Ambient Architecture

Stefan designed and project managed the renovation of our 1940's home in 2015. He completely transformed the layout and functionality of the ground floor, working with us over a number of weeks to get the design right. The house had already been extended a few times so it wasn't straightforward. Stefan managed to incorporate everything we wanted, and he came up with creative solutions to every design problem. He is very straightforward and always listens to what you are saying. Stefan managed the planning and the tender process for us. His early cost estimates turned out to be very accurate. Stefan was brilliant during the project: he was always there when needed, he worked well with the builder, his oversight was meticulous, but he was realistic about solving problems in the most sensible way. The site manager often commented on how good he was to work with. The project was complex with a lot of steel supports required, but there were no material delays or issues. He also provided great input as we were fitting out the house. We tried a new type of microcement on the kitchen floor - it was a bit problematic but Stefan persisted until the contractor got it right. He contributed to everything, from the kitchen to the handles on the doors. He always answered emails and calls, and he was always friendly and helpful. The end result is a warm, bright family home with a natural flow, easy to manage and great for entertaining. We absolutely love it, and continue to recommend Stefan to our friends and family.

Stefan managed the design, renovation and extension of our house which was originally built in the 1970s. We are thrilled with the finished product. The house is very bright and very warm. We are particularly delighted with the open plan living space, it is open and airy and the high ceilings really add to the overall result. Stefan designed a bespoke stairs for us which is a real feature in the house. Stefan was very responsive on any questions we had. It was a pleasure working with Stefan and we continue to recommend him to others.

We hired Ambient to help design internal works to our home which involved bringing four rooms into one and re-modelling adjacent rooms. Kitchen, dining and living areas were re-configured with the objective of creating more space, light and functionality while enhancing our family life and bringing the family together more as children moved into their teenage years. Ambient assisted with the nalysis and assessment of alternative options including extensions having regard to budgetary constraints. The project was a huge success and was delivered on time, on budget and the resultant outcomes are far ahead of our expectations/aspirations. Our availability for consultations was constrained due to working commitments and typical family activities but we were accomodated on every occassion and turn around times for drawings etc were excellent and no 'chasing' was ever necessary. Our ideas and preferences were accomodated and incorporated into the design without us ever feeling that we should 'take the professionals views as the gospel'. That said, the end result was primarily as initially proposed by Ambient with only a few modifications of our own. Very happy to recommend Ambient.

Stefan designed and project managed a top-to-toe renovation and extension to my 90 m2 1930s house. He delivered all the things I wanted but added great creative input. The result is a stunning house that we all absolutely love, delivered pretty much on budget and as planned. Stefan has flair and skill but still has his feet on the ground. This combination was key for me.

We hired Ambient Architecture to design and oversee the complete renovation of our 1950's home which we bought in 2014. We lived in the house for a year and engaged Stefan to advise us on how to adjust the house, which had a self-contained Granny flat to the side. The house was in good repair but did not flow and lacked connection with the lovely back garden. Stefan gave us several options to consider and painstakingly adjusted these to meet our needs. This was quite a long drawn out process as we changed the scope of the work to include the entire house. This was quite arduous but well worth it as we settled on a design that suits our family perfectly. After the design, we engaged Stefan to oversee the project, meeting him weekly together with the builder. The project was not straightforward and there were many challenges during the build. Stefan was supportive and responsive throughout. I have heard many stories about architects being unavailable or behind with drawings This was not the case with Stefan who was very organised and available throughout. Now that we are living in the house, we are delighted with the result. It exceeds our expectations. I would have no hesitation in recommending Stefan for any project.

At the beginning of 2008 we decided to completely refurbish our 2 storey over basement property which badly needed to be modernised and updated throughout. We spoke to a number of Architects and eventually settled on Stefan from Ambient who we believed best understood the brief and what we were trying to accomplish with the project. At all times Stefan was helpful and informative and while not directly project managing the site was a constant presence in order to ensure that all details were being adhered to by the Building Contractor. We eventually finished the project in mid 2009 and have been very happy with the design that Stefan had envisaged for the property which we believe has added both a huge amount of natural light and quite a bit of value also!! Many thanks Stefan for your help, assistance and vision on this project and we would have no hesitation in recommending or using Stefans services in the future.

From outset of discussion on what was possible re our property to maximise its potrential I found Stefan at Ambient to be excellent re listening and providing sugestions to meet the brief. From there he prepared excellent detailed drawings and project managedd through to completion in a completely and professional manner , always being available when issues arose with builder to attend on site and solve any issues. Overall I found the experience to be excellent

Stefan assisted us with the initial design, taking into account our needs but also suggesting options and alternatives. Final design different from what we initially conceived, but so much better. 10 years later visitors still remark on the extension's design and clever use of space. Great design sense. He also identified and secured the builders and liaised closely with them, often fulfilling role of project manager. We had issues with the builders - as I think you always do - but Stefan was always available to assist and advise. We were - and remain - delighted with his work, professionalism and expertise.

We engaged the services of Stefan at Ambient Architecture to plan and manage the conversion of our 1930;s built 3 bed house into a high specification modern 4 bed home with open plan light filled living and reception areas with multiple bathrooms. Our experience with Stefan at every stage of the project was excellent. His detailed specifications and drawings ensured that from the very beginning through the planning application, management of the building process, adherence to the agreed timelines and budget, all went extremely smooth. Stefan’s attention to detail, along with his up to date knowledge of building materials, processes and building regulations combined with his pragmatic approach helped ensure that the project was managed excellently. Points of contention were always agreed quickly with all concerned without serious disagreement. The achievement of timeline and budget alone would more than justify Stefan’s fee but his vision and ability to interface between ourselves and the builder made his services invaluable to us. We are so delighted with the end result which addressed everything on our wish list, it is sometimes hard to believe the transition from the original house to the finished high specification product which was Stefan’s vision from the beginning. We would highly recommend Stefan for any similar project and view him as a real professional

Ambient Architecture helped us design our house while meeting our needs and tastes and had that "added value" quality that a homeowner wants and needs from their Architect. Stefan is extremely easy to work with and brings many years of experience to the table. We would recommend him and his firm to anyone looking to build new or to renovate an already existing home. Our house is beautiful. B Stephenson, Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow

I have worked with Ambient Architecture on the new build of my house from initial concept to final completion. I find Stefan of Ambient to be an excellent architect. He is incredibly detail-oriented and thorough. The builders stated that they had never seen such detailed plans for a foundation before. I was not surprised having worked with Stefan on a renovation previously. Stefan is also a whizz at getting light into a house. Our house is full of light at all times. It is also incredibly warm and well insulated. I constantly recommend Stefan to my friends and I know that anyone who has used him as been thrilled with the result.

We have used Ambient architecture on 3 projects now. Our first project was a conversion of a recording studio in Temple Bar into a wonderful "upside down" duplex apartment with cathedral ceilings and a roof garden. We were over the moon with the result; there was a real wow factor. Next we moved on to renovating an Edwardian house in Rathgar and we went straight back to Ambient to do the design and oversee it to completion. Once again we were really delighted with the results. Our most recent project was our current house in Rathgar which is a Victorian. The house was in a terrible state when we bought it so it required a top to bottom makeover. Stefan in Ambient designed a beautiful modern light-filled extension at the rear and oversaw the delivery of a really top notch job on the renovation of the old part of the house. Iknow that in between our various projects Ambient went on to win an architectural competition for the design of a sports hall in a south Dublin school. I'm not surprised as we can see the creativity flowing through to the design elements in our house. Would highly recommend Ambient!