We are a multi award-winning architectural practice working across the UK and Guernsey. We specialise in new-build homes, extensions and renovations, heritage and protected buildings, residential developments, and carefully considered commercial projects - delivering clear design thinking, robust technical coordination, and calm guidance from first sketch to completion.
The Practice:
Founded in early 2012 by friends Max, Jamie & Patrick. SOUP started as a small Architectural practice with some big ambitions.
All working in other practices before SOUP, we were able to draw on over 60 years worth of industry experience to develop a new, young and dynamic practice that focused on giving our clients the best possible professional service and continue to develop our approach to architecture and design.
With over 300 completed projects, 5 RIBA Awards, 3 Sunday Times British Homes Award, 5 Guernsey Design Awards and 2 studios (Guernsey & London) since 2012, SOUP has gained a momentum that none of us expected.
We are friendly, approachable, and able to tailor our services to meet the needs of projects from small extensions, up to multi-unit housing developments. We are proud that most of our work comes to us through recommendations, with former clients often becoming great friends.
We are passionate about inspiring others and sharing our work and methods, and are often invited to lecture at universities.
Everyone who works at SOUP has something different to add to the SOUP. We embrace a design dialogue within the practice and hope that by challenging each other, the design gets more refined. We encourage our clients to engage in this process too, as we believe that it makes it far more enjoyable, but also results in a much better result.
300+ completed projects
5 RIBA Awards
3 Sunday Times British Homes Award
5 Guernsey Design Awards
2 Studios
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Max Babbé
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Jamie Le Gallez
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Patrick Walls
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Louise Herbert
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Michael Hart
The Story:
We would like to tell you about SOUP by retelling an old folk story. It is a tale much adapted in its telling around the world about a traveller, who enters a community with nothing more than an empty pot.
The traveller, who is met with suspicion, sets about making a fire and filling the pot with water to boil. Into the pot the traveller places a stone, which intrigues the people of the village.
One, too curious to resist asks what they are doing. The traveller responds by saying they are making a delicious ‘Stone Soup’, which would be much improved with the addition of some seasoning or local produce.
The ingredients are added and seeing that they could help, more people add what they can and offer their advice on improving the dish.
Slowly the traveller is no longer seen as a stranger or a threat and very soon the wider community are participating in creating a wonderful SOUP, which is enjoyed by all.
For us, this short tale works as an allegory for how we approach what we do as architects and designers. Within the tale, we would see ourselves as the traveller, and the stone as the nucleus from which ideas are able to develop and improve through the engagement of the client and wider community.
SOUP is a simple dish with complex flavours. Distinct and delicious variations are derived from the influence of culture, resources and environment. This made SOUP the ideal analogy for our approach to architecture.