Studio

Arboreal is an RIBA chartered architecture and design practice based in London and working on projects across the UK. We place deep sustainable thinking at the heart of what we do and our projects have been recognised for raising the bar of ecological design, helping our built environment tackle the crises of climate and ecological breakdown. We take a holistic approach to working with our clients, aiming to understand and respond to all the factors that influence a design project and to support its successful delivery from outset to completion. We work collaboratively across disciplines to bring together architecture, landscape, interiors, furniture and building services into cohesively resolved, beautiful places. Arboreal is a member of the UK Architects Declare Climate and Biodiversity Emergency.

Tom Raymont RIBA ARB AADipl AFHEA

As director of Arboreal, Tom brings a diverse international background to the practice. His upbringing in the Findhorn Foundation intentional spiritual community in north-east Scotland set him on an early course towards sensitive attunement to the natural world. He was awarded scholarships to complete his studies at the Architectural Association before beginning his career working for Eric Owen Moss Architects in Los Angeles. Here he gained extensive experience with complex-geometry timber construction. After two further years working for Asymptote Architecture in New York, he returned to London to start Arboreal with a focus on deeply sustainable residential and community buildings both retrofit and new build.

Tom teaches environmental design at the Architectural Association and has previously taught design studios at the University of Westminster and Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London.

Gergana Staneva MSc

Gergana trained at the University of Edinburgh where she completed a Postgraduate degree in Architectural Conservation with a focus on sustainable approaches to restoration of post-war housing. Her experience includes hands-on work with traditional materials and techniques, community engagement and self-build construction. Having worked on residential projects in rural and urban settings, Gergana continues to develop her approach to renovation and design of bespoke homes.

Dev Chawla B.Arch M.Arch

Dev completed a bachelor’s degree in architecture in New Delhi before coming to London to study in the Sustainable Environmental Design master’s programme at the Architectural Association. Here he gained a deep experience of bioclimatic design strategies and energy performance modelling techniques. He enjoys using these skills to develop innovative building forms that bring together both the performance and poetry of environmental design. He recently coordinated the TEDx talk Tomorrow’s Tomorrow in central London.

Judita Berndorff BA MA

Judita is the office and media manager and brings her experience of film, photography and video production to Arboreal’s work. She speaks six languages and has worked around the world from the Amazon rainforest to the deserts of India.