Professional Architects in Cartmel

COW architecture aims to deliver meaningful architecture that transforms places and lives, through careful and considered design.

COW architecture Company Ethos

Architecture is a transformative experience that aims to enhance the lives of those who engage with it, whilst improving the built environment. Change to a building or place should always push to enrich the lives of those who interact with it.
To us that means being sensitive to the setting and producing a design that has a unique narrative and delivers more than just your aspirations.

COW architecture Services

3D Designs

Being able to see a building before it's built allows questions to be asked and decisions made during the design process that otherwise would not be picked up until it is too late. That is why almost all the designs we create are modelled in 3D to produce accurate and beautiful renders or fly throughs, allowing you to fully understand the spaces.

2D plans can often be hard to interpret. An accurate 3D model allows clients to visualise or walkthrough their new building during the design process, allowing a building to be understood from the outset.

Good Client Relationships

Good design is only part of the process. Successful buildings come from solid relationships, with everyone working together to deliver the finest quality work.

We value continual dialogue throughout – listening to what you want and desire and exploring all possibilities to produce bespoke architecture tailored to your needs.

We will regularly meet with you throughout all phases of the project, making sure every single element of the buildings design is considered and refined.

Inspirations

We have always been inspired by the Lake District, with its majestic landscape, quaint villages, and strong traditions.

We try to incorporate locally sourced materials in all our work and often showcase them alongside more contemporary materials.

Why choose COW architecture?

COW architecture aims to produce thoughtful architecture that both responds to and enhances its setting.
Our team are a dynamic group of talented, experienced designers that understand that architecture needs to respond to both people and place and in doing so it can be transformative.
Everything we work on is created around an ethos of craftsmanship, collaboration and connection to place. Our professional architects aim to design buildings that are sensitive to the surrounding environment and enriching to those who interact with them.
At COW architecture each design has its own bespoke narrative based on both your needs and the site context. Understanding a client's needs and desires from the outset is very important to us and helps mould the initial concepts. We then build on this to showcase the true potential of the building and the site.

David William Coward

Founder

"I grew up in the South Lakes, Cumbria and returned in 2016 with my wife and 3 young girls to enjoy all the benefits this beautiful part of the country has to offer.

I am a multi-disciplined designer with over 17 years’ professional experience working for some of the biggest global architecture practices on a wide range of projects right across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. I gained a First-Class Honours degree in Architectural Technology from Huddersfield University and began my career in London before heading out to Hong Kong.

I have managed and delivered projects from concept right through to a finished building and have experience in a variety of design typologies and sectors, from mixed-use, retail, master planning and commercial, to residential and hospitality.

3D visualisation plays a strong part in my architectural design process, as I find it’s the simplest way to showcase a design that everyone understands from the outset”

Michaela Major

Architect - BA (Hons) Architecture RIBA Dip ARB

"I am a born and bred Cumbrian, which has influenced my specialism in architectural conservation, especially Cumbrian Vernacular.

I have been working on residential, heritage and commercial projects since 2013. Whilst working full time I also completed my RIBA Part 2 at University in Oxford and RIBA Part 3, qualifying as an Architect in October 2021. During my studies I was a finalist for a national student award run by The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB).

I am working towards my RIBA Conservation Architect accreditation."

Frequently Asked Questions

No, we offer free design consultations.

Please check out our architectural services page for a list and more detail.

We accept a number of payment options, including PayPal, cash, BACS and cheque.

We are open Monday - Friday 9:00am - 18:00pm. We are closed on weekends.

Testimonials

Craig Johnson

A full 5 stars for David Coward. His professional and innovative approach has given us an excellent design and his 3D renders really add value to the whole process. David is really approachable and his advice shows that he really understands and cares about our project. We would strongly recommend his services.

Wendy Lewis

We have been delighted with our experience of COW Architecture. David responded quickly and listened carefully to what we wanted - and has always delivered when he said he would. We’ve appreciated swift responses to our communications along the way. He has a way of distilling things down and making everything straightforward. No question is silly and concerns are addressed seriously and efficiently. Overall, our experience is that COW architecture get the job done thoughtfully, with minimum fuss and at a very competitive price. We’d have no hesitation in recommending the Company to friends.

Jillian Culshaw

We couldn’t believe our luck when David showed us the initial drawings he had created for our new home. Having bought the house mainly for its position we were unsure how to update and renovate it.
We loved David’s design and knew instantly he was the person we wanted to work with on this major project. He had taken on board our lifestyles which includes two dogs and produced a house that was way beyond anything we had imagined.
One of the best things for us about the process was the 3D images David created, enabling us to see exactly how the completed house would look. It’s fine looking at drawings but neither my husband or I could quite get the feel or flow of the rooms until we saw the beautiful images on line.
David was also able to take control of the planning procedure and steered us smoothly through the various challenges thrown up due to the house being situated within a medieval village.
David is fantastic to work with, always available to answer queries or give advise, he is regularly on site and very supportive. He is creative, extremely passionate and an outstanding architect.

Richard Crabtree

Would definitely recommend David. His combination of experience and creativity coupled with his useful contacts provide a great mix of architectural services. If you are looking to add value to your home and create the wow factor then look no further.

Charlotte Mitchell

We are delighted to have David as our architect for the conversion of an old warehouse, which is both a listed building and in a conservation area, into a delightful two bedroomed dwelling.
David listened carefully to our ideas and skilfully interpreted them into a stunning and achievable design, retaining all the character of the old building, whilst at the same time creating a beautiful space for modern living. His 3D images helped enormously in showing us how the designs would work in real life as opposed to the more normal 2D plans which require a great deal of imagination to visualise.
His knowledge of the planning process, his attention to detail, and his natural ability to communicate easily, made the whole process both reassuring and pleasurable.

Andrew Hull

Excellent service received in the production of drawings for home extension. Highly professional, friendly, listened to our requirements, various design solutions offered, very effective communication with planning department, kept us informed at every stage. Highly recommended.

Contact COW architecture for a free design consultation