About the practice

APE Architecture & Design was founded in 2012 by award-winning architect Dan Gibbons as a muti-disciplinary practice with the original aim of exploring the potential for design-led Passivhaus and low-energy, construction and refurbishment. The practice ethos remains All Possibilities Explored and our work is characterised by the continual and bull-headed refusal to accept the first solution in favour of the right solution. A varied client base has led to an incredible variety of scale. From the smallest – a brand identity for an innovative music tutorial app – to the largest – masterplanning a new pan-generational housing scheme in Hartlepool. APE Architecture & Design continues to pursue a design-led approach to sustainable architecture and deliver low-energy buildings that are also beautiful and cost-effective. In 2019 the practices’ work on Meloy Architects’ Hill House Passivhaus was recognised at the annual RIBA Awards. The project, a passivhaus self-build scheme, achieved three awards at the RIBA South East Awards, including Small Project and Sustainable Project of the year. The house has subsequently received an RIBA National Award.