Architects in Islington
Your Local Experts in Sustainable Home Design
Transforming Your Vision Into Reality
Transforming your home is a thrilling journey, full of new possibilities, and if you're looking for a local Islington expert for your extension, renovation, conversion or interior design project, we'd love to assist!
Your Islington home deserves an architect who understands the character, regulations, and unique needs of the area. At Unagru, we specialize in creating beautifully designed, sustainable spaces that align with Islington's heritage and your vision.
Why Choose Us for Your Islington Project?
Award-Winning Local Expertise
We're a young, dynamic team, with a passion for connecting architecture, nature and community. We believe in creating beautiful, innovative and sustainable spaces that are deeply rooted in the lives of the people they're built for. We proudly won both a Build It Award and Designer Award for our radical transformation of a local Victorian terraced house, which we fondly named House For A Cellist. Whether it's a Victorian terrace or a Georgian townhouse, we know how to maximise your space, blending contemporary living with the area's architectural charm.
Deep Understanding of Islington's Regulations.
With extensive experience navigating Islington’s strict planning permissions, our expertise ensures your project is fully compliant, while achieving beautiful results. We have a deep, practical understanding of regulations in conservation areas, we ensure your project stays clear and on track, avoiding unnecessary delays or setbacks.
Tailored Solutions for Urban Living.
From loft conversions to garden extensions, we specialise in creative solutions for homes that work for modern lifestyles while enhancing your property value, such as basement conversions and multi-functional designs which make the most of every inch of space. We also offer full interior design and project management services if required, to keep the process as smooth and as organised as possible.
Passion for Sustainability.
The London Borough of Islington is committed to deliver net zero functions by 2030, an approach we are already bringing to each and every Islington project to help you lower energy bills and reduce environmental impact by integrating eco-friendly features like solar panels, green roofs, and high-performance insulation into every design. Read more about our Sustainability strategy here.
Ready To Transform Your Space?
Schedule Your Free Consultation With Us Today
About Us
At Unagru, we are passionate about designing exceptional, functional spaces that are tailored to the needs of your household and rooted in the character of the local area. Based in East London, our studio is led by Director, Davide di Martino, and brings together a multidisciplinary team of architects, urbanists, and interior designers, with a shared focus on high-quality home extensions, full refurbishments, conversions, and commercial developments, delivering design that enhances everyday life.
What sets us apart is our deep understanding of London's planning landscape, our commitment to design integrity, and a collaborative process that puts your priorities first. As an RIBA Chartered Practice, we uphold the highest standards in architecture, balancing creativity with responsibility.
Sustainability is built into everything we do. We take a fabric-first approach to maximise energy performance, use low-impact materials, and reduce embodied carbon, ensuring your home not only looks beautiful, but performs for years to come.
With a growing portfolio of award-winning projects across Islington, and the wider city, we are the trusted choice for London homeowners who want personalised, well-managed design from start to finish.
Islington Case Study: House For A Cellist
The project radically transformed a narrow Victorian terraced house by demolishing the existing extensions to rebuild a new rear extension, remodelling the first and second floors, and adding a roof terrace facing the garden.
A key element of the design was the creation of a tranquil interior space for the owner, a professional cellist, to rehearse in. It was essential that this space was calming, without clutter or distractions, and with a direct connection to the sky. We created an ideal rehearsal area, located at the rear of the property with clear views of the garden, underneath the unusual roof light which creates a point of interest to the interior, drawing natural daylight deep within and brings interesting shapes and shadows into the home.
This project is an extended investigation of narrative, complex, open living spaces. There are no doors or corridors on the ground floor: the entrance hall unfolds and the living area widens up and open entirely towards the garden. A round roof light marks and lights this intermediate, flexible space. Towards the garden, the room has a more regular shape and is completely open to the garden.
Materials were selected to offer a calming and peaceful pallete, we selected natural stone, including green, grey and white marble, oak flooring and joinery, offset by crisp white walls. The environmental strategy was to adopt a “fabric first” approach that was compatible with the building. Where possible, the walls have been plastered in lime plaster to allow the wall’s respiration and repointed from the outside with lime mortar. The rear extension is insulated beyond part-L requirements and covered with a roof garden which retains rainwater reducing pressure on the sewer system, rivers and oceans; while enhancing biodiversity in the area. Low-temperature underfloor pipes provide underfloor heating on all floors.
What Our Islington Clients Say
"We worked with Davide on a very large renovation and extension project in North London. He is a wonderful architect and an utter pleasure to work with"
Let's Start Your Islington Project Today
We're here to make your dream home a reality.
Email us at mail@unagru.com, call us on +442072544777, or use the button below to get in touch.