/2025 winter newsletter

/team_a season of change

It's Christmas music in the office with a criminal amount of mince pies already been devoured and with this we are having a look over what we've achieved this year as we wind down to closure on 23rd December. With a whole mix of project types being finished up from humble modern new builds to highly bespoke traditional extensions, our second Resilience Roll Call event being called a "huge success", our office move from the serene gardens of Potager to the lively little coastal town of Porthleven, a new staff member, becoming B Corp certified and a fantastic team trip to Copenhagen. It's been a wonderful year of growth, learning, and opportunity. First up, Chris our newest team member joins us (a few months ago now!) as a newly qualified Architect with an eye for detail, a calm and friendly presence, and a passion for all things Cornwall.

/projects_completions It’s been a busy year, with a number of projects completing or approaching completion — from a deep retro-fit home a stones throw from Praa Sands, to a beautifully efficient eco-home on a small plot, to a transformative project uniting two sections of a house for better living. First off we have one you might be familiar with.

/The Gables involved a deep retrofit of a dated and poorly performing bungalow into a scandi-inspired, thermally efficient seaside retreat. It’s a stylish, hygge and future-proofed home sat just close enough to the beach to hear the waves breaking in the back garden. Our clients' vision grew from their time living in Scandinavia, with their key aims being the creation of a house that connects to the landscape around it, that uses natural materials, and that is refined but also warm and welcoming. See some more photos of the project from the wonderful Form Photography here.

/Marlborough is a compact yet highly efficient new-build home, thoughtfully positioned within a former garden plot in a residential area of Falmouth. Designed to maximise space and light on a tight, urban site, the house balances privacy with openness, creating a secluded retreat that feels both spacious and connected to its surroundings....find some further images here.

/Gunfield Lodge is a detached Victorian property set within a generous plot on the banks of the Carrick Roads in Feock, within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Built around 1875, our clients wanted to make better use of their home for visiting family while preserving its original character. The result is a carefully considered extension that brings light, space and functionality to this coastal property. A new vaulted bedroom suite and family bathroom sit above the existing garage, connected to the main house via a glazed first-floor walkway. View some further images here.

/scope_fabric first approach

Julian, was invited to deliver a speech at an event in collaboration with GreenSkills and the University of Exeter. Titled "Fabric First" approach - a topic we are all very passionate about.

The "Fabric First" strategy emphasises enhancing a building’s energy efficiency by focusing on heat conservation over heat generation. By optimising insulation, airtightness, and other fundamental aspects of a building's fabric, we can significantly reduce energy demand—a critical step toward sustainable design and long-term energy savings.

As part of the presentation, he presented a case study of 'Masitia', a project which has seen this approach cut electrical bills from a whooping £600 p/m to about £30! A real passion project for the client and now sees their home become not only comfortable for multigenerational living, but also gives them super low running costs. You can find out more about our "Masita" project on our website or by clicking here.

/sustain_resilience roll call /002

October 2024, we held our first ever RRC event, which was a sell out! Hurrah! We then held our RRC /002 event in October this year and are pleased to say it was an even more resounding success.

This years speakers ranged from Authors and Activists from Space, Sustainable designers, Cornwall Council members, Community space finders and overall fantastic people who do and want to continue to make the built environment here in Corwall a better, thriving and impactful for all right reasons. The day engaged participants, encourage cross-pollination of ideas, and brought together both trailblazers and those eager to follow the maps they’ve created. This wasn’t an event for those content to sit back; it was hands-on, inspiring everyone to roll up their sleeves. We have already had a group formed from this event and had a really inspiring meeting with Cornwall Council about making real change in our built enviroment. We will be continuing this in to 2026 and beyond. If you are interested in joining the group then do let us know a bit about you and pop us an email on practice@studiogather.co.uk.

Resilience Roll Call is more than a one-time event—it's become a series, a movement, and a platform for many to get involved in so be sure to follow us and @resiliencerollcall for more information and to join us at the next one in 2026! Keep up to date here: https://www.resiliencerollcall.co.uk

/create_a home in the woods

In the heart of a ancient woodland on the outskirts of a local village to the practice, a new project is taking shape that celebrates both innovative design and environmental harmony. Our team is working closely with creative clients who share a unique vision: to transform an empty bungalow into a highly energy-efficient home that seamlessly integrates with its natural surroundings.

The location itself presents a set of unique challenges and opportunities. Situated on a split-level plot deep within a dense wood, the site requires careful planning to preserve the landscape while accommodating the needs of a modern, sustainable lifestyle. Our approach prioritises toucing the earth lightly as such keeping the woodland intackt and working with the space that is already there.This will allow the house to blend into its natural habitat and retain the area’s cherished bird and wildlife.

This project isn’t just about building a house; it’s about creating a sanctuary that respects its surroundings and inspires a connection to nature. With each step forward, we’re excited to demonstrate how thoughtful design and sustainable practices can transform spaces—even those in the most challenging locations—into homes that inspire and endure. After a positive feedback from our neighbour consultation, stay tuned as we continue this journey toward an energy-efficient woodland retreat that celebrates Cornwall’s natural beauty and our clients’ creative vision.

/close_year end

Running a practice isn’t a sprint, its much more of a marathan. Putting in the training, learning how to run smoother, more effectivly and keep happyness high over a long period of time. In 2024, we had a fantastic year putting in the groundwork for our ongoing race: creating a built environment that drives positive change for the natural world. It was incredibly rewarding to share this vision by organising and hosting events, as well as being invited to speak at one. We also started our BCorp journey at the start of the year which was something we had wanted to do from the get go (nearly 5 years ago!). After lots of devling deep into the workings of what we do and what we offer and how we can do better by people and planet, We SO pleased to say we Certified as a BCorp earlier in the year!

Next year, we’re ready to build on that foundation, seizing even bigger and better opportunities to spread our message all whilst managing a growing and diverse portfolio of ultra-low energy, low embodied carbon buildings. We’re deeply grateful to all our cheerleaders—our clients, consultants, and team—who keep us inspired and motivated. Very much looking forward to seeing what 2026 brings and making sure I put more time into sharing the goings on to keep you up to date.

If you made it this far, thank you and I trust you will be having a great start to the festive period (mince pie in hand of course).

Seasons greetings.

Julian J Mills.

Founding Director