced architect who has spent the majority of his career on the South Coast. He has designed and delivered a wide range of residential projects including house refurbishments, one-off homes and award-winning small-scale housing developments. He aims to create contextually driven architecture which is highly functional yet well crafted.
Pursuing an interest in sustainable architecture, David qualified as a Passivhaus Designer in 2020 and has since been involved in designing low-energy homes for a Local Authority as part of their affordable homes programme.
Outside of the office, David can usually be found playing sports including cricket, football and searching for his ball on a golf course.
After graduating from Lisbon University, Rui has worked for both British and Portuguese award winning architecture practices – designing international projects. He also has experience in site logistics and project management.With an eye for detail and a passion for design, Rui supports the team in developing projects and exploring 3D visuals to test and question our responses.
Rui is a skilled artist and illustrator. He is also a passionate sailor and can often be found racing on the waters of the Solent.
Helen Blois, a consultant from The Etch Group, manages our day-to-day accounts, invoices, and payroll. AAT qualified, she is an accountant in training. Helen is a keen runner, cyclist and walker and she has also discovered a passion for renovating houses. Her happy place is spending time on or in the water on anything that floats. In 2020 PAD studio partnered with The Etch Group to drive and help manage our business growth.
Helen Mutch, a consultant from The Etch Group, is an experienced Finance Manager and sits on our Management Team. She loves a spreadsheet and a good graph. When she is not crunching numbers, she loves walking in the forest but never uphill, cooking, and spending time with friends and family. Never happier than being at a Vintage Fair searching for trinkets, furniture and clothes. In 2020 PAD studio partnered with The Etch Group to drive and help manage our business growth.
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