Portfolio | PiP Architecture

top of page

Home
About
Portfolio
Professional Developers
Personal Projects
Latest
Contact
More

Use tab to navigate through the menu items.

Filter by:

Start your project with PiP Architects...

Contact us today to explore how we can transform your space.

Would you like to join our collaborative team?

info@piparchitecture.co.uk

Bold doesn't have to mean disrespectful.

At this 1920s Arts and Crafts house in a Cambridge conservation area, we’re using shuttered concrete in arched forms to create something honest and contemporary.

Heritage isn't a constraint. In the right hands, it's a brief.

Bold doesn't have to mean disrespectful.

At this 1920s Arts and Crafts house in a Cambridge conservation area, we’re using shuttered concrete in arched forms to create something honest and contemporary.

Heritage isn't a constraint. In the right hands, it's a brief.

Zinc vs powdered steel:

Zinc is pliable. Complex details. Secret fixings. Higher cost. Limited but considered colour range.

Steel comes pre-formed . Faster installation. Any colour available. Lower cost. But visible fixings and catalogue edge components.

We choose based on what the building needs.

Zinc vs powdered steel:

Zinc is pliable. Complex details. Secret fixings. Higher cost. Limited but considered colour range.

Steel comes pre-formed . Faster installation. Any colour available. Lower cost. But visible fixings and catalogue edge components.

We choose based on what the building needs.

Every flat roof in Cambridge City is required to be green - it’s a local plan policy.

The intention is good – biodiversity enhancement, stormwater management, ecological benefit for the city.

Our role is making it work for each project.

Every flat roof in Cambridge City is required to be green - it’s a local plan policy.

The intention is good – biodiversity enhancement, stormwater management, ecological benefit for the city.

Our role is making it work for each project.

Nine homes. One former farm site. Nearly there.

We've been with this project from the very beginning — working alongside Beechwood Estates and Jesus College to bring this Harston development to life.

The final landscape touches are going in now - the part when the spaces between the buildings start to make sense.

Nine homes. One former farm site. Nearly there.

We've been with this project from the very beginning — working alongside Beechwood Estates and Jesus College to bring this Harston development to life.

The final landscape touches are going in now - the part when the spaces between the buildings start to make sense.

Good architecture leaves room for collaboration.

At High Street Chesterton, we established volume, light and flow.

Sarah Austin from B-Property shaped the spaces with a beautifully considered material palette and detailing.

Good architecture leaves room for collaboration.

At High Street Chesterton, we established volume, light and flow.

Sarah Austin from B-Property shaped the spaces with a beautifully considered material palette and detailing.

At Grantchester Road:

The triangulated first floor extension works within 45-degree guidelines.

The chamfered zinc dormers maximise useable loft space.

The constraints shaped the form.

At Grantchester Road:

The triangulated first floor extension works within 45-degree guidelines.

The chamfered zinc dormers maximise useable loft space.

The constraints shaped the form.

On our Grantchester Road extension and loft conversion, every room floods with natural light:

Chamfered zinc dormers in the loft.
Floor to ceiling angled glazing on the first floor

A continuous ribbon of glass wrapping from wall to roof above the dining table at ground level.

Every space enjoying views out towards a beautiful private lake.

On our Grantchester Road extension and loft conversion, every room floods with natural light:

Chamfered zinc dormers in the loft.
Floor to ceiling angled glazing on the first floor

A continuous ribbon of glass wrapping from wall to roof above the dining table at ground level.

Every space enjoying views out towards a beautiful private lake.

There are two types of green roof: intensive and extensive.

Read our short guide on the two systems, how to choose between them and what to expect from each.

https://www.piparchitecture.co.uk/post/green-roofs-explained

There are two types of green roof: intensive and extensive.

Read our short guide on the two systems, how to choose between them and what to expect from each.

https://www.piparchitecture.co.uk/post/green-roofs-explained

Value engineering doesn’t have to mean lesser architecture.

At High Street Chesterton, we swapped burnt larch cladding for fibre cement board, and zinc roofing for powder-coated steel – but thoughtful detailing kept the strong design intent intact.

Value engineering doesn’t have to mean lesser architecture.

At High Street Chesterton, we swapped burnt larch cladding for fibre cement board, and zinc roofing for powder-coated steel – but thoughtful detailing kept the strong design intent intact.

Gaining planning approval isn’t the end of the architectural project.

At High Street, Chesterton, developer B Property came to us with permission already in place.

We took an inherited design and brought it to life on site.

Gaining planning approval isn’t the end of the architectural project.

At High Street, Chesterton, developer B Property came to us with permission already in place.

We took an inherited design and brought it to life on site.

Corten steel ages with intention.

Developing a natural rust finish over time, it brings seasonal variation as the building settles into its context.

At Willis Road, we used it to bridge Victorian heritage and contemporary design.

Corten steel ages with intention.

Developing a natural rust finish over time, it brings seasonal variation as the building settles into its context.

