McLeod Bovell

McLeod Bovell is a collaborative design partnership specializing in comprehensive residential design. Since 2008, our practice has grown into a group of 10 designers with diverse backgrounds. Our work encompasses embedded social, spatial and ecological opportunities as generators for invention.

Over the past decade, we have gained experience designing houses on steep and irregularly shaped sites. Although these areas often offer significant views, their immediate natural characteristics may not always be remarkable – neither fully built-up nor untouched wilderness. Under these circumstances, the priority of the view can dominate the discussion. Our work seeks to balance the primacy of this view with the opportunities offered by extreme topography that enables varied and specific programmatic sequences. Creating unusual relationships across different living levels connects the houses with their surroundings.

We work to understand the substantive elements of the nature and wishes of our client. Sometimes this is articulated, but often what is not said is the most important. Through this continuous dialogue, we establish a framework for design decisions. Ideas arise from this research and not from preconceived, prescriptive solutions. Spatial experiences and peculiarities are given priority. Through this process, we hope to create work that radiates feeling and specific character and is receptive to influences beyond our region.