With over two decades of experience in sustainable architecture, heritage conservation, and thoughtful design, I bring a uniquely holistic perspective shaped by Danish training, British practice, and a deep appreciation for both historic and contemporary architecture.
My work blends architectural precision with artistic insight, connecting place, people, and purpose.
Isle Architects Founder and Your Architect
Welcome to my practice website. I am Beata T Zygarlowska, an architect, photographer and a keen gardener. I specialise in bringing historic buildings to life for contemporary use. My approach combines a rigorous understanding of traditional materials with pragmatic energy-saving strategies - fabric first approach, ensuring each project protects its character while performing for the future.
As a sole-practitioner studio, you work directly with your architect, with clear communication, personal commitment, and deep technical knowledge from start to finish.
After completing my architectural education in Denmark at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture, under the guidance of Architect MAA Jens Bertelsen in 2003, and obtaining qualified architect status, I pursued a postgraduate course at the University of Cambridge.
Starting the MPhil in Environmental Design in Architecture at 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 time at architectural offices in Cambridge, I am most grateful for the experience at Freeland Rees Roberts Architects, where I was an Associate Architect. I led projects of various types and sizes, including heritage, refurbishments, new builds, conversions, single-family houses, and student accommodation. My other experience involved commercial projects: labs and office buildings, alongside masterplanning for residential and mixed developments.
One of my earliest and 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. I am also a Full 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 contemporary designs that incorporate modern materials and minimalist detailing, as well as sensitive buildings constructed in traditional styles 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 design's impact on people led me to explore psychology in 2015, deepening my understanding of how individuals perceive, experience, and interact with their environments.
Photography and art have been an important part of this exploration, connecting my interest in architecture with the everyday experience of place, the qualities of daylight and the relationship between people and their surroundings.
Gardening provides another important connection between architecture and nature, allowing me to explore how spaces can coexist harmoniously with the environment. My experiences in Japan have particularly influenced this perspective, as I observed how traditional Japanese gardens bring together nature and design to create spaces of serenity and balance. In my own garden, I embrace a subtle beauty in imperfection, seeking a gentler, more organic relationship between the built and natural worlds.
