Profile

• Brookes Architects design, detail and deliver high quality architectural solutions for residential developments, commercial schemes and private homes. Our speciality is design that realises the full potential of sensitive or challenging sites.

  We are a design-led practice with a focus on delivery. Our directors are ‘real world’ architects, not prima donnas: design expertise is underpinned with extensive knowledge of planning policy, consultation processes, negotiation skills and technical competence. 

• Based in south west London, Brookes Architects has completed projects across the capital, the UK and Europe, and is currently working on a resort scheme in the Caribbean. The practice has a broad – and loyal – client base, a flexible approach to site specific design and a diverse portfolio that includes housing developments, offices, hotels and bars, student housing and private homes, ranging from a one-off bathroom to a £65 million residential scheme in Kingston.

• Evidence of the Brookes Architects approach to creating unique spaces can be