Two of the UK’s biggest cultural events come to London in October: PAD and Frieze. We’ve chosen our top picks from these two events.
The Benefits of ‘Office Peacocking’
Hybrid working has been one of the pandemic’s most enduring legacies, and many companies are attempting to entice staff back by making improvements to their environment and facilities. The phrase ‘office peacocking’ has been coined to describe this trend, but we believe that an office overhaul is more than just for show: it has meaningful benefits for staff, clients and your business
Our Autumn Event Highlights
LA London’s Tom Warren Wins The 2024 RIBA Norman Foster Travelling Scholarship
LA London’s Tom Warren, Part 2 Architectural Assistant, has been selected as the winner of the 2024 RIBA Norman Foster Travelling Scholarship. First established in 2006, the scholarship, supported by the Norman Foster Foundation, is now in its eighteenth year and is intended to fund international research on a topic related to the survival of our cities in a location of the student’s choice. The annual scholarship offers £7,000 to fund research by an architecture student who demonstrates original thinking on issues relating to the sustainable survival of cities and towns.
““I’m immensely proud of this achievement and grateful to be the first South African recipient.””
The submissions for the 2024 RIBA Norman Foster Travelling Scholarship were judged by a prestigious panel of industry leaders including Lord Foster and RIBA President, Muyiwa Oki. Following his nomination, Tom’s proposal was unanimously chosen by the judging panel over strong contenders from 78 other schools of architecture across 37 countries!
Having won the scholarship, Tom will now conduct his research proposal, ‘Africa 360°’, which focuses on investigating off-grid infrastructure in Southern Africa. The research trip aims to explore the viability of off-grid infrastructure for future cities. The primary focus is to assess how building-scale infrastructure can replace traditional, expensive, maintenance-heavy city-scale infrastructure.
The widespread use of mobile phones has rendered landlines obsolete. Tom observed how African cities skipped fixed-line telecommunication infrastructure and went straight to distributed mobile network towers, effectively leapfrogging technologies. This observation inspired Tom’s research proposal.
Tom's proposed research holds the potential to change the planning of remote communities and developing cities. By learning from the technological leapfrogging witnessed in telecommunications, similar principles can be applied to the planning of future city infrastructure.
Andrew Paulson, LA London Partner, comments, “We are incredibly proud of Tom for winning this impressive RIBA accolade and very much look forward to seeing him carry out his research proposal.” Kathryn Archer, LA London Partner, adds, “Seeing Tom receive the recognition for a project that is so meaningful and close to his heart has been wonderful.”
To learn more about Tom’s research proposal and the RIBA Norman Foster Travelling Scholarship, please follow this link.
How will the change of government affect architects?
The Impact of Archicad on the Evolution of LA London
In 1990, Lees Associates (now LA London) was one of the first firms to ditch drawing boards, becoming an early adopter of 3D architectural software Archicad. More than 30 years on, we still use it today! In fact, it has been with the practice for longer than almost all of our team – playing a pivotal role in LA’s journey to becoming one of London's premium boutique architecture and interior firms.
London Climate Resilience Review: our key takeaways
The recently-published London Climate Resilience Review, which was commissioned by the Mayor of London, highlights the considerable risks to central London if urgent steps are not taken to improve the city’s resilience to increasingly severe and regular weather events, including flooding and extreme heatwaves.
AI in Architecture: LA London meets LightField’s Jonny Cox
Precision Pays: How We Shaved 16 Weeks Off a Construction Programme
Using LA’s architect-led surveys and BIM (Building Information Modelling) software, we enabled Lexi Construction to better their competitors’ programmes and secure the project. Here’s how!
Navigating the Job Market: Essential Tips for Recent Architecture Graduates
At this time of year, whether you are still studying or have successfully gained your degree, securing your first role in architecture can be challenging, with tough competition and lengthy application processes. To help you maximise your chance of success, the Lees Associates team have shared their advice for securing that first graduate job opportunity.
The Art of Project Recovery
Embarking on a new project is usually marked by an air of optimism. Clients naturally envisage the inevitable success of their endeavour, understandably reluctant to anticipate potential pitfalls. However, even the best planned projects encounter issues that can’t be foreseen, and, as Lead Designer, it's our job to deal with these effectively, ensuring optimism and pragmatism are in equal balance.
A Day in the Life of… Pearl James
In the latest in our regular series, we meet Pearl James, a Senior Architectural Assistant at Lees Associates who joined the team in early 2021. During that time, she has been involved in a range of prime-resi projects in some of London’s most prestigious areas, including Knightsbridge, Hyde Park and the Crown Estate. She has also worked on a few commercial projects, including the new Tudor Watch Boutique in Harrods.
The Impact of AI in Architecture
Reflecting on Our First Year as PRIME Members
It’s been a little over a year since Lees Associates joined PRIME, a collective of like-minded responsible businesses that share a commitment to making a valuable, positive and sustainable impact on the environment and on the communities they serve. Here, we reflect on what we have achieved in our first year.
Retail Retrospective: The Evolution of Harrods & Selfridges
In 2004, Selfridges pulled off a remarkable feat: installing a 14-metre-tall fibreglass replica of Rio de Janeiro’s famous Christ the Redeemer statue above the main entrance of the store on Oxford Street, as part of a wider celebration of Brazilian style. “It was amazing at the time just to get planning permission for it, let alone get it up onto the front of the store,” recalls Kath Archer, partner at Lees Associates.
A Rural Retreat: How to Build Your Dream Home in the Countryside
Expansive views, clean air and the sound of silence: a rural retreat remains a dream for many. Covid’s legacy of hybrid working has given urban-dwellers the freedom to move a little further from their principal place of work.
If you’re considering taking on a building project in the countryside, we’ve weighed up the various factors involved, with expert advice from the worlds of planning, sustainability and rural property.
A Day in the Life of… Miruna Stroe
Miruna Stroe is an Associate at Lees Associates and a Chartered and Registered Architect with a PhD in Architecture who has been with us for seven years. Since joining LA, she has been involved in a number of our high-end residential projects, including a renovation in Holland Park and a substantial listed penthouse redevelopment in Belgravia. So, what does a typical day look like for Miruna at Lees Associates?
Experts Reveal the Design Trends You Must Know for 2024
Searching for innovative design ideas for your upcoming residential or commercial project? Look no further. Our team has consulted a range of industry peers and collaborators to discover what’s on the design agenda for 2024. From irregular rugs to the digital environment, we have something to inspire everyone.
James Hall becomes a Partner at Lees Associates
James Hall began working at Lees Associates as a Part 2 Architectural Assistant in early 2015. After nine years with the company, rising to first Associate and then Associate Director, he was appointed as a Partner at the start of the year, joining Andrew Paulson and Kathryn Archer at the helm of the practice. We sat down with him to discuss this significant accomplishment and his plans for the future.
What does the Building Safety Act mean for Higher-Risk Buildings?
In the second part of his summary of the effects of the Building Safety Act (BSA), Lees Associates partner, Andrew Paulson looks at the new statutory requirements for owners and developers of Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs), providing a comprehensive overview for clients and contractors within the prime property sector.