About.

Godel Architects was established by Robert and Fiona Godel in 2000 and began in a disused building on Robert’s father’s farm in St Mary. The practice has grown steadily over the past two decades, building a strong reputation for quality and care. Today, the team comprises thirteen people and is based in a converted farm shed across the yard, which has been carefully adapted to provide a generous, welcoming studio. The workspace reflects the practice’s values and benefits from open views across the surrounding rural landscape.

We are an award-winning, design-led practice that delivers clear, well-considered architecture and a dependable service. We believe good design should add value and improve everyday life, whatever the scale of the project. Our work is founded on open collaboration with clients, consultants and the States of Jersey, supported by honesty, careful listening and shared ideas. We design with care at every level, from overall form and spatial flow to fine detail, with a strong focus on proportion, light and craft. Our work is developed through hand sketching and advanced 3D modelling, including BIM where required, allowing schemes to be clearly understood from the outset. Sustainability underpins our approach, informed by experience in low-energy design, efficient construction and responsible use of resources, alongside specialist expertise in historic buildings and conservation-led design.

We offer tailored support, whether for developers, self-builders or private homeowners
— Fiona Godel

Meet the Team

Philosophy

  • We approach every project with creativity, innovation and in response to our clients’ needs through discussion and collaboration.  This has given us a reputation for providing highly imaginative and resourceful solutions to architectural challenges of all sizes and over a variety of project types.

    We believe that design is a collaborative process and that consultation and discussion is essential at all stages of a successful project; whether it be developing the brief, resolving strategic or technical constraints, or in communicating with others within a project’s team.  With every project, big or small, we endeavour to create places with personality and spaces that work with purpose; which we achieve through great care and attention to our designs.  This makes our buildings well-made, well-used and well-loved.

    We have a multi-talented team, who possess the skills and architectural expertise to faithfully develop designs in a broad range of architectural styles, the quality of our architecture deriving from paying close attention to proportion, scale and detail, and through the skilful manipulation of space and light. We understand that the details of a building are just as important as the macro-design, and we work hard to ensure that our finished buildings are as beautifully crafted close up, as they are a handsome statement from afar.

  • Although as part of our process we hand sketch and draw to communicate our ideas, all our designs in the practice are developed using state of the art 3D Computer Aided Design programmes, offering 3D fly-through access and pictorial visualisations (stills), that enable clients, the Planning Department, and where applicable, the public, to fully understand the schemes.

    We are also fully BIM capable, (Building Information Modelling), which where relevant, allows us to create a sophisticated and interactive model, to facilitate the accurate coordination and quantification of particularly complex components designed by us and other specialists, integrated together in 3D virtual space.

  • We believe that all architectural projects, whether on greenfield sites or existing buildings should be of the highest design calibre.  This is particularly important when working on our valuable built heritage, as we contribute to it with every building we work on.  Having the knowledge and skill to sensitively manage our historic built environment is crucial to the long-term survival and enjoyment of these buildings.  We therefore offer a historic building consultancy, which aims to amalgamate a best conservation practice approach with high-quality design, to positively contribute to our built environment and help clients to appropriately manage changes to their historic buildings and sites.

  • As a practice, we are committed to applying a comprehensive and holistic sustainability strategy to our projects, where possible.  We have wide-ranging experience in designing for low energy consumption, energy-efficient construction, sustainable use of resources, prefabricated buildings, and healthy buildings; and our team has extensive experience in collaborating with specialists in these fields where necessary.  This allows us to offer world-class environmental design, surpassing current standards and requirements.  Godel Architects are also members of the States of Jersey Eco Active Business Network, an organisation which supports businesses to actively apply energy efficient and sustainable strategies day to day.