In the Spotlight: Calderpeel Architects on Architecture’s Hidden Impact

First, we speak to Ewen…

Q: Please tell us who you are and what your role is at Calderpeel?

A: My name is Ewen Miller, I am an architect and also the Managing Director at Calderpeel Architects.

Q: What does architecture mean to you?

A: Of course I would say everything but that might be giving it too much importance. Architecture is an opportunity to impact the lives of individuals and collectives in a way they didn’t realise or expect to delight them, to engage them and open up opportunities to them and connect spaces – it really is the glue that manifests itself around society and allows us to exist and engage. Those that feel they aren’t engaging with architecture are incorrect, we do so everyday, whether we realise it or not. To be someone who is allowed to create that backdrop for that setting is a huge privilege and honour.  I've always thought,  how lucky I am to be in a position that I'm allowed to practice this profession and practice architecture. So, yes, it does mean a lot to me, it means a lot to everybody, I think a lot of people don't quite realize how much it does mean to until you can enter an environment where it's doing something badly but it's doing it well, so you almost don’t notice because it's doing something so well.

Q: What sort of projects do you usually work on?

A: It’s a range. We’re predominantly known for what we call "super homes," which are luxury houses. These can be new builds, retrofits, extensions, or refurbishment work for clients. That’s what we’re mainly recognised for, probably because it’s the kind of thing everyone is interested in. Everyone has a house, everyone has a home, and people are naturally curious about how the wealthy live and the stories that come with it. Although, that makes up only 40% to 50% of our turnover, the rest involves the projects I tend to get involved with, which are usually more complex residential projects.

Q: What changes have you seen since you started as an architect?

A: Well, when I started, we were still working on the drawing board and didn’t have any computer-aided design capabilities. So, yes, there have been huge changes since then. What’s intriguing, though, is that no matter how many software tools come along to improve speed and efficiency, the process of designing a brief, creating, and constructing a building has actually become more complex. I don’t think that’s me looking through rose-tinted glasses—it’s largely due to the more rigorous legislative processes we now follow, which are far more demanding, and rightly so. In many ways, this makes the role of architects even more essential than it once was. You’d think that, over time, these processes would condense and become quicker, but architecture is different—it has become lengthier and more challenging. We now spend much more time consulting during the design stage, engaging with a wider variety of groups, and navigating the increasingly political aspects of the process. This greater level of consultation makes it trickier—though not impossible—to develop designs that meet everyone’s needs. That said, no building can ever please everyone; there will always be those who like it and those who don’t. However, I think we’re far more democratic in how we deliver buildings today, and while that contributes to the longer process, it also ensures a more inclusive approach.

Q: What does the future of architecture look like?

A: The future of architecture, like any profession or aspect of life, comes with only one guarantee: change. I believe it’s essential to remain open to opportunities. In our studio, we’ve had extensive discussions about jumping on the bandwagon of Artificial Intelligence, as everyone will do to, and how that could impact our profession. I’m very clear, though, that we need to embrace change, own it, and evolve with it, using it to the best of our ability.

If you had asked me 10/15 years ago about the future, my answer would have been completely different. Back then, it was more about motors, modern methods of construction, and improving delivery on site. That focus has shifted, and it will continue to evolve. We’re also seeing innovations like 3D-printed dwellings—not just models that we do, but actual buildings—which will be fascinating to watch as the technology matures.

I can only relate this back to when I first started, we were working on drawing boards, and now you won’t find a single one in an architect’s office—maybe one as a museum piece. Today, we work entirely on laptops and can work anywhere. I design everything on my iPad, and if my 21-year-old self could see what I’m doing now, they’d be amazed. It’s those leaps forward that define the profession, and I believe more are on the horizon. There will always be frustrations, particularly with legislation, but I hope the profession continues to thrive. We must embrace new opportunities and avoid becoming overly protective of what we do. Relying on our skills to harness these opportunities we can create better, and I think that’s something to be excited about. I can see how it's going to change everything we do.

Now to Chris…

Q: What challenges do you face when working with listed properties?

A: Working with principal contractors and subcontractors to deliver works on a listed building can be quite tricky. The key lies in the reliance on the detailing and the work we do as a practice, alongside our technical team, to produce a comprehensive set of details where each solution has been carefully considered. Questions always arise on-site, but it’s not about avoiding them—it’s about ensuring that, when they do come up, the solution has already been thought through. These details, with their solutions, also tie back to ensuring we achieve the right thermal envelope and meet the required U-values, which are a critical part of the process. At the same time, it’s about taking the time on these projects to sit down with the principal contractor, review the details, and engage the design team as early as possible. That collaboration is really important.

Q: What does Part – L mean for your practice?

A: It’s been an ongoing point of discussion within the team, between our technical crew, suppliers, and other members of the design team because that collaboration is really important. It allows us to bring the conversation to the thermal modeling experts earlier, ensuring we establish the design principles as soon as possible. From there, we can carry those principles forward. However, it hasn’t fundamentally changed the way we work, as we’ve always prioritised close collaboration with all members of the design team. What it has done is help us bring that focus a little earlier in the process and emphasise to our clients how important it is to avoid jumping straight into delivering a set of drawings. Instead, it’s about first thinking through the design, including how to achieve specific U-values and cost efficiency for our clients. Overall, while it hasn’t changed the fundamentals of how we approach projects, it has encouraged us to consider these aspects earlier in the process.

Read our blog on ‘Part L’

Q: How important is it to have a close partnership with manufacturers?

A: Working in close partnership with manufacturers is really important to us. I work with a couple of other members of my team to deliver the CPD program for the office meaning we are always continuing the conversation with all sorts of different manufacturers, making sure that the CPD prgramme we have in the office is varied. This also gives the team what they need in terms of the depth and kind of variation of materials to work from so that is really important to all of us. Again this really helps us have those early conversations with different manufacturers to look at different solutions, which they do help inform the design solution at the end of the day.

Q: Can you please tell us about your work on the Castle Irwell project?

A: Castle Irwell is a development of 367 homes across three phases, which we have been delivering since 2019. It’s a project that has seen planning and construction progress through COVID, making the delivery process challenging but also incredibly rewarding to be part of. You can see the green space being actively used and enjoyed, which has been at the heart of this development. Each phase overlooks this open space, which has been designed with wildflower planting and includes level changes to help manage flood risk and flood attenuation. Overall, the focus has been on responding to the local context while delivering 367 homes with a range of materials that complement each other. In Salford, red brick and two-story pitched roof housing are characteristic of the area, so incorporating red brick into the material palette was always going to be important. At the same time, we introduced other brick types and materials to create distinct pockets of homes. This ensures the development celebrates a mix of styles, rather than becoming a uniform "sea of red  brick." The three bricks we selected play a key role in achieving this, helping to define and celebrate the unique character of the development.