This project on Lammack Road, Blackburn reflects Studio FRI’s approach to residential architecture at its most distilled-where clarity of judgement precedes form, and restraint is treated as a design virtue.
The client approached Studio FRI without a fixed brief, but with a clear sense that their home was no longer serving them as it should. Rather than advancing an immediate architectural response, the early stages focused on understanding how the house needed to function, how it might evolve over time, and how any intervention would be read within its planning and residential context.
Several forms of development were explored and quietly set aside. Greater scale was neither necessary nor desirable. What emerged instead was a precise and proportionate strategy: a single-storey rear extension, a discreet front porch, and a complete reorganisation of the ground floor-an approach that offered clarity, longevity, and composure without unnecessary exposure.
The rear extension establishes a generous yet calm kitchen and dining space, conceived as the natural centre of the home. Daylight is drawn deep into the plan through a centrally positioned roof lantern, allowing the space to breathe while maintaining a low, controlled external profile. The architecture is intentionally quiet, prioritising balance and proportion over visual assertion.
To the front, the porch is understated and deliberate, improving the threshold of the house without disturbing the rhythm of the street. Internally, the ground floor has been carefully restructured to remove friction and restore order, resulting in a layout that feels resolved, intuitive, and unforced.
Nothing is added without purpose. Nothing competes for attention.
The removal of the existing garage enabled a carefully composed double-storey side extension, redefining the home’s presence and internal organisation. Designed to sit comfortably alongside the original structure, the addition introduces a contemporary architectural language without visual discord. A 4-metre two-storey rear extension further enhances both living and bedroom accommodation, strengthening the relationship between shared family spaces and quieter private areas. The result is a home that feels expansive yet composed, with intuitive circulation throughout.
Planning considerations were integral to the design from the outset, not treated as a constraint to be negotiated later. The proposal’s approval reflects a scheme that is inherently aligned with its context-proportionate, legible, and well-judged-requiring no compromise to achieve consent.
This is planning certainty achieved through design intelligence, not procedural effort.
Studio FRI works extensively across Blackburn, including Lammack, Beardwood, Pleckgate, Roe Lee, Wilpshire, Revidge, Little Harwood and Ewood. This familiarity informs how domestic architecture is calibrated-understanding where restraint is expected, where clarity is essential, and where ambition must be tempered by judgement.
Whether you’re considering a new home, an extension, or a complex planning proposal, Studio FRI offers clear guidance and measured design insight from the outset. Get in touch to discuss your project and understand the best path forward with confidence.
Studio FRI is a contemporary architectural and planning practice based in Preston, working across Lancashire and the wider North West. We specialise in refined residential architecture and strategic planning, delivering calm, considered design solutions shaped by insight, proportion and purpose.
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