Overview: Concept design and delivery of the refurbishment of the existing lower-ground level office space at St Anne’s Court, Soho provides a new dedicated 250sqm skin and haircare product testing facilities for the iconic Good Housekeeping brand. GHK is one of the oldest continuous magazine publications in the UK, for the largest international publishing house, Hearst. Community Impact & Value: As a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to product testing, the bespoke laboratories within the Hearst Institute are based on significantly remodelled spaces within the existing retained building. Designed to provide a publicly accessible live studio, absorption within the testing process can be experienced. The working lab space, as well as flexible staff working areas support the studio provision. Here early phases of market research and product development through to quality testing and marketing is undertaken for a number of the nations most recognised brands. Technical Insights & Challenges: Full internal reconfiguration and building services where curated within this highly impactful design. The aim being to provide a functional and elegant visitor experience, drawing on a contemporary interpretation of the origins of the GHK brand within the Art Deco period and interior style. Colour use, bespoke designed furniture and equipment requirements were all seamlessly integrated. Our working wall for product trialing encapsulates both advance testing equipment with splashes of nostalgic references from the Hearst archive, individually selected and curated. The bespoke floor to ceiling metalwork is also adaptable to the changing needs of the venue and allows for future relocation if necessary. Key Achievements: The Hearst Institute will support the Good Housekeeping Cookery School also at St Anne’s Court, whilst continuing to test and review products and services for the public and wider beauty industry. HEARST INSTITUTE Client: Hearst Value: Confidential Status: Completed Overview: Concept design and delivery of the refurbishment of the existing lower-ground level office space at St Anne’s Court, Soho provides a new dedicated 250sqm skin and haircare product testing facilities for the iconic Good Housekeeping brand. GHK is one of the oldest continuous magazine publications in the UK, for the largest international publishing house, Hearst. Community Impact & Value: As a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to product testing, the bespoke laboratories within the Hearst Institute are based on significantly remodelled spaces within the existing retained building. Designed to provide a publicly accessible live studio, absorption within the testing process can be experienced. The working lab space, as well as flexible staff working areas support the studio provision. Here early phases of market research and product development through to quality testing and marketing is undertaken for a number of the nations most recognised brands. Technical Insights & Challenges: Full internal reconfiguration and building services where curated within this highly impactful design. The aim being to provide a functional and elegant visitor experience, drawing on a contemporary interpretation of the origins of the GHK brand within the Art Deco period and interior style. Colour use, bespoke designed furniture and equipment requirements were all seamlessly integrated. Our working wall for product trialing encapsulates both advance testing equipment with splashes of nostalgic references from the Hearst archive, individually selected and curated. The bespoke floor to ceiling metalwork is also adaptable to the changing needs of the venue and allows for future relocation if necessary. Key Achievements: The Hearst Institute will support the Good Housekeeping Cookery School also at St Anne’s Court, whilst continuing to test and review products and services for the public and wider beauty industry.

Selected Projects Commercial Cultural Housing EAST STREET DORA CARR CLOSE NEW ROAD TRIANGLE BARNET HOUSE BARBICAN ART GALLERY GRAYS INN ROAD THE FABRIC WORKS TOTTENHAM HALE PAVILION BRIDGE HOUSE BERESFORD STREET LION GREEN ROAD BARBICAN CINEMAS 2&3 GUILDFORD PLAZA HOUSE OF HEARST MARSTEAD LIVING

Overview: Originally constructed in 2009 and set amongst some of the only remaining ancient oaks in London’s Highgate Conservation Area, this single-storey family home was touted as a forward-thinking timber framed building. Our sensitively contemporary refurbishment and extension of the property centred around a shared ethos of low-carbon construction whilst echoing the qualities of the ecologically-innovative original. Community Impact & Value: Asymmetrically nestled into a semi-sunken back garden plot, the fragmented nature of the internal arrangement posed a number of challenges requiring a unified response. Obstacles included bedrooms opening onto main entrances, and principal rooms suffering from a lack of connection to the garden. The proposed concept methodically addressed these constraints, creating a simpler flow and separation between communal and private spaces. Technical Insights & Challenges: We repaired the disconnection between the landscape and the existing house through the provision of full height sliding doors and refurbished clerestory windows. Introducing sliding windows for all adjacent rooms also established a powerful visual and physical connection, combined with a new landscape strategy and the flourishing green roof. Both new and existing external timber are finished in black, helping the building sit effortlessly amongst the landscape. A number of sustainability strategies were implemented inside and out, including the inclusion of temperature-controlled stack and cross ventilation, permeable paving, green roofs and flood protection. Prioritising the retention and upgrading of existing fabric where possible minimised embodied carbon. The primary timber structure and cladding of the original building were extended to create an architecturally and conceptually-sensitive addition that blurred the lines between old and new. Key Achievements: The formed directional vistas from each space provide concealed yet subtly interconnected spaces that exude privacy while helping to foster togetherness for the family. CHURCH ROAD Client: Private Residential Value: Confidential Status: Completed - Awards: Dezeen Awards 2022 Urban House category - Longlist NLA Don't Move, Improve 2022 Urban Oasis category - Winner AJ Retrofit Award 2022 House £500,000 and over - Highly commended Overview: Originally constructed in 2009 and set amongst some of the only remaining ancient oaks in London’s Highgate Conservation Area, this single-storey family home was touted as a forward-thinking timber framed building. Our sensitively contemporary refurbishment and extension of the property centred around a shared ethos of low-carbon construction whilst echoing the qualities of the ecologically-innovative original. Community Impact & Value: Asymmetrically nestled into a semi-sunken back garden plot, the fragmented nature of the internal arrangement posed a number of challenges requiring a unified response. Obstacles included bedrooms opening onto main entrances, and principal rooms suffering from a lack of connection to the garden. The proposed concept methodically addressed these constraints, creating a simpler flow and separation between communal and private spaces. Technical Insights & Challenges: We repaired the disconnection between the landscape and the existing house through the provision of full height sliding doors and refurbished clerestory windows. Introducing sliding windows for all adjacent rooms also established a powerful visual and physical connection, combined with a new landscape strategy and the flourishing green roof. Both new and existing external timber are finished in black, helping the building sit effortlessly amongst the landscape. A number of sustainability strategies were implemented inside and out, including the inclusion of temperature-controlled stack and cross ventilation, permeable paving, green roofs and flood protection. Prioritising the retention and upgrading of existing fabric where possible minimised embodied carbon. The primary timber structure and cladding of the original building were extended to create an architecturally and conceptually-sensitive addition that blurred the lines between old and new. Key Achievements: The formed directional vistas from each space provide concealed yet subtly interconnected spaces that exude privacy while helping to foster togetherness for the family.

Great event at the 2026 RIBA London Awards, and even better walking away with a regional award for this project by Mary Duggan Architects and RUFFARCHITECTS. Lion Green Road is a landscape-led housing scheme in Coulsdon, delivering 157 homes across five pavilions on a carefully worked sloping site. As Susie Le Good, London jury chair, noted: “The plan type of the pavilions has all the apartments arranged in a pin-wheel pattern around a central core, ensuring every home is dual aspect and enjoys generous daylight.” Congratulations to the whole project team. Photography: Rob Parrish Photography Back to News

We’ll be at UKREiiF this year, with our director Paul joining the event in Leeds for a week of discussion, collaboration, and industry insight. If you’re attending and would like to arrange a meeting or informal catch-up, feel free to get in touch via info@ruffarchitects.co.uk - we’d love to connect. Back to News

We’re delighted to share that Guildford Plaza has won Best Residential Design at the RESI Awards! A huge thank you to our clients, collaborators and wider consultant team, and congratulations to all of this year’s shortlisted projects and winners. Back to News