Ben Stuart-Smith

We’re thrilled to share that The Apple House is a Finalist in the 2026 ArchDaily Building of the Year Awards More than 70,000 nominations from 100 countries were submitted this year, narrowing 3,000+ projects to just 75 finalists. The Apple House is one of five finalists in Healthcare Architecture. Thank you for all the support - If you’d like to further support the project, an additional round of voting is open until 18 February at 18:00. [LINK IN BIO] The Apple House took 7 years from first idea to completion. Early on, it became clear there was real need and tremendous support for a place like this. @suestuartsmith ; brilliant book The Well Gardened Mind helped shape the thinking from the beginning and continues to guide the project today. This has been a hugely collaborative effort: thank you to @tomstuartsmith and his brilliant team @tomstuartsmithstudio (landscape), @structure.workshop (engineering), to Gordon Clark and team along with so many trades, builders and craftspeople whose care and skill made it real. The project’s ongoing success is thanks to the incredible team who run the building (@rebeccafincham_ @millie_souter @emma_youngman_grows @rachelrice_ ) and the volunteers and collaborators who make so much possible. It’s been a privilege to be part of it - long may it continue to flourish.

We are delighted to announce that The Apple House designed by @studiobenjamin of @okrastudio has been shortlisted-listed for the @riba @ribaeast Architecture Awards. The Apple House is built almost exclusively from natural, low-carbon and locally sourced materials and is a place of exchange and learning: hosting whole-studio gatherings, knowledge-sharing, and symposiums including Working with Earth, Working with Water, The Safe Green Space and The Power of Trees, to name a few. As such, surrounded by the Plant Library, the Apple House is home to the not for profit @sergehillproject which works to bring community cohesion, nature connection and wellbeing to the local community through gardening and other acts of creativity. It is also a base for Landscape Architects @tomstuartsmithstudio . Manufacturers and builders that made the building possible include: Slabside Construction, DASK Timber, HG Matthews (strock floor), Grey Oak (fit out), Will Stanwix (hempcrete walls), Tom Stuart-Smith Studio (landscape) and Structure Workshop (structural engineer). We look forward to welcoming the judging panel in March! You can visit the building during one of the Serge Hill Project Garden Openings. See links in our bio for the full shortlist and more information. 📷 @buildingnarratives #thesergehillproject #theapplehouse

Thrilled for my client Ben Stuart-Smith of @okrastudio , whose project, The Apple House, has been shortlisted for a Dezeen Award in the Leisure and Wellness category. Set within the plant library of landscape design practice @tomstuartsmith , the building is used by @sergehillproject to support a year-round programme of workshops and events in horticulture and environmental stewardship to local schools, youth groups, mental health charities and residents. These photos were taken on medium format film about this time last year, and the shoot remains one of my favourites of 2024.

Thrilled to hear that the Apple House has been shortlisted for The International Dezeen awards under the Leisure & Wellness category! From over 4,300 entries from 89 countries to Dezeen Awards this year, our project is one of 92 architecture projects that are in the running to win an award, With 6 projects shortlisted within our category. Its an honour to be within a shortlist with such heavyweights whose work we have long admired - Link in bio All photography by the brilliant Nick Dearden @buildingnarratives

Thank you to Toast Magazine for the lovely piece about The Apple House I designed at the @sergehillproject and the morning routine of @suestuartsmith at Serge Hill. Link in bio

Thrilled to see a feature on our retreat for this years Chelsea flower show - many thanks to Serena Fokschaner for taking interest and writing about the project. @fentonscottfielder @tomstuartsmithstudio See full article here: /content/d7b76d53-64cf-48c5-a93b-f69014b875d0

We are thrilled to have been awarded a Gold Medal at this years Chelsea Flower Show for @nationalgardenscheme It has been a very special collaboration with @tomstuartsmith @honorreekie @fentonscottfielder & Robert Silver Pottery The hut will eventually find its way to @maggiescentres where it will provide a space for gardening and cooking amongst other things. We set out to make a calm space which invites inhabitation and is in part about the joy of making. Gutters and down pipes were brilliantly made by Robert Silver in hand thrown clay. Everything you see including each knob or handle has been made beautifully by Fen. It’s rare to be able to take something this far and a privilege to do so. Huge thanks to the brilliant team involved including masterful @crocus.co.uk Photos 1-3 NGS @julieskeltonphoto Photo 4 @frankeverywhere

The Dairy Studio. St Albans, Hertfordshire. The office bathrooms are finished in pale green micro-cement, with concrete sinks and oak window seat. ____________________________________

The Dairy Studio. St Albans, Hertfordshire. 2022 The hallway and studio kitchen of Tom Stuart-Smith Landscape Studio are defined by darker earthy tones, made up of clay plaster, micro cement and valchomat. These sit in contrast to the oak lined workspaces, making the journey of moving through the building atmospheric and varied. ____________________________________ #naturalmaterials #rénovation #modernoffice #architecture #architectureandinteriors #interiordesign

The Dairy Studio. St Albans, Hertfordshire. 2022 Looking down into the meeting room. Great care was taken to protect the privet shrub at the southern end of the studio. We are grateful it remained unharmed! It wonderfully captures and animates the changing light throughout the day. ____________________________________ #naturalmaterials #rennovation #modernoffice #architecture #architectureandinteriors #landscape #wildflowers #ruraloffice

The Dairy Studio. St Albans, Hertfordshire. 2022 A throw back to warmer days! The east facade of this rural design studio for Tom Stuart-Smith Studio @tomstuartsmith @tomstuartsmithstudio was reconstructed with materials reclaimed from the original buildings alongside porothem blocks, flemish brick, corten steel and oak glazing. ____________________________________ #naturalmaterials #rennovation #modernoffice #architecture #architectureandinteriors #landscape #wildflowers #ruraloffice