Foster Lomas

Foster Lomas is a UK-based architecture practice led by two founding directors: William Foster and Greg Lomas. Since its inception in 2005, the practice has developed a diverse portfolio of work, ranging from highly tailored homes for private clients to a canal-side mixed-use development in Dhaka, Bangladesh, a retreat on the Isle of Man and a 10-year masterplan for a 134-hectare site set within the Grand Sasso National Park of Abruzzo, Italy.

Their most recently completed project, Sartfell Restorative Rural Retreat on the Isle of Man, has won three RIBA Awards: RIBA North West Award 2019 – the island’s first, RIBA North West Sustainability Award 2019 and RIBA National Award 2019. It was one of the six finalists for AJ Architecture Awards House of the Year 2018 and is now on the long list for RIBA House of the Year Award 2019.

Their interest in the use of natural materials such as locally-quarried granite manifests in the practice’s new proposal for a house set in an AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) near St Ives, Cornwall. The scheme could potentially rewrite the planning policy in the area, offering an exciting new reading of the landscape, with a long-term impact on building and design processes.

Foster Lomas’ approach to design demonstrates a forensic understanding of the site, often resulting in emotional and historically sensitive responses to protected landscape. The rural environment is a palette that inspires their aesthetics of architecture. The practice’s diverse backgrounds and experiences in craft and product designs, such as blacksmithing and lighting, allow for continual experimentations and innovations.

The Modern House Says
"Foster Lomas combine traditional and contemporary techniques, with a love for organic textures crafted from stone, wood and exposed brick."

Foster Lomas on The Modern House