Architects in South West London
South West London runs from Victorian terraces in Clapham to interwar semis out toward Sutton, and no two boroughs plan the same way. Design United Studio works as architects across the whole area, building local knowledge of each council rather than applying one generic approach everywhere.
Local Insight, Borough by Borough
Eighteen Councils, Eighteen Sets of Rules
Wandsworth, Merton, Lambeth, Richmond and the other authorities across South West London don't share a single planning policy. What gets approved on a Victorian terrace in Clapham can be refused on an equivalent street a few miles away, simply because the local plan reads differently.
We work as house extension and residential architects across the whole of South West London, building borough-specific knowledge project by project rather than applying one template everywhere.
A Practice That Covers the Region, Not Just One Postcode
Homeowners in Putney, Wandsworth, Clapham, Fulham and further out in Kingston or Sutton all come to us for the same reason: a house extension, loft conversion or interior redesign handled by architects who understand the local building stock and the local council.
That regional reach means we're rarely starting from zero on planning precedent, wherever in South West London a project happens to sit.
House Extensions Are Where Most South West London Projects Start
A rear extension, side return or wrap-around is usually the first project a homeowner across South West London brings to us, whether that means more kitchen and living space in Fulham, Balham or Kingston. We manage the design through the full RIBA Plan of Work, so it's always clear what's been decided and what's still to come.
Where a project also calls for a loft conversion or an interior refit to make proper use of the new space, we take that on as part of the same brief rather than a separate engagement handed to someone else.
Areas We Cover Across South West London
From Putney and Wandsworth through to Sutton and New Malden further south, we work as local architects across eighteen areas of South West London and the Surrey border. Each area page below covers the planning considerations specific to that borough.
How We Work With Different Local Authorities
Pre-application advice, validation requirements and committee review all vary slightly from one council to the next. Keeping track of these differences means a project submitted to Wandsworth isn't handled the same way as one submitted to Richmond, because the two councils simply don't operate the same way.
A Regional Practice
One Studio Covering the Whole of South West London
Design United Studio is led by director Jürgen Kuppers, a RIBA and ARB registered architect whose background includes large-scale projects at Foster + Partners.
He works alongside Part II Architectural Assistant Kirana Laonipon on every project that comes through the studio. Based in Wimbledon Park, the team has taken on projects from Putney to Sutton across South West London and into Surrey for over a decade.
Our Track Record
2
Hands-On Team
100+
Projects
99%
Planning Approval Success Rate
10+
Years in Practice
What Our Clients Say
"We're in Fulham. Our previous architect was based well outside London and it showed in how little they knew about our local planning team. Working with someone who actually knew the council made a real difference."
"Kingston isn't the easiest borough for planning, but they clearly weren't dealing with it for the first time."
"Our loft conversion in Clapham went from first drawing to approval without a single round of resubmission."
CLAIRE R.
ANDREW F.
NATALIE G.
Straight answers before you call
Frequently asked questions
Common questions from homeowners across South West London about coverage, planning differences between boroughs, and how we work.
