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Norfolk - East Anglia Architectural Services: Architecture, Sustainability & Heritage, Energy Efficiency and Retrofitting - New, Old and Historic Buildings

Beata T Zygarlowska, architect, photographer and artist, owner of Isle Architects

Isle Architects Founder and the Practice of Architecture

Welcome to my practice website. I am Beata T Zygarlowska, an architect and photographer. For many years, I have served as a consultant and advisor on sustainability and conservation, working for architectural offices in Cambridge and London since 2001.

After completing my architectural education in Denmark at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture under Arch. Jens Bertelsen in 2003, and obtaining qualified architect status, I pursued a post-grad course at the University of Cambridge. Starting the MPhil in Environmental Design in Architecture as a member of Churchill College, I could not have anticipated that this one-year adventure would extend so far into the future, making the UK my permanent residence and home.

During my tenure at architectural offices in Cambridge, I led projects of various types and sizes, including heritage, refurbishments, new builds, conversions, single-family houses, student accommodation, and commercial projects like labs and office buildings, alongside masterplanning for residential and mixed developments.

One of my earliest and most memorable projects involved converting a Grade I Listed Building, the Front Court of Trinity Hall in Cambridge, into Fellows' educational suites, designing the new Porters' Lodge, and overseeing complex conservation works. Inspired by local architecture, history, and traditional crafts, I developed a strong appreciation for historic properties and traditional building methods, leading to my accreditation as a RIBA Conservation Architect and Chair of RIBA East Conservation Group. I am also a member of the IHBC (Institute of Historic Buildings Conservation), Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB), and the Twentieth Century Society. My portfolio encompasses elegant contemporary designs incorporating modern materials and minimalistic detailing, as well as sensitive buildings constructed in vernacular style and materials. I adhere to a philosophy that harmoniously blends connections between the old and the new, respecting both. This approach stems from my roots in Danish architecture, education, and tradition.

My interest in practical and theoretical aspects of environmental design led me in 2015 to delve into a new field of study—psychology. This pursuit has deepened my understanding of how people are affected by, and interact with, their environment and surroundings.

In addition to my theoretical interests, I take a practical approach to my work, with a high success rate in planning and conservation approvals. I have represented RIBA as a delegate for the Design and Conservation Panel at the Cambridge City Council and have established strong relationships with local planning authorities in the East of England, including London.

Photography plays a crucial role in my work, merging my interests in architecture with daylight and the human environment.

Church Daylight

PLACES DESIGNED FOR PEOPLE

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