Good neighbourhood design is about understanding how people live and work. Knowledge of how good buildings function is essential in the arrangement of a new place but it is the spaces, edges and boundaries between the buildings that are our focus. People and nature are at the centre of how we approach our masterplan and regeneration work. We see diversity and character of spaces are essential to encourage growth and interaction between people in any neighbourhood. We understand the limitations of what design can achieve directly by itself. An essential ingredient for any neighbourhood is time, it takes time for the true character of a place emerge. We understand how we can encourage those connections and help forge them by creating the right conditions.

We always look wider than the immediate site in question. Integrating, reinforcing and creating new connections are critical to the success of any intervention. Understanding the site and wider area are always of critical importance. We use sophisticated data analysis techniques to thoroughly understand the context, utilising available government datasets, land registry, global information systems (GIS) data and historical research to give each project a firm basis. Two of the critical aspects of success for a place are density and diversity. We are passionate about ensuring that the correct density and intensity is reached based firmly on historical precedent and the knowledge of how places succeed.

Supervene love collaboration and are adapt at working with and project managing large multi-disciplinary teams and managing diverse stakeholders. Our masterplanning experience includes large scale urban regeneration projects, urban extensions, smaller residential schemes in rural areas and infill sites. We bring the same drive, insight, creativity and seriousness to all our place making no matter the size or location. The UK Housing Crisis can be fixed, we take pride in being part of a sustainable and lasting solution to it.

At Supervene we provide Architectural design though all the RIBA work stages. With a particular passion for residential design, from single family housing to multi-unit schemes. Through our masterplanning work we often get involved in multi-use schemes which involve community, retail and commercial office elements.

Coordinating with our planning, masterplanning and cost teams we are able to help develop design briefs. We have experience in working on prestigious sites developing architectural approaches that are grounded in good construction detailing, with an emphasis that is contextual and human in its approach. We are used to dealing with Design Review Panels and understand what it takes to navigate the process. Many of our schemes have to interact with conservation area and heritage issues.

We have direct experience in adaptations to buildings required by the Building Safety Act, the new requirements of BS9991 and the High Risk Building approval process. We provide Principle Designer services for CDM and BR.

Working across RIBA stage 4 and 5. We work with BIM and happy to collaborate across multiple software environments. We utilise our software expertise to streamline the design process offering well coordinated and thought through solutions with our understanding of the construction process at the heart of everything we do.

The planning system, especially on complex projects can be difficult to navigate and to strategise in the most efficient way. At Supervene we have the advantage of an in-house RTPI accredited planning team that can advise and coordinate directly with the wider design teams.

We have a great deal of experience in planning and a consistent track record in obtaining planning approval, assisting in section 106 agreements and subsequent condition discharges. We are used to dealing with schemes with complex ownerships and issues, sometimes across several Local Authority jurisdictions. We are also able to project manage and lead the multi-disciplinary design teams through the planning stage of design. We know what Local Authorities and Design Review Panels need and can navigate in a positive way to secure good outcomes that create communities and successful places.

Long-term experience and involvement in Outline Permission masterplans allows us to advise and manage design teams through the Reserved Matters and condition discharge process. Especially in a changing regulator and economic environment.

Our planning team have delivered multiuse regeneration schemes with numerous stakeholders in heritage environments. We offer the following services; Planning Strategy, Land Promotion Activities, Outline Planning Application, Reserved Matters, Non-material amendments, Change of Use, Detail Applications, Appeals and Briefing and Advising Expert Witness Teams on Section 18 Appeals

Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) and Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) generally offer unique benefits. Construction within Factory conditions allows for a safer working environment and higher quality. Time on site is significantly reduced.

The environmental benefits are also clear. There is less construction waste, less on-site energy and water costs, less material use and a better build quality allows for better energy performance through both air tightness and envelope construction.

Supervene have been working with both DfMA and MMC on many of our projects, having direct experience with the RIBA DfMA overlay. We are familiar working with Category 1 (3D / Volumetic) and (2D panelised) systems and combinations of both. In order to take maximise benefit of DfMA, standardisation is key at a very early stage.

We are familiar with implementation of DfMA at feasibility stage working. This is considered at masterplan stage on many of our projects. We also know the limitations and how you can adapt systems for good placemaking and urban arrangement. 3 of our large scale masterplans are working with both Category 1 and 2 systems. On particular projects we are helping a client with a hybrid Cat 1 & 2 approach that will allow a 12 week turnaround on site to the first residents moving in.

‘Better Practice’ means that we are continually adopting and trialling latest approaches to deliver design. To better inform decision making and to provide efficient delivery of information. Building Information Models (BIM) are central to this. We are happy to work within most software environments depending on client requirements. The studio has currently adopted a Revit-agnostic BIM workflow utilising VisualARQ for Rhino. This adoption has allowed the studio to provide IFC2x3 & 4 standard BIM formats to partners as required. The benefits of this particular method include native utilisation of common parametric programming systems along with allowing for a freer approach to design, providing a more flexible approach to creating standardised “BIM” families and more.

At Supervene we are constantly trying to improve and inform the way we approach problems and the tools we use to solve them, ‘Better Practice’ is an integral part of who we are. We consistently evolve and improve all that we do. We do not adhere to any software orthodoxy, if there is a tool that is best used for a project we will learn it and employ it.  Our current research projects include; a low cost procedural masterplan tool funded by a grant from Innovate UK part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI); a web platform for maintaining and tracking masterplans, parametric master planning tools to enable quick viability exercises based on MMC, isochrone and integration analysis to inform the design of routes within our work; automated conversion of OS data into working documents.

Supervene offers comprehensive Principal Designer services under the Building Regulations, ensuring compliance with the Building Safety Act 2022. Our scope includes coordinating design risk management from project inception through construction, advising clients on their duties, and ensuring health and safety is integrated into the design process as we plan, manage and monitor the process. We lead design team collaboration, manage pre-construction information, and contribute to the preparation of the Health and Safety File. With a proactive, design-led approach, Supervene ensures regulatory compliance while supporting innovative, sustainable design outcomes. Our role bridges creative intent and statutory duty, protecting stakeholders and promoting best practice throughout the project lifecycle.

Physical models are an essential way to explore and communicate ideas, to convince and persuade others of the merits of a proposal. We see them essential in the design process of any project large or small. They are vital during planning negotiations and public consultations. We employ 3D printing and prototyping on our projects in house to explore design as they develop and to communicate those to clients, design teams and other external stakeholders. These range from city-wide massing and phasing models to façade and bay details. We also provide these services to other architects and collaborators that do not have these services in house.