The Daylight Lab is led by William Pottinger (hello!) and provides a one-stop-shop for private clients, architects and developers, bringing architectural design, planning consultancy and daylight and sunlight analysis under one roof.

Our overriding objective on any project is to maximise the site potential while causing the minimum of impact to both neighbours and the environment. We urge clients to learn with us and understand how even the simplest of adjustments to a design can improve how a building functions, without unduly impacting budget and costs.

We achieve this through complimenting traditional architectural skills with 3D and natural light/climate modelling software, applying a genuine care for the human experience and the knowledge that good design should always be the base level, not a lofty aim.

All aspects of a project are therefore considered from the outset, with as work as possible done up-front and in-house, avoiding the need for other costly consultants, last minute changes forced by neighbourly objections and other hurdles that plague the planning process.

This makes us experts in working with tricky sites, with a proven record of hard to achieve approvals. We relish the challenge of looking at planning where it has previously failed and always seek to find solutions to potential neighbourly objections before they arise.

It’s for these reasons that we’ve become a go-to, not just for private clients, but also for many renowned architectural practises, who come to us for help during the design/planning stages, so they too can enjoy the benefits of a smoother planning process, keeping their clients (and neighbours) happier as a result. We’re also extremely popular with developers, whether we’re providing full design and daylight/sunlight consultancy services (where we really thrive), advice on a proposed building’s maximum massing or where the limits lie in extending an existing structure. Whatever the project, the aim is always to minimise the chance of legitimate objections and neighbourly disputes, while ensuring sites are utilised to their fullest potential. The end result? Good design that is led by its context, shows genuine care, provides the best return on investment and minimises time wasted on the planning process.

For details of past projects, quotes, free advice and anything else you can think of please get in touch via the contact form below, or call on +447521 606980, and we’ll waste no time in getting back to you with a helpful response.

We look forward to hearing from you!

William (call me Will)
@The Daylight Lab

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Some FAQs:

Will you ever have a proper website?

– We thrive by word of mouth so don’t count on it anytime soon, unless you’re a web designer and fancy doing a skill swap?! Otherwise just call or email and we’ll be very happy to tell you anything you might want to know.

Do you provide BRE daylight and sunlight assessments/can you help me with a planning objection?

– Absolutely. Our fees generally start at £450 for an assessment of a modest single storey rear extension, dormer roof or similar. This should be paid by the applicant, not the affected party, and we’ll guide you through the process and engage with your neighbour (when appropriate) and the relevant planning authority to ensure everyone is treated fairly and suffers the minimum amount of stress.

We also do a lot of work on Class MA conversions and new build developments, with our assessments often being the clincher in gaining the client approval.

What areas do you cover?

– For BRE daylight/sunlight assessments, planning objections and so on, we work across the UK, as 99% of the time we carry out the work remotely. If we’re looking at a design project then obviously it helps to be in South-East England, where we can get to you in reasonable time. That said, we’re open to anything, flexible with time and like getting out of the office, so please don’t be shy if you’re further away.

We’re also very open to working abroad where BRE guidance relating to daylight and sunlight applies, such as in the Republic of Ireland and parts of the Middle East.

Are you an RIBA and/or ARB chartered architectural practice?

– No. Will, who completes projects with the help of trusted freelancers when needed, is not a chartered architect, but first taught himself CAD at 16, made his first planning application at 18, studied design at the renowned Middlesex Cat Hill Campus and worked throughout his degree and the following 8 years at a busy chartered practice in Camden, North London. In his time there he was thrown in at the deep end and worked on a huge range of projects, from small extensions to multi million pound developments of new builds and refurbs, being on site as much as in the office. He then started The Daylight Lab to support the practice’s own projects in-house, before offering the service out once the demand for a fresh approach to the discipline became clear. This makes The Daylight Lab’s approach unique, drawing on a vast amount of past professional experience and a genuine care for the built and natural environment, while benefiting from constantly working with, critiquing and helping improve other practice’s projects and working method. With this in mind we’re a million miles away from one of the many fly by night outfits of draftsmen with a dodgy copy of Autocad and no real skill or sense of responsibility, so don’t let our lack of ARB/RIBA accreditation put you off. We wouldn’t be trusted by so many successful chartered practices if we didn’t know what we’re doing!

Can you take projects through to building regs and site completion?

– Yes, but not under The Daylight Lab. We can explain more by phone/email so please just ask.

Are you expensive and can you give instant quotes over the phone?

– No and (almost always) no. Every project is different, so we price according to the amount of work and value involved, depending on location, complexity and so on. The long and short of it is, we’re highly efficient, always go the extra mile and the value we bring far exceeds our fees, so send us a message using the form below (or the number provided) and we’ll provide you with initial advice without charge and take the conversation from there.