About Domain | Brighton Architects
Quality, balanced with financial viability
We are an award winning design led firm of Brighton Architects offering pragmatic solutions, registered as a Chartered Practice by the RIBA, their highest professional standard.
We know that good quality contextual design adds value to a project in every respect, and that through considered specification and value engineering budgets can be kept under control.
We often re-design consented schemes achieving extra floors and space, sometimes within the original building envelope.
Promoting a collaborative approach through all parties we seek to achieve quietly contemporary contextual designs that are buildable, useable, saleable and sustainable.
Often working in Conservation Areas and on Listed Buildings in Brighton, Hove, Sussex and London, or on sites with difficult construction or planning constraints, site contamination or party wall and rights of light issues, we seek to fulfil the potential of every opportunity, small or large, with imaginative results, at cost-effective rates.
Cost Control
We work with the team to ensure that the delicate balance between what the client wants and what he can afford are sensitively dealt with.
We promote working with the entire supply chain so that we collectively understand the cost. Through our development experience we know how to minimise cost without sacrificing quality.
In a recent RIBA survey on legal issues during construction 49% of contractors cited poor specification, and 53% employer’s variation.
These two issues can mainly be avoided by providing full information and making all design decisions at the start, right down to the position of the light switches.
Services
We offer a full range of architectural, planning, party wall, listed building, construction, development and project management services to turn your project into a reality. We have been involved with the smallest house extensions of only 14 sq.m.,to sites up to 10 acres.
By providing an exceptional level of service with personal, professional and pro-active attention to achieve highly creative but cost-effective designs with an emphasis on quality, both in the design, and service. Close financial cost management is available to bring your project in right on budget.
Domain’s work has appeared in the London Evening Standard and Ideal Home Magazine.
See our project pages for more information and a selection of designs that we have completed.
People
Duncan Thomas, BA. Dip. Arch, RIBA, FPWS
Duncan studied architecture at Canterbury College of Art, qualified as an architect in 1983 and started Domain in 1987. In 2011 he became a member of the Faculty of Party Wall Surveyors.
He has spent 20 years working in central London at award winning offices including Austin:Smith.Lord, and Allies and Morrison. This included being a site architect for 18 months on a high profile project employing 300 construction workers.
This unusual combination of design, technical and site experience has led to numerous successful joint venture developments with contractors as designer/developer/builder in London and Brighton.
Having learnt to ski at the age of eight in his father’s shop this is still an annual holiday with his own children, along with other interests of cycling, sailing and ceramics.
Alina Vernon LLB (Hons) Law with Business
Alina graduated from the University of Brighton Business School with a Law with Business degree in 2011.
She has worked for both lawyers and architects rising to become Practice Manager for a Sussex firm with national projects giving a breadth of experience in construction and law.
She is responsible for contracts, compliance and property management working directly with Duncan.
Apart from being mummy to two little boys and a supportive partner to her busy filmmaking husband, Alina is passionate about law, watercolour painting, travel and nature and very simple things in life like having a good and memorable time with the family and friends.
Alina is planning to complete her next stage of legal training.
Ben Murdoch. BA. Hons (Int.) Dip. Arch. ARB
Ben qualified as an architect in 2007 after which he has worked in a variety of design focused offices, as well as running his own practice.
A keen interest in energy efficiency for both new build and renovation projects has led to specialist knowledge of this increasingly important aspect of architecture. In 2017 he qualified as a Certified Passivhaus Consultant, and is currently working towards certification as a Retrofit Co-ordinator.
Ben has worked on a freelance basis with Domain on new build, listed building, modernisation and extension projects since 2017, as work demands.
Equally skilled at the practical aspects, any spare time is spent on home improvement, travel, food (cooking and eating), and the occasional round of golf.