Stonewood Design is an architectural practice, based just outside of Bath in a village called Corsham. Their office is a historic Grade II Listed 17th century malthouse, which they call Delicious House.
The practice started in 2010, and since then has grown to become a thriving practice, with a workload across cultural, residential, educational, heritage and commercial sectors.
Stonewood Design have completed three significant museum projects; The Story of Gardening Museum, The Roman Villa Museum, and The Story of Emily Museum.
They have received a number of RIBA Awards over the years, recognising the quality of their work:
RIBA South West Award 2024: Matter Studio
RIBA South West Award 2023: Roman Villa Museum
RIBA South West Project Architect of the Year Award 2023
RIBA National Award 2021: Story of Gardening museum
RIBA South West Sustainability Award 2021: Story of Gardening museum
RIBA National Award 2019: Kingswood Preparatory School and Nursery
RIBA South West Project Architect of the Year Award 2019
RIBA National Award 2015: Myrtle Cottage Studio
RIBA South West Award 2015: Pod Gallery
We work by listening
We listen to the stories of the
place and consider the context,
the history, the craft and the materials.
place and consider the context,
the history, the craft and the materials.
Individuality:
We encourage people to express themselves. We believe embracing our individuality can lead to greater creativity and innovation.
Authenticity:
We’re not afraid to be ourselves, even if it means going against the grain. We’re confident in our skin and willing to share our thoughts and feelings. Expressing our unique personality and style, we don’t feel the need to conform to others’ expectations or opinions. We work creatively without fear of judgment or criticism.
Openness:
We are open to new ideas, perspectives, and experiences. We believe our openness is crucial for our personal growth and development. It allows us to challenge our own beliefs and biases, which can lead to a greater understanding and appreciation of others.
Integrity:
We act with integrity. We are honest and transparent in all our dealings and interactions. Our integrity is essential to building trust and fostering strong relationships with our clients, colleagues, and partners.
Interview with Pamela Buxton, May 2024:
“When I first met Stonewood Design to write an article for RIBA Journal just weeks before the pandemic hit in early 2020, the 20-strong practice was brimming with enthusiasm and ambition.
Visiting again four years on, I am pleased to find Stonewood Design still flourishing, despite the somewhat choppy intervening times. The practice has boosted both its built portfolio and profile with the completion of three further museums – the Story of Gardening Museum and the Roman Villa Museum, both RIBA Award winners, and a museum about humanitarian Emily Hobhouse in Cornwall.
Rather unconventionally, the practice emerged from a construction company - Stonewood Builders - where founder Nicola du Pisanie set-up Stonewood Design in the same premises. She was joined by Matt Vaudin in 2012, followed later by Adam Chambers. The attention to detail and materials embodied by Stonewood Builders, clearly continue to inform the practice’s approach. They are firm believers in retaining a highly crafted, small project ethos even on larger projects. Material experimentation is important too – this is a practice that likes to get its hands dirty.
Talking to them about their projects, they clearly relish rich and challenging contexts, whether in terms of landscape or built heritage - Vaudin is particularly enthused by an on-going commission for a new hotel planned for a plum site opposite the splendid ruin of Tintern Abbey in the Wye Valley.
At Westonbirt School in Gloucestershire, a commission for new classroom pavilions within a 19th century walled garden was clearly inspired by the glasshouses that once occupied the site. Completed in 2023, the project is the practice’s second major education project following its breakthrough Kingswood Prep School.
Stonewood Design had plenty of experience navigating sensitive historic contexts at its RIBA Award-winning Roman Villa Museum, which completed in 2022 at The Newt in Somerset near Bruton (also the home of the Story of Gardening Museum). This hugely challenging project involved both a new build museum about the Roman villa that once occupied the site, and a full-size recreation of the villa on a nearby site to the archaeological remains. The project has been a wonderful experience, according to Vaudin. Visiting it this spring, it’s clearly been well worth the labour of love.
‘It’s a very key project for us - all about craft, and context and making. It suited us because it’s so bespoke,’’ he says.
The practice is now tackling another archaeology-driven project – an interpretation centre for the ruins of a Norman castle on the grounds of a scheduled ancient monument.
In spring 2024 Stonewood Design completed The Creamery. Castle Cary is the location for The Creamery, next to the railway station. A former milk factory from the early 1900s, this brick building has been extended, restored and converted into a cheese making facility, along with associated retail and a café/restaurant.
The Story of Emily Museum in the village of St Ive, north Cornwall, also completed in 2024. This tells the little-known story of feminist and humanitarian Emily Hobhouse, who spoke out against the UK’s use of concentration camps in South Africa during the Boer War. Stonewood Design’s work here spans across several buildings, including new build staff accommodation and visitor facilities in a robust Cornish vernacular executed with a modern twist.
Stonewood Design is proud of its distinctive, rather quirky practice culture, which combines a no-nonsense attitude with a sense of joint endeavour, not only within its own team but with clients and collaborators as well.
‘What makes us stand out from others is the way we do things, both internally and externally,’ says du Pisanie. This means trust, straight-talking and a no false deadlines, no blame-culture’.
This approach is compatible with its nurturing ‘Do Life’ practice ethos, enhanced by a 4.5 day–working week (the office is closed on Fridays) and a 5.45pm finishing time. Certainly there is a delight in communal activities - the last Christmas party featured a sound meditation session followed by a pottery workshop before breaking out the food, drink and music. There is a continued commitment to pro bono projects. The practice recently completed the Hermanus boxing centre in South Africa for which it also contributed funding for the roof, and is a supporter of local charity Jamie’s Farm, which offers residential stays for inner-city children.
With this renewed sense of energy, the practice is now looking forward optimistically towards the next ten years, with a clear sense of what it does best. ‘We’re based in a West Country village, doing very bespoke projects, and that’s where we’re adding the most value,’ says Vaudin.
Asked about dream future projects, Vaudin aims big - perhaps a project in a key international city such as New York, or maybe even a museum in an ancient archaeological site? He may, or may not, be joking. But it certainly feels as if Stonewood Design is well placed to go far, armed with a strong portfolio of juicy built projects that look likely to open ever-bigger doors.
I look forward to what comes next.
Pamela Buxton, May 2024.
Email: admin@stonewooddesign.co.uk
Delicious House
67 High Street
Corsham
Wiltshire
SN13 0EZ
Stonewood Design is a RIBA Chartered Practice, and is ISO 9001 and 14001 accredited. Stonewood Design is the trading name of Stonewood Design Ltd. Company