McLaren.Excell

Rich narratives and a nuanced sense of place are at the heart of this practice’s sensitive and considered approach.

By masterfully playing with the subtlety of design and context, the presence and impact of McLaren.Excell’s minimal structures are amplified into buildings that appear monumental. Applying an intuitive spatial clarity, one that is moulded by the integrity of the original building, their designs transcend Pinterest fads to consider the fundamentals of human behaviour and how their clients experience a space. Materials are natural, timeless and long-lasting. Not quite minimalist – a prescribed style in itself – but more focused on simplicity to bring out value, editing over-embellished designs to highlight their core elements. Clean lines and a pared-back palette are common features of their work.

Their purity of craft and their command of the tenets of architecture is exemplified in their conversion of a Grade II-listed, late 18th century mill in Wiltshire into a home that pays tribute to its heritage, preserving its aged, timber beams and crumbling brick walls. Elsewhere, they’ve added a rusted steel and glass extension to a Victorian-era property and across the Atlantic in LA, they were commissioned to create The Splash Labs’ US flagship showroom within a 1930’s factory unit.