Background
The studio is conceived by Fraser McQuade ARB RIBA - an architect with substantial experience in both private and public sectors.
Fraser studied at Edinburgh College of Art and the University of Westminster – both schools having a strong focus on creative expression and the meeting of art and architecture – before completing his professional qualifications at the University of Brighton.
Experience has included design and delivery of award-winning modern buildings – both cultural and residential; sensitive restoration of listed buildings; and the role of Senior Urban Design Officer at Brighton & Hove City Council. He has also achieved a permaculture design qualification and continues to develop himself professionally and artistically with a keen focus on nature and environmental matters.
Through this experience, Fraser has developed a unique and holistic skillset, design sensibility and competence level which are carefully and intuitively applied to all studio Cerath projects.
Ethos
Blending three core elements of architecture, art and nature, studio Cerath explores a creative process rooted in the earth and emotional experience.
Architecture considers not simply buildings, but an ancient and deep-rooted connection to place and space at the heart of the design process. Designs focus on intuitive layouts and healthy spaces, natural light and air movement, organic materiality, calmly expressive appearance, and a strong connection to the outdoors whether garden, distant views, or sky.
The studio works personally with clients to expand on their wants, needs and ideas, creating homes that suit their lifestyle and tastes, and which offer the space for them to thrive.
Keen passions for the natural world and abstract artistic expression guide the creative process and inform architectural projects. The studio creates decorative ceramics often inspired by the beauty and complexity of elemental landscapes and our innate, emotional connection to them.
Sustainability is a dynamic component of the creative process, informing every decision from concept to detail design. A Permaculture Design qualification has honed an understanding of sustainable land use, passive environmental design solutions and organic, non-toxic construction materials for reduced embodied carbon.