At Willis Road, we used it to bridge Victorian heritage and contemporary design.

If your site is in a conservation area, do you have to design something to match the Georgian or Victorian heritage all around?

No.

Complement the setting through scale, materials and proportion – not through fake historical details.

Contemporary design can (and should) respect heritage without copying it

If your site is in a conservation area, do you have to design something to match the Georgian or Victorian heritage all around?

No.

Complement the setting through scale, materials and proportion – not through fake historical details.

Contemporary design can (and should) respect heritage without copying it

How do you save a historic building AND make it fit for 21st Century life?

At Waterside in Ely, we did something counterintuitive.

Remove the roofs. Drop new buildings inside.

Read more here: https://www.piparchitecture.co.uk/post/waterside-ely

How do you save a historic building AND make it fit for 21st Century life?

At Waterside in Ely, we did something counterintuitive.

Remove the roofs. Drop new buildings inside.

Read more here: https://www.piparchitecture.co.uk/post/waterside-ely

Planning approved for this contemporary family home in Cambridge.

The brief called for balance and harmony:

* Double height atrium
* Panoramic views
* Generous open plan spaces

When a design feels right for the site, planning will often follow.

Planning approved for this contemporary family home in Cambridge.

The brief called for balance and harmony:

* Double height atrium
* Panoramic views
* Generous open plan spaces

When a design feels right for the site, planning will often follow.

We need an experienced Project Architect to join the PiP Architects team – could it be you?

This is an excellent opportunity for a confident architect to take the lead on an exciting portfolio of projects across all RIBA work stages.

✅ Ambitious self-builds
✅Exclusive sustainable developments
✅Sympathetic heritage renovations

PiP Architects delivers a wide range of innovative and distinctive projects across Cambridgeshire and Norfolk.

👋 We’re looking for:
A Part 3 qualified Architect with proven experience, strong technical and design coordination skills, and personable communication.

🤝 We’ll offer you:
The opportunity to work on highly engaging projects within a supportive and collaborative studio environment in central Cambridge (and a competitive annual salary package).

--------------------------
If this sound like you, get in touch (or share this with someone who should!)

Email your CV and a covering letter to info@piparchitecture.co.uk
--------------------------

We need an experienced Project Architect to join the PiP Architects team – could it be you?

This is an excellent opportunity for a confident architect to take the lead on an exciting portfolio of projects across all RIBA work stages.

✅ Ambitious self-builds
✅Exclusive sustainable developments
✅Sympathetic heritage renovations

PiP Architects delivers a wide range of innovative and distinctive projects across Cambridgeshire and Norfolk.

👋 We’re looking for:
A Part 3 qualified Architect with proven experience, strong technical and design coordination skills, and personable communication.

🤝 We’ll offer you:
The opportunity to work on highly engaging projects within a supportive and collaborative studio environment in central Cambridge (and a competitive annual salary package).

--------------------------
If this sound like you, get in touch (or share this with someone who should!)

Email your CV and a covering letter to info@piparchitecture.co.uk
--------------------------

Work In Progress:
The steelwork is in place for this extensive refurb and extension project.

Thermal upgrades and natural lighting are high priority features for our clients in this exciting build.

Work In Progress:
The steelwork is in place for this extensive refurb and extension project.

Thermal upgrades and natural lighting are high priority features for our clients in this exciting build.

There's something satisfying about using a material that's already weathered to its final state.

Burnt larch doesn't change over time - it's charred to lock in the colour and texture you see on day one.

There's something satisfying about using a material that's already weathered to its final state.

Burnt larch doesn't change over time - it's charred to lock in the colour and texture you see on day one.

Reporting from site where this self-build is nearly complete.

From the outside: clean lines and a monochrome material palette that feels deliberate and calm.

Hidden inside: We've layered in some playful details you won't expect.

Look out for more soon...

Reporting from site where this self-build is nearly complete.

From the outside: clean lines and a monochrome material palette that feels deliberate and calm.

Hidden inside: We've layered in some playful details you won't expect.

Look out for more soon...

When your site has railway lines, protected trees and changing topography, every decision matters.

Good design doesn't fight the site . It works with it.

When your site has railway lines, protected trees and changing topography, every decision matters.

Good design doesn't fight the site . It works with it.

We never compromise on brick selection.

After 20 years of building, I've learned that the right brick separates good projects from a great one.

It's not just about appearance.

The technical performance, carbon footprint, appropriateness to location, and long-term weathering all matter.

Read our complete guide to brick selection and detailing here: https://www.piparchitecture.co.uk/post/are-expensive-bricks-worth-it

We never compromise on brick selection.

After 20 years of building, I've learned that the right brick separates good projects from a great one.

It's not just about appearance.

The technical performance, carbon footprint, appropriateness to location, and long-term weathering all matter.

Read our complete guide to brick selection and detailing here: https://www.piparchitecture.co.uk/post/are-expensive-bricks-worth-it

Great to see our Church Lane project featured in velvetmag

The feature explores how smart home technology is becoming essential for managing the renewable energy systems we're increasingly designing into homes.

Read the full feature here: https://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&pubid=fc786885-9d34-4e72-aed9-a3596d03b123

@baulogic.uk

Great to see our Church Lane project featured in velvetmag

The feature explores how smart home technology is becoming essential for managing the renewable energy systems we're increasingly designing into homes.

Read the full feature here: https://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&pubid=fc786885-9d34-4e72-aed9-a3596d03b123

@baulogic.uk

Swiss Laundry operated on this Cambridge site for over 100 years - a maze of Victorian warehouses where steam rose from industrial washing equipment.

Rather than bulldoze a century of industrial heritage, the Victorian bones now house quiet R&D labs and tech startups – take a look here:

https://www.piparchitecture.co.uk/post/the-swiss-laundry

Swiss Laundry operated on this Cambridge site for over 100 years - a maze of Victorian warehouses where steam rose from industrial washing equipment.

Rather than bulldoze a century of industrial heritage, the Victorian bones now house quiet R&D labs and tech startups – take a look here:

https://www.piparchitecture.co.uk/post/the-swiss-laundry

Our Thatch House project had a narrow window for countryside development - and we made it count.

We designed a home that appears modest from the street, then reveals its contemporary character as the site drops away.

Good design works with what you've got, not against it.

Our Thatch House project had a narrow window for countryside development - and we made it count.

We designed a home that appears modest from the street, then reveals its contemporary character as the site drops away.

Good design works with what you've got, not against it.

Woodland location + Contemporary design = Natural materials.

For our Great Shelford house, we've specified a mix of metal cladding, timber, and brickwork that responds directly to its protected woodland context.

With a subtle palette, this contemporary home feels comfortable within its sensitive conservation area setting.

Woodland location + Contemporary design = Natural materials.

For our Great Shelford house, we've specified a mix of metal cladding, timber, and brickwork that responds directly to its protected woodland context.

With a subtle palette, this contemporary home feels comfortable within its sensitive conservation area setting.

The most constrained sites can create the best opportunities.

Our Great Shelford project (recently awarded delegated approval) proves that thoughtful design can unlock even protected woodland sites.

The most constrained sites can create the best opportunities.

Our Great Shelford project (recently awarded delegated approval) proves that thoughtful design can unlock even protected woodland sites.

How do you breathe new life into a century-old industrial site?

Swiss Laundry had been washing Cambridge's clothes for over 100 years when we were asked to transform it into premium R&D workspace.

Now it’s a thriving campus-style development that honours its industrial soul while delivering exactly what modern businesses need.

How do you breathe new life into a century-old industrial site?

Swiss Laundry had been washing Cambridge's clothes for over 100 years when we were asked to transform it into premium R&D workspace.

Now it’s a thriving campus-style development that honours its industrial soul while delivering exactly what modern businesses need.

Design becoming reality.

Linear white bricks and aluminium frames taking shape at one of our self-build projects.

It's the details - the rhythm, the precision - that make the difference.

Design becoming reality.

Linear white bricks and aluminium frames taking shape at one of our self-build projects.

It's the details - the rhythm, the precision - that make the difference.

Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery does exactly what it says – it ventilates your home while recovering the heat that would otherwise be lost.

Fresh air enters. Stale air exits. Transferring warmth as they pass.

Earlier this year we worked with @thecambridgebuildingsociety to demonstrate how this technology (and others!) can work in an ordinary city home.

Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery does exactly what it says – it ventilates your home while recovering the heat that would otherwise be lost.

Fresh air enters. Stale air exits. Transferring warmth as they pass.

Earlier this year we worked with @thecambridgebuildingsociety to demonstrate how this technology (and others!) can work in an ordinary city home.

Delegated planning approval just secured for four self-build plots on a site outside the village framework in South Cambs.

Thanks to developer Artisan for trusting our planning expertise to deliver.

Delegated planning approval just secured for four self-build plots on a site outside the village framework in South Cambs.

Thanks to developer Artisan for trusting our planning expertise to deliver.

The best way to demonstrate sustainability is to show it in action!

We’ve been supporting @thecambridgebuildingsociety this year on their Ferndale Rise retrofit project – transforming an ordinary 1930s semi into a blueprint for energy-efficient living.

The best way to demonstrate sustainability is to show it in action!

We’ve been supporting @thecambridgebuildingsociety this year on their Ferndale Rise retrofit project – transforming an ordinary 1930s semi into a blueprint for energy-efficient living.

.pro-gallery-wix-wrapper {display: block !important;} .pro-gallery-wix-wrapper .gallery-item-container {opacity: 1 !important; display: block !important;}

Follow us on Instagram

© PiP Architecture 2025

Privacy Policy | Data Policy | Cookie Policy | Terms & Conditions | Contact

Perpetua In Perpetuum Limited is a limited liability company registered in England.
Company Reg. No. 8931431. VAT No. 213 031965.

bottom of page