ALT STUDIOS

ALT PROJECTS . Concept: The Rail Yards This sequence explores some of the key architectural moves shaping Block A and its relationship to the wider Founders Place masterplan. Facing the new public square, the building is angled to frame the entrance to Sussex Street and choreograph views through the site — concealing the rear of the UTC while revealing glimpses deeper into the masterplan, including the gable and entrance of Block B. The massing then steps down with the site, easing the transition away from the scale of One Founders Place. At street level, a recessed brick plinth forms a sheltered colonnade, drawing from the industrial language of the historic Stephenson Works. Above, horizontal concrete framing helps break down the perceived monolithic massing, referencing the strong datum lines of the area’s former factories and warehouses. . #architecture #urbanregeneration #workplacedesign #conceptsketch #inksketch #sketchbook #penandinkdrawing #architecturaldrawing #architecturalsketch #architecturesketch #archisketch #archisketcher #arch_sketch #sketchdaily

ALT COMMUNITY . Glen Aray TRS, our Scottish glen retreat concept, presented at the Aram Gallery as part of Proof of Concept: Mould. The work brings together model studies and material tests to examine how casting translates from model to building, placing making and construction in close dialogue. At the centre is a 1:20 micro-concrete feature gable, developed with Spaceplay. Using rigid, flat-pack timber shuttering rather than silicone, the model is assembled, poured, vibrated and dismantled, operating as a true fragment — holding grain, edge definition and weight at scale. Alongside this, material studies with specialist manufacturer Bespoke Concrete extend the work toward full-scale realisation, testing how board-marked and smooth surfaces can coexist through variations in shuttering, texture, hue and aggregate exposure. Crushed rock from the partial demolition of the existing repeater station is intended to be reintroduced within future casts, establishing continuity between past and future. The work invites a closer reading of how architecture is formed through temporary frameworks that leave lasting traces. On view until 18 April. . Collaborators: @space.play | Bespoke Concrete Photography: @markslater_photography . #proofofconcept #aramgallery #architecturalmodel #designexhibition #designprocess #castconcrete @proofofconcept.show @aramgalleryldn

ALT COMMUNITY . A huge thank you to everyone who joined us at @aramgalleryldn for the opening of @proofofconcept.show — it was fantastic to see such a strong turnout. The exhibition remains open until 18 April. Proof of Concept: Mould 6 March – 18 April 2026 Aram 110 Drury Lane, London WC2B 5SG Monday – Saturday, 10am – 6pm . Photography: @markslater_photography . #proofofconcept #aramgallery #mould #designexhibition #castconcrete

ALT COMMUNITY . Glen Aray TRS foregrounds concrete casting as a process operating between scales rather than a finished object. Fragments from the making of a 1:20 micro-concrete feature gable, adopting the principles of full-scale construction for our Scottish glen retreat concept design. Timber shuttering is set out, assembled and dismantled, allowing the model to test how board setting-out, sequencing and release might scale up into the built work. The project’s ambition to explore concrete as both material and process led us to collaborate with @space.play , whose own fascination with concrete and craft made them natural contributors to this evolving project. Special thanks to Adam and his team for their meticulous work on the model and for documenting the experimental process behind it. Discover the results at Proof of Concept: Mould 6 March – 18 April 2026 Aram, 110 Drury Lane, London WC2B 5SG Monday – Saturday, 10am – 6pm . Collaborator: Spaceplay . #proofofconcept #aramgallery #mould #exhibition #castconcrete

Bringing concrete casting to the foreground as a process between scales rather than a finished object. Micro-concrete tests how board setting-out, shuttering and release shape the final surface. Concrete casting is familiar, yet the shuttering (mould) and decisions that shape it are rarely seen. Surface appearance, texture and buildability emerge as direct consequences of the process, each cast testing the limits of control. Model by @space.play Discover the results at Proof of Concept: Mould 6 March – 18 April 2026 Aram, 110 Drury Lane, London WC2B 5SG Monday – Saturday, 10am – 6pm

A preview of what @_altstudios is working on for Proof of Concept: Mould 📷 @markslater_photography

To begin our Proof of Concept: Mould exhibitor introductions, we’re pleased to welcome back @_altstudios ALT STUDIOS is an independent design practice known for a meticulous and unconventional approach. Rooted in experimentation, the studio continually challenges assumptions, pushing beyond expectation across architecture, interiors and spatial design. Founded by Paul Milner and Scott Savin, ALT STUDIOS was established in response to an increasingly homogeneous design landscape. Their work offers a considered alternative to the mainstream: research-led, detail-driven and deeply responsive to context. Working across architecture and bespoke interiors, the studio creates environments shaped by lifestyle, culture and narrative. From London to the Lake District and the West Highlands of Scotland, their portfolio spans a wide range of scales and typologies, unified by clients who value design as a rigorous problem-solving tool.

ALT PROJECTS . Concept: Glen Aray TRS West elevation sketch — reading approach, concealment and arrival. The elevation presents a quiet, defensive face, drawing on the character of the existing Telephone Repeater Station. A single elevated opening brings light into the gallery at the head of the central spiral stair, while screening movement below. Set high within the gable, the window frames bracken, slope and distant treeline, withholding the road from view. Conte à Paris charcoal pencils (B–5B) on Saunders Waterford 300gsm hot-pressed paper. . #bothy #architecturaldrawing #architecturalsketch #archisketch #elevation #elevationdesign #elevationdrawing #charcoaldrawing #pencildrawing #pencilsketch #sketchdaily #cabininthewoods

ALT PROJECTS . Concept: Glen Aray TRS North and south elevation sketches — capturing the richly textured immediate context, with the proposal’s concrete form defined by roughly sawn timber formwork. Board markings soften the monolith, introducing fine-grain texture adding visual interest and a quiet haptic presence. Elevations drawn using Conte à Paris charcoal pencils (B–5B) on Saunders Waterford 300gsm hot-pressed paper. . #bothy #architecturaldrawing #architecturalsketch #archisketcher #elevation #elevationdesign #elevationdrawing #charcoaldrawing #graphitesketch #sketchdaily #pencildrawing #cabininthewoods

ALT PROJECTS . Concept: Glen Aray TRS East elevation sketch — reading immediate tree lines, topography and sky. Part of a wider contextual study inspired by past artists of the area who captured this rural Argyll landscape, demonstrating how the proposed structure settles into place, dwarfed by the surrounding ancient oaks. Conte à Paris charcoal pencils (B–5B) on Saunders Waterford 300gsm hot pressed paper. Exhibited at Proof of Concept, as part of @3daysofdesign 2025, Copenhagen. . #microarchitecture #architecturaldrawing #architecturalsketch #archisketch #elevation #elevationdesign #elevationdrawing #graphitedrawing #graphitesketch #sketchdaily #pencildrawing #cabininthewoods

ALT PROJECTS . Concept: Glen Aray TRS A brief look at the early concept studies for Glen Aray TRS — our micro-architecture retreat in Argyllshire, exhibited at @3daysofdesign as part of Proof of Concept’s “Connect” exhibition. The sequence begins with the existing telephone repeater station, before moving through a series of expanded or alternative footprints and forms — including studies developed while exploring the possibility of acquiring additional land. Each tests a different spatial strategy for a constrained site with no mains water or spring supply, assessed through rainwater-harvesting performance for greywater and filtered potable use. The fifth and final iteration meets full estimated guest demand with an annual resilience margin of 8,363 litres. A modest project shaped by process, iteration, and the search for meaningful connection between building, landscape and natural resource. . #architecture #microarchitecture #ruralarchitecture #bothy #cabin #retreat #architecturaldrawing #axonometric #axo #axonometricillustration #rainwaterharvesting #wildernessculture

ALT PROJECTS . Concept: The Rail Yards Where Block A greets a new public square, Block B looks inward to the character of Sussex Street — repairing a historic lane once lost within the wider site. A mass-timber frame expressed behind a heavy brick plinth, Block B brings a quieter intensity: colonnades, workspace frontages, glimpses of activity and a simple, utilitarian elegance inspired by the warehouses of the Stephenson Works. Its saw-tooth roof and north-light glazing draw natural light deep into the plan, while opportunities for ground-floor makers’ units, mezzanines, and upper-level views across the Tyne Valley ensure that Block B is designed to evolve over time. Designed for longevity and adaptability, Block B anchors the southern edge of Founders Place, adding depth, grain and a renewed sense of enclosure to this emerging city quarter. . Collaborator: @pillarvisuals . #architecture #sustainabledesign #urbandesign #workplacedesign #designconcept #regeneration #industrialheritage #architecturalrendering #architecturalvisualization #archviz #cgi #render #newcastleupontyne