Friars Place

Project Overview

Friars Place is a contemporary mixed-use development in the heart of Guildford, designed to revitalise a key urban site with a sensitive yet modern architectural approach. The scheme combines active ground-floor retail and commercial spaces with high-quality residential apartments above, creating a vibrant, integrated environment that supports both community and city living.

Design Approach

The design responds to its urban context through a refined material palette and considered massing that complements the surrounding streetscape. Clean lines, brick façades, and deep-set window reveals lend a sense of rhythm and permanence, while large areas of glazing activate the street frontage and invite natural light into both retail and residential spaces. The building’s stepped form ensures an appropriate transition in scale, offering terraces and outlooks that enhance the urban experience.

Spatial Layout

At street level, flexible retail units line the primary frontage, promoting an animated public realm and encouraging footfall throughout the day. Above, a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments are arranged to maximise natural light, privacy, and views over the town centre. Shared circulation spaces and landscaped roof terraces foster a sense of community among residents while providing quiet outdoor amenity space.

Sustainability & Materials

Sustainability underpins the design, with high-performance glazing, energy-efficient systems, and robust insulation integrated throughout. Locally sourced brickwork and contemporary detailing ensure durability and a lasting architectural presence, while promoting low-maintenance urban living.

Outcome

Friars Place represents a confident, contextually sensitive addition to Guildford’s urban fabric — a development that balances commercial vibrancy with residential comfort. It delivers a cohesive, well-considered design that enriches the local streetscape and contributes to the town’s ongoing regeneration.