ABOUT US

Working from studios in London and Wells in Somerset, we are a team of architects committed to radically reducing the impact of buildings on the environment. Having pioneered some of the most ambitious retrofit and Passivhaus projects we push the boundaries of low-energy and low-carbon construction to create buildings that are robust, joyful and sustainable.

By establishing an open and creative dialogue with our clients we seek to make engaging, atmospheric environments that enhance people’s daily lives. We try to observe the nature of places to understand their qualities, patterns and nuances. We propose interventions that might intensify the sense of place, healing and providing continuity with the existing context.

We give practical and useful advice that enables our clients to understand the design process and make informed decisions. We are committed to achieving best value for our clients through thoughtful design. We offer consultancy services to building owners and other professionals on Retrofit, low-energy and low-carbon construction, and have coauthored important guidance on these subjects including PAS 2035, the British Standard for Retrofitting dwellings.

Our architectural work is rooted in the wider activities of teaching, writing and research which allow us to combine thought and technical innovation with a practical approach to the realities of development and construction. We have a hands-on approach through which we continuously seek to improve the quality of construction on site.

Our work has been recognised by a number of awards, including the Mews House Deep Retrofit which won an RIBA Award in 2022, and the Dundon Passivhaus in Somerset which won RIBA Regional and National Awards and was a finalist for the prestigious Stephen Lawrence Prize. We were winners of the BD Sustainability Architect of the Year Award 2017.

We work closely with Interior Designer Emily Bizley and can offer a fully integrated service incorporating architecture, interior design and energy analysis.

How we work

The posts below from our Journal talk about the way we work and how we think about architecture.

Featured

Hans-van-der-Laan-Vaals-Monastery-Benedictusberg-abbey-crypt-brick.jpg

Setting The Tone

The word tone suggests both visual and aural sensations, a reminder that the feeling of a place is perceived through all the senses, not just what we see.

Inside-Outside

In our work we often extend the roof out beyond the building envelope to create sheltered outdoor spaces, ‘intermediate territories’ between inside and outside that blur the distinction between the house and the landscape.

An Architecture For Our Times

The buildings of the past that we most admire tend to be those made in a way that represents something of the spirit of their age. We perceive beauty when we sense materials being worked with artistry and judgement by people working to the best of their abilities in ways appropriate to their times. So what is an appropriate way of building for our time, and what might it say about our culture to future generations?

Between The Earth And The Sky

The Unknown Political Prisoner Monument defines space in the loosest sense, as an open structure of thin steel wires through which the landscape and sky are framed, delicately pinned to the ground.

A House in the Country

Rather than thinking about what it would look like, a lot of our discussions revolved around the atmosphere of the house and the way different spaces would relate to one another. Emily is an interior designer, so we each had different, but fortunately ...

Precedents I – Newington Green House

Observing the built environment and studying the work of others are a crucial part of the design process, yet these are things most architects seldom discuss. We might talk about our favorite ...

Watch the video below to see a talk given by Graham Bizley in February 2017 at the University of the West of England (UWE) on the work of Prewett Bizley Architects:

People

GRAHAM BIZLEY BSC(HONS) BARCH ARB RIBA - DIRECTOR

Graham set up the Somerset office of Prewett Bizley Architects in 2013. Following his move to Somerset Graham began researching the British landscape. He is particularly interested in what the landscape means to different people and how we can build in the countryside in a way that is sustainable and enhances a sense of place. He submitted a proposal on rural architecture for the British Pavilion at the 2014 Venice Biennale and was one of 4 shortlisted teams.

Graham has written regularly for various architecture journals and is the author of two books on architectural detailing published by the Architectural Press. He is currently working on a book on Rural Architecture. Graham has lectured widely on the work of the practice at UK universities, is a part-time teaching fellow at the University of Bath and an external examiner at the Arts University Bournemouth. He is a judge on the RIBA, AJ Sustainability, AJ Retrofit and AJ100 Awards. He sits on the Design West Review Panel, and previously on the Hackney Design Review Panel and on the Islington Conservation and Design Panel.

Graham studied at Bath University and the ESTAB in Barcelona. Prior to establishing Prewett Bizley Architects he worked for practices in the UK, India and Zimbabwe.

ROBERT PREWETT BSC(HONS) MARCH ARB RIBA - DIRECTOR

Robert heads the London office of Prewett Bizley Architects and has developed considerable expertise in low-carbon construction, particularly in the field of retrofit. He is a certified Passivhaus designer and has presented a number of ground breaking retrofit projects at Passivhaus conferences, RIBA CPD events and the award winning Retrofit Coordinator course.

Robert is a member of the RIBA Sustainable Futures Group which advises the profession and government on the incorporation of sustainability in education, standards and policy. He is a founder member of the Passivhaus Trust and a technical advisor to the STBa (Sustainable Traditional Buildings Alliance). He has previously been a trustee of the charity RESET that aimed to deliver training and knowledge sharing to increase resilience within our built environment, particularly in areas facing severe climate change impacts.

From 2007-11 Robert was Course Coordinator for Construction and ran a Diploma level design studio at the University of Greenwich. He studied at Bath University and the Technische Universiteit in Delft. Before setting up practice with Graham Bizley he worked in the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands.

Awards

PREWETT BIZLEY ARCHITECTS

Ashden Awards 2019 - Longlist
BD Sustainability Architect of the Year Award 2017 - Winner
Competition to curate the British Pavilion at the 2014 Venice Biennale - Finalist
BRE Passivhaus Competition 2012 - Runner up
Builder & Engineer Awards 2010, Architectural practice of the year - Winner
Young Architect of the Year (YAYA) 2009 - Finalist

Notting Hill Mews House

RIBA Regional Award 2022 - Winner
AJ Retrofit Awards 2022, Best house >£500k - Winner

malmesbury House

RIBA Regional Award 2021 - Winner
AJ Retrofit Awards 2022, Listed building up to £5M - Shortlisted

BLOOMSBURY TOWN HOUSE

AJ Retrofit Awards 2016, Listed building under £5 Million - Shortlisted

DUNDON PASSIVHAUS

RIBA Stephen Lawrence Prize (for best building under £1M) 2015 - Finalist
RIBA National Award 2015 – Winner
RIBA Regional Award 2015 (Southwest) – Winner
Daily Telegraph Homebuilding & Renovating Awards 2015, Best Eco House – Winner
Wood Awards 2015, Private – Runner up
Passivhaus Awards 2015 - Runner up
Structural Timber Awards 2015, Best private housing project – Highly Commended

Kentish Town House

Don't Move, Improve Exhibition - 2017

EWI-PRO GUTTER

AJ Retrofit Awards 2016, Product Inovation award - Shortlisted

RETROFIT FOR THE FUTURE HOUSE

Retrofit Awards 2012, Housing (small) - Shortlisted (Highly Commended)

80% HOUSE

Architecture Today Awards 2023 for Buildings That Stand the Test of Time - Winner
Retrofit Awards 2010, Domestic building (single house) - Shortlisted
Hackney Design Awards 2010 - Shortlisted
Sustainability Awards 2009, Sustainable project of the year (under £2m) - Shortlisted

REGENTS PARK OPEN AIR THEATRE

Builder & Engineer Awards 2009, Turning to timber award - Winner
Civic Trust Awards 2009 - Shortlisted
Wood Awards 2009, Commercial and public access - Runner-up
Wood Awards 2009, Best use of panel products - Runner-up

Sky Edge housing, Sheffield

Europan 9, 2008 - Winner

NEWINGTON GREEN HOUSE

RIBA Awards 2005 - Shortlisted
Brick Awards 2004, Best single house - Runner-up

PRESS

PREWETT BIZLEY ARCHITECTS

AJ Climate Champions Podcast - June 2022
Sky News - 29 June 2020, Build Back Better
Daily Telegraph - 27 April 2019, How to turn your draughty period property into an eco home
New Architects 3 - Britain's Best Emerging Architects, The Architecture Foundation & Merrell, 2016
Building Design – 9 October 2009, YAYA 2009 Shortlist Announced
The Independent - 31 December 2005, Jay Merrick, 'The Faces to Watch in 2006'
Blueprint - December 2005, p50-51, Peter Kelly, 'Portfolio' feature

Kentish town HOUSE

Grand Designs Magazine, November 2018, p129-130, ‘Come in From the Cold’

Holland Park Mews House

Evening Standard, Homes & Property - 21 September 2016, Phillipa Stockley

KYVERDALE HOUSE

The Metro Property, 28 February 2017, p6-7, Jo Knowsley
Grand Designs Magazine, September 2014, p88-94, Sophie Vening

RETROFIT FOR THE FUTURE HOUSE

Residential Retrofit: Twenty Case Studies, RIBA Publishing, 2013, Marion Baeli
Architecture Today – May 2011, EcoTech p16-18, Paul Ruyssevelt – Future Proofing: Upgrading the UK Housing Stock
Building, 4 June 2010, p44-45, Stephen Kennett, ‘Passivhaus Diary’
Building, Robert Prewett, ‘Passivhaus Diary’, 6 August 2010, p42-43, 3 September 2010, p44-45, 8 October 2010, p68-69

80% HOUSE

Architecture Today - 24 Jan 2024 -
Renovations: An Inspirational Design Primer, RIBA Publishing, 2016, Richard Wilcox
Residential Retrofit: Twenty Case Studies, RIBA Publishing, 2013, Marion Baeli
Evening Standard, 26 January 2011, Homes & Property p18-19, Barbara Chandler, ‘Our eco Home’
Grand Designs Magazine, October 2010, p76-84, Katy Dunn, ‘Pioneering Spirit’
The Victorian – March 2010, p8-9, ‘89 Culford Road’
Architecture In Detail vol II, Architectural Press, 2010, Graham Bizley
Building – 22 January 2010, p44-48, Thomas Lane, ‘A Haus in Hackney’
Delta T – December 2009, p8-12, James Parker, ‘Just How Low Can We Go?’
Radio 4, 17 December 2009, Simon Schama, You & Yours,

REGENTS PARK OPEN AIR THEATRE

RIBA Journal – August 2008, p40-42,Naomi Stungo, ‘Bottom, thou art translated’
Architecture In Detail vol II, Architectural Press, 2010, Graham Bizley

BALFOUR HOUSE

Home – Investing In Design by David Littlefield, Wiley, 2008
Homes & Gardens, April 2010, p153, Katarina Burrows, ‘Inside Out’
Evening Standard, Homes & Property - 18 March 2009, p7, Zoë Blackler, ‘Anything Goes’

EUROPAN 9 – SKY EDGE

FX Magazine - June 2008, p30
Building Design - 9 May 2008, p3

NEWINGTON GREEN HOUSE

Evening Standard - 11 September 2013, p36-37, Kieran Long, ‘A Home to DIY For’
The New Modern House: Redefining Functionalism, Lawrence King, 2010, Jonathan Bell and Ellie Stathaki
The Independent – 15 October 2010, Living p52-53, Oliver Bennett, ‘Its Time to Start Thinking Big’
New York Times – 7 October 2010, pD08, Rocky Casale, ‘A Big Idea Fit for a Tiny Lot’
100 Houses: Modern Designs for Contemporary Living, Merrell, 2009, Cathy Strongman
Basics - Interior Architecture: Drawing Out the Interior, AVA Publishing, 2009, Ro Spankie
Architektur + Wettbewerbe – September 2008 p60-63, Arne Barth, ‘Residential House with Office in London’
Daily Telegraph magazine - 28 July 2007 p64-67, Abigail Edwards, 'All Rooms with a View'
New London Architecture II, Merrell, 2007, Kenneth Powell & Cathy Strongman
Architecture In Detail, Architectural Press, 2007, Graham Bizley
Grand Designs Magazine - October 2006, p139-141, Fiona Sibley, 'Libraries'
Icon - August 2006, p21, Marcus Fairs, 'I Visited This House'
Evening Standard - 19 July 2006, Homes & Property p22, Fay Sweet, 'A Very Clever Plot'
Baumeister (Germany) - B4, April 2006, p54-59, Anne Hultzsch, 'Fenster zur Stadt'
Constuire In Laterizio (Italy) - 110, March/April 2006, p70-73, Andrea Campioli, 'Tutto a vista'
Architectural Review - March 2006, p37, 50-51, Rob Gregory, 'The House: New Paradigms'
Pen Magazine (Japan) - March 2006, Noriko Takiguchi, 'Architects Own Houses'
Grand Designs Magazine - February 2006, p53, 60-68, Cathy Strongman, 'Neighbourhood Watch'
RIBA Journal - January 2006, p48-52, Jan Carlos Kucharek, 'No Place Like Home'

How we work

People

GRAHAM BIZLEY BSC(HONS) BARCH ARB RIBA - DIRECTOR

ROBERT PREWETT BSC(HONS) MARCH ARB RIBA - DIRECTOR

Awards

Notting Hill Mews House

malmesbury House

Kentish Town House

EWI-PRO GUTTER

REGENTS PARK OPEN AIR THEATRE

Sky Edge housing, Sheffield

NEWINGTON GREEN HOUSE

PRESS

the orchards

west london Mews house deep retrofit

Malmesbury HousE

Bloomsbury Town HOUSE

Holland Park Mews House

REGENTS PARK OPEN AIR THEATRE

BALFOUR HOUSE

EUROPAN 9 – SKY EDGE

NEWINGTON GREEN HOUSE