He was keenly aware of what we could and couldn't afford and shepherded the project from beginning to end in a way that gave us the reassurance and confidence we needed, and that was characterized by an attention to detail that made sure that the project came in on time and on budget, or at least as close to those things as was possible in light of extras that we specifically asked for. He worked extremely sympathetically with the contractor and so ensured that very few of the headaches that inevitably arise in a building project were anything that we had to worry about. We now have a thrilling extension to our living space, one in which it is hard to find any flaw in planning or execution.

 

Tim Macklem - August 2010

I had a wonderful apartment with an enormous roof terrace above it but the two were only linked by an outdoor staircase. I really wanted to find a way of linking the indoor and outdoor space so that we could enjoy both while being in one. From my initial meeting with Alex it immediately became clear that what I needed was a multi-purpose room that could adapt to the needs of the occupants, e.g. study, quiet room , additional bedroom etc, whilst maximising the enjoyment of the wonderful views across London from the roof terrace.

The ideas that he presented addressed my requirements whilst also offering up additional values that I had not included in the brief. The presentation was by drawing and model which made it very easy to understand. Alex was totally open for feedback and willing to address comments and make adaptations, whilst being able to convey his ideas and rationale in an articulate manner. It was very easy to have an open dialogue about the design.

Throughout the process I was really struck by the Alex's professionalism, he never needed chasing up and were always one step ahead. He was realistic and confident to bring any concerns to me as the client. The process of selecting a contractor was extremely positive and I was amazed at how realistic he had been in relation to budget, so no horrible surprises when the tenders came back. The building process went very well, and the level of monitoring by Alex was excellent. I particularly found receiving regular site meeting reports helpful. Working full time with two young children led me to have some concerns prior to the commencement of the project as to how much time it would take from my schedule, but I was pleasantly surprised that it really went very smoothly and I do put this down to his excellent organisational skills.

The project has now been completed and I am absolutely thrilled with the results, it has totally met my expectations and has really changed the way the whole space works.

 

Sophie Humphreys - July 2010

Thanks to Alex, the ground floor of our home has been transformed from a fairly conventional 1930’s layout into a brilliant open family space which looks fantastic and works perfectly for our growing family.  We just love it! From the first meeting through to the completion of the project, Alex exuded a very calming kind of level headedness combined with creative energy and absolutely meticulous attention to detail.  

 

Design and Planning Alex’s stroke of magic is that at this stage was his production of 3D models to accompany the  2D plans which was enormously helpful and really exciting for our whole family.  We were all able to understand Alex’s proposals much more easily by working with models and we all enjoyed playing around with them, our children especially. These enabled us to have a more constructive dialogue with Alex than if we had been working with just plans. I am so so so glad that we followed this process (which was exactly as Alex had set out). We now appreciate the huge difference between using an architect and simply getting a builder to plan and do the work, given the enormous amount of thinking, designing, planning and decision making goes in at the front of the process.  

 

Tendering process I am absolutely clear that Alex’s expertise and input at this stage was invaluable.  The tender documentation he produced left no details unspecified and his professionalism directly determined the professionalism and quality of the build which ensued.  

 

Building phase Alex project managed all of the work and visited the site regularly. The directors of the building company who undertook the work expressed to us that Alex’s management of this project made their job much easier than other projects they had been involved in. Decisions which needed to be made during the build were made quickly and issues which did arise were sorted out promptly and pragmatically. It was wonderfully exciting to see our new space materialising week by week and there were no major hiccups during the build.  

 

Outcome What we have gained in terms of the way we live is quite wonderful.  It feels like family life is more physically connected than it used to be.  We all live in the same space together but without being in each other’s way!  It is a very harmonious and happy way to be living.   I think Alex was able to make it all come about through the combination of his obvious technical architectural ability, his design talent, his unnerving attention to detail, his ability to manage relationships with the many parties involved in a project like this and very importantly, his appreciation and understanding of how real family life works.  

 

Susie Watchorn - March 2010

I asked Alex to refresh the bathrooms (4 in all) in my Victorian house, as a few attempts at renovation had been thwarted.

 

Design and Planning

Alex came up with a brilliant idea of using the space in a way that I would never have conceived of, produced easily readable drawings, and made meticulous models to show his plans. There was a well thought out logic to each design, and a special extra element that makes each bathroom a pleasure to use.

The planning of the project was meticulous. The selection of materials was made very easy, as I felt I could rely on his experience and knowledge of materials to achieve the best possible result.

The details that I was worrying about did not seem a problem to Alex, and were immediately solved or talked through to a positive outcome.

 

Tendering and Building

It was a simple selection to find a contractor, and Alex ran a very tight ship in the sequencing of the works and making sure the work went to schedule, and was also on time and on budget. He kept me informed of every stage of the procedure.

He was firm and direct with the builder, so there was never any room for doubt, or for any confusion to arise. His brief was clear and direct.

In the end, I chose to have help with the interior decoration, which, though not to Alex's taste, he was happy to accommodate, and made sure that the fitting all ran smoothly.

 

Outcome

I am totally thrilled with the result of the works, and the house is a total joy to be in.   His design for the master bedroom suite works like a dream, and adds a wonderful unexpected visual treat to a traditional house.

The bathrooms are exactly as he had outlined, and on budget. There were no hideous add-on costs, as I have previously had with another architect.

I would welcome the opportunity to work with Alex again. It was a totally pleasurable and creative experience, where I felt he was totally honest, reliable and trustworthy. He also is on hand always to answer any worries or queries that may come up, and will follow through if any other problems arise.

 

As well as redesigning my bathrooms, Alex also helped me improve the dynamics of my drawing room, working out the size of my new sofa and reconfiguring the sound systems and mantel piece for the fire, reconsidering the dynamics of the room and making it work in a more dynamic way.  He also designed a beautiful cherry wood bookshelf for a sitting room which helped improve a room that previously had not worked to its potential.

         

Judy Goldhill - January 2010