December 2017_Christmas Card
December 2017_Don’t Move Improve
We’re proud to feature in the Don’t Move, Improve! 2018 selection of London’s best home improvements, with our Middle Room Project, by New London Architecture.
Keep an eye out for the exhibition and magazine, launching 25th Jan 2018!


October 2017 – National Energy Programme-II SYMPOSIUM
Giles spoke this week as a part of the National Energy Programme-II SYMPOSIUM 25-26 October 2017 in the University of Westminster – ‘Innovative Sustainable Building Design & Energy Efficient Technologies – https://www.westminster.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/2017/westminster-architecture-department-hosts-national-sustainable-building-design-symposium

October 2017_Lecture in Bath University
Giles will be lecturing in University of Bath next week on the subject of ‘Invisible Performance’ : “Environmental Performance should not dictate architectural aesthetic. Sustainability should not impede creative thinking’

August 2017_CEU featured in dezeen
dezeen has featured the Central European University campus redevelopment in Budapest, Hungary, in which we were environmental consultants to O’Donnell + Tuomey Architects. The article talks about how the project links old and new by making connections between existing courtyards, removing existing inefficient buildings and designing new buildings around a series of courts.

August 2017_Planning granted for new build house in Camberwell
We have been granted planning permission for a new build house in the middle of the Grosvenor Terrace conservation area, on a site adjacent to a public park, created as a result of a World War II bomb. The end of terrace site has a prominent position relative to the historic terrace. We have developed the facades in close reference to the existing listed buildings, configuring existing elements in a new way. The aim is that the finished house should look strangely familiar – as though it is new but was somehow always there….

August 2017_Scaffolding off on Elephant & Castle…
Very excited to see several years of hard work finally unveiled with the removal of the scaffolding at our project of three houses and a nursery at Elephant & Castle. The internal fit out is on-going, but we are almost there with the externals…

July 2017_CEU wins RIAI Best International Project
Great to hear that the Central European University campus redevelopment in Budapest, Hungary, in which we were involved with O’Donnell + Tuomey Architects was selected for this year’s Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland Best International Project.

June 2017_The sun has got his hat on
Our competition submission for the AJ ‘House of Colour’ competition for an innovative, colourful playhouse for children.
“THE SUN HAS GOT HIS HAT ON
HIP HIP HIP HURRAY
THE SUN HAS GOT HIS HAT ON
AND WE’RE GOING OUT TO PLAY…”Colour in the morning is not the same as colour in the evening. The sun moves, light shifts, colours change. Our proposal responds to this change with a play structure that orients itself to two directions.
Two interconnected play spaces face east and west. A diagonal wall between each is perforated with differently sized openings, some big, some small – lots of opportunities to run between, play hide-and-go-seek, hangout. Morning sunlight reflects from a series of multi-coloured panels onto the diagonal wall clad with Hardie Panel, and again in the evening, creating a play of reflections and shadows through the day.
We have worked with Ceramic Artist Ingrid Saag, to create a series of art pieces within this central wall, providing coloured openings from one side to the other. Colours range from vivid to earthy, energising to relaxing, and provide an idiosyncratic, inspiring palette for two different worlds – one morning, one evening.

June 2017 _ almost finished in Wandsworth
Almost finished on our project in Wandsworth – two houses, one old, one new. The new house fits on a rather awkward site, and inherits this site geometry into the plan. Built of recycled bricks with angular reveals to the front window, the project seeks to reinterpret the language and proportion of the original house in a contemporary way.

May 2017 – High Kitchen in Archdaily
Our High Kitchen project is published in Archdaily this morning – http://www.archdaily.com/869295/high-kitchen-a-zero-architects

May 2017 – Pop out house practical completion
Photos from a house we have just finished in South London. The iroko cladding is on the three pop-out windows around which the rear elevation is organised. Photos of the interior to follow shortly…

April 2017 – Photos from Phase 01 CEU
Some magnificent images of the first phase of the Central European University redevelopment in which we were involved in the capcity of environmental consultants to O’Donnell Tuomey from the initial competition win to Detailed Design. More details here : http://a-zero.co.uk/portfolio/central-european-university/

April 2017 – Fatherhood / Architect duties in Wandsworth
Fatherhood / Architect duties combine in Wandsworth : new infant addition to the practice, Emile Bruce, got to visit site this week to see progress on our new build house which is progressing well and due for May completion.

March 2017 – onward and upward at Elephant and Castle
Giles & Phillip on site in Elephant & Castle. We are steaming along with all the steel work complete, and the brickwork catching up by the day. The external envelope should be watertight by May.

February 2017 – Horse Door house
We are just finished on site with this ground floor extension in Leyton – our first to have used a ‘horse door’ (a door which can either open top or bottom). The project is designed around a pre-existing brick wall built by the client’s father, which we extended into the house to establish a strong visual connection between inside and outside. The bright yellow horse door provides access to the garden. The large picture window is framed by a galvanised structural frame which also forms a structural gutter to provide a cantilevered canopy over the door.
January 2017 – Progress on Wandsworth House
Progress on our project in Wandsworth – two houses, one old, one new. The new house fits on a rather awkward site, and inherits this site geometry into the plan. Built of recycled bricks with angular reveals to the front window, the project seeks to reinterpret the language and proportion of the original house in a contemporary way.

December 2016 – progress on Elephant & Castle
And this is where we have got to on our Elephant & Castle development at the end of 2016. Brick work done up to first floor, and the steel frame installed up to the fourth floor. Bit to go till it yet till it looks like the rendering – but looking quite photogenic in the mist nonetheless…

December 2016 – progress on Eaves House
We are nearing completion on this house in South East London. Many more photos of this project to follow as there is a lot to show…
October 2016 – CEU – Phase 01 completion
We are very excited to see footage from the newly completed first phase of the Central European University campus in Budapest. We worked with O’Donnell + Tuomey Architects on the environmental design of this project from competition up to tender stage. Time for an A-ZERO office trip to Budapest….

Progress on Elephant & Castle
We have reached that auspicious moment where our brickwork is now the same height as the hoarding…. Things should start moving quite quickly now….

September 2016_practical completion on Zinc House
Zinc portal frames around a ground floor and dormer windows are designed to provide the necessary solar control to the windows.The house has been completely reconfigured and extended, the new interventions linked with a palette of materials comprising solid oak panels, pigmento red zinc and external sandstone tiling. A new kitchen bench seating area addresses the garden through the glazed corner window. More photos to follow…..

September 2016 – Thames House
New rendering of our Thames House project, due to go out to tender this month. The glazed corner windows catch oblique glimpses toward the Thames, and sit flush with a fibre-cement cladding. The volume of the main house is lifted up over a brick base, constructed of the recycled bricks from the existing house which will be demolished. Rendering by Whitaker Studio.

August 2016 – Wandsworth House
Progress on our Wandsworth developemnt.The project comprises the construction of a new build house on an angular corner site, and the extension and renovation of an existing dwelling. Builders started in July, and have made good progress to far on demolition.

July 2016 – House Contraction
Some photographs from a small house ‘contraction’ project we did this year. This was a project where we persuaded the clients to reduce the size of their home, but make the space work more effectively so that it feels larger. This means making a connection between the front and the back with a concealed pocket door between, and using am industrial palette of materials of anthracite coloured windows, butcher board worktop, and exposed London stock brick walls.lls.

July 2016 – London House extensions & contractions
We have lots of projects on site at the moment, all at various stages of completion, and all involving substantial alterations to existing properties, either by extending them or in some cases contracting them. It is always interesting to try and re-imagine how the original house used to be – always quite difficult after five months of contractor occupation.

July 2016 – Planning permission granted for Old School House
Planning approval has been granted for the redevelopment of this old School house in Moor Park as a new residential dwelling. The existing building, built in 1920s is one of the founding buildings of the estate, and the design seeks to work within the character of the existing property,but providing a more contemporary internal layout, and exemplary environmental performance.

June 2016 – Grand Designs Magazine
Our Willesden Road Junction project has been featured in this month’s Grand Design Magazine
Energy Consumption has been greatly reduced in this side extension by A-ZERO architects. The environmental upgrades include the installation of a new MVHR system, high performance glazing, and greater levels of insulation throughout. Internally, the new addition features a series of roof-lights, and exposed brickwork, while externally, the decorative iroko facia spans the rear elevation with bi-fold doors leading to the stone clad garden’.

June 2016- A-ZERO photoshoot
The June 2016 A-ZERO line up : Sho, Caterina, Giles, Anya & Phillip.

May 2016 – scaffolding down on Elephant & Castle
Phase 01 complete… now on to phase 02….

May 2016_Black House photo update
It’s not quite finished – but good enough to take a couple of pictures. Now that the lawn is established, and the last remnant of building materials has been removed off site, it is ready for a summer. There is still a bit to do interanally, so the final photos won’t be for a couple of months yet…

April 2016 – Progress on Elephant & Castle devlopment
We are slowly but surely getting out of the ground on our Hampton Street Project. Piles are in, below ground drainage is in, utilities are in. Now things get interesting with some concrete pours….

March 2016 – London Building Excellence Awards 2016
Our Peckham project – ‘extending without an extension’ is a finalist in the London Building Excellence Awards 2016 in the Best extension or alteration to an existing home category. Fingers crossed!

February 2015_St. John’s Wood House
Photos from our St. John’s Wood project from last summer. Giles had worked on this house 10 years ago, and we were asked back to reconfigure the interior, creating a new kitchen / dining area and study space. We worked with an excellent joiner – Rob Berry, who we would highly recommend.

February 2016_contemporary side extension
Our Willesden Junction project is virtually complete. The original house has been fully refurbished and extended with an infill extension to the side. We thought a lot about the glazing around this extension, the rhythm of light in the space, and the transparency of the corners. The iroko wrap-around emphasises this relationship, whilst providing integrated down lighters over the full width bi-fold doors. More internal photographs to follow….

February 2016_Planning lodged for Northwood House
We have lodged planning for a house in Northwood. The building, was originally built as a school, and the organisation of spaces internally is very unconventional. The proposal is to work with the language of the original school building, introducing a series of garden facing roof elements which draw on the materiality and pitch of the original roofs, but are clearly different in their expression.

February 2016_progress on Elephant & Castle Development
First part of the build is in – all the piles are down. Not very much to look at, but it has generated a phenomenal amount of muck and dirt. Next stage is the joys of below ground drainage….

January 2016 – Progress on Willesden Junction
Things are almost wrapping up on our Willesden Junction project – the resin floor is down, the wrap around roof-light is in, the MVHR is running, the joinery is happening… almost there…
A-ZERO Christmas Card 2015
This years Christmas card is a movie again – this pretty much sums up the pace of the last year!

December 2015 – Planning approval for Thames House
‘the unique angular design of the proposed dwelling is innovative…it would add a distinct and vibrant element to the street scene which would have a positive impact on the character and appearance of the area’.

November 2015_Start on site – Elephant & Castle Day Nursery
We are really excited to be finally on site with our Elephant & Castle Nursery + Housing development. . It is great to be a part of the wider Elephant & Castle regeneration, and after three years going through planning, even better to be starting on site in one week. The project comprises three new build low energy houses with a ground floor nursery, and will achieve passive house performance. The project is due for completion Autumn 2016.

October 2015_NLA New Ideas for Housing
As one of the practices shortlisted for the New London Architecture ‘New Ideas for Housing’ competition. our entry ‘The High Street Living Project‘ was featured under the ‘densification’ category. The submission is also on display in the Building Centre in Store Street until December 2015.

A-ZERO shortlisted for NLA ‘New ideas for Housing – International Ideas Competition’.
We are delighted to have been shortlisted for the New London Architecture’s ‘New Ideas for Housing international ideas competition’
Our proposal ‘The High Street Living Project’ looks at ways in which London’s high streets can be brought back into residential use; focusing on the much maligned Walworth Road as a case study. We looked at possible ways the existing houses, landlocked behind single storey shop units, could be rehabilited through new roof-top residential development. http://a-zero.co.uk/portf…/
Our proposal will be featured in the New Ideas for Housing publication. The winning scheme will be announced on 14 October and an exhibition of the shortlisted entries will be held in the NLA galleries at The Building Centre, 26 Store St, London WC1E 7BT (http://

August 2015 – windows are in on our Northwood Development…
Windows in in our Northwood house – a great job by Derek from V-Windows – http://vwindows.eu/. Even though the house is North facing – we especially like the fact that we still get sunlight passing through the double height space in the hall form the south facing roof-lights…..

August 2015_Elephant & Castle Development
Our development in Elephant & Castle has now been granted full planning permission! The development comprising three new-build townhouses and a nursery will be commencing on site in Autumn. The project provides a ground floor nursery, and three Code Level 04 Terraced Houses above. Visualisation by Whitaker Studio

July 2015 – Carbon Neutral wedding
A wonderful day had by all when Giles (finally) tied the knot with Ingrid. We successfully mamanaged to get almost 100 guests from Kennington to Vauxhall on a menagerie of bicycle BMX’s, tandems and rickshaws. Well done to one and all!

May 2015 – Cycle to Brighton
A bit of an A-ZERO outing on Sunday…. Giles & Phillip cycled from London to Brighton as a part of this years British Heart Foundation annual cycle. Although technically Phillip was faster, he walked up one of the hills, which Giles didn’t.

May 2015 – ZInc house
Photographs by Photographer Step Haiselden (http://chronological.co.uk/), for our Zinc House in the garden. Thanks Step! More details & photos here : http://a-zero.co.uk/portfolio/zinc-house-_-2015/