WT Architecture

Awards - Profile - People

Awards

Architectural Excellence Award, Scottish Homes Awards 2010

Conversion of the Year, Scottish Homes Awards 2010

Saltire Housing Awards 2010 - Short listed (pending)

Edinburgh Architectural Association Awards 2010 - Commendation (for Circus Lane Conversion)

Saltire Housing Awards 2009 - Commendation

Edinburgh Architectural Association Small Project Award 2009 (for Newhaven Rd Extension)

Calderwood Housing 2007 (Stirling Developments) winner

Coll Community Centre 2007 – short listed

Market Street Artist Quarter 2006 – short listed

Scottish Young Architect of the Year, commendation 2005, short listed 2008

Profile

WTArchitecture was founded by Architect William Tunnell in 2006 following the expansion of his work as a sole practitioner. The practice is based in South Queensferry in Edinburgh and has undertaken a number of acclaimed & award-winning projects. WTA aims to produce contemporary design, responding to and respecting the history of the contextual architecture, and delivering practical, sustainable solutions.

We often work within listed buildings and conservation areas and have undertaken domestic, public and commercial commissions, as well urban design proposals. WTA has been involved in urban design work in Kirkcaldy, Queensferry and Edinburgh and has been a consultant to City of Edinburgh Council on the impact of the Tram proposals on the public realm.

A number of small crafted projects have been recently completed in Edinburgh and current projects include new houses in The Trossachs, Argyll and the Hebrides, a farm shop near Linlithgow, new housing in Northamptonshire and the conversion of a fort in Kent.

People

William Tunnell, Principal Architect, BSc(Hons) BArch(Hons) (Bath) RIBA ARIAS

William Tunnell started his career in practice while still a student, building a house in the Hebrides for himself from a ruin croft house. This drew commissions for other rural buildings and started a fascination with buildings in the landscape and the potential of contemporary approaches to vernacular architecture. This fascination is particularly demonstrated in WTA's White House project where the new buildings tie into an ancient pattern of enclosure. He gained a deeper understanding of traditional and historic buildings through working at Simpson and Brown Architects, and then in Urban Design through a degree in Architecture and Urban Studies at Bath University.

William Tunnell has worked full time in private practice since 2001. Before this he worked with Richard Murphy's highly successful team for five years and was Project Architect on a number of award winning schemes.

Early projects for the practice were domestic extensions which have explored different means for connecting houses with their gardens. These extensions are simple ensembles of clearly separate built elements – tall wrapping walls, curved roof, sharp-edged plate roof, unfolding planes of wall, incidental seats etc. They often try and break down the barrier between inside and outside, something that modern technologies enable us to do. Larger stand alone projects have followed which have extended an architectural language of breaking down the defensive building envelope and connecting new structures into thier landscapes. William Tunnell's expertise in urban design has led to work in Edinburgh and Fife, most notably working regularly with Sir Terry Farrell's City Design Champion team.

Since 1999 he has been a part time Architecture tutor and lecturer at Edinburgh University.

Tamsin Cunningham, Associate, Architect, MA(Hons) MArch (Edinburgh)

Tamsin Cunningham joined WTA in 2006 following completion of her studies at Edinburgh University and has led the projects for The White House on the Isle of Coll, The GRV Venue and the Kirkliston House.  Prior to this she worked on a number of sustainability-driven conservation projects at Simpson and Brown Architects, Edinburgh and as part of an award-winning multi-disciplinary design team at Pinc (People Incorporated) in Stockholm. Here she helped develop prototype designs for contemporary modular housing. Tamsin's continued interest in the relationship between architecture and landscape has also informed a private design study for Scottish Natural Heritage in the Isle of Rum and is a particular focus in her work at WTA.

Susie Moss Langfield, Architect, MA(Hons) MArch (Edinburgh)

Susie Moss Langfield has worked with WTA since 2007. She has led the Inverleith House, Circus Lane Mews and Murrayfield House projects in Edinburgh. She is also responsible for new projects in Aberfeldy, North Berwick and Fife. Before joining WTA she worked as a photographer in Whistler after completing architectural studies at Edinburgh University. Her masters centred on an interest in the integration of cultural open spaces within the fabric of communities, and adaptable buildings which can respond and unfold, eroding the boundary of the internal/external space.  

Marta Garcia Aranda, Architectural Assistant

Marta joined WTA in Febraury 2010 on a trainee placement from Valencia in Spain.

Juliette Summers

Juliette Summers works part time in a business advisory role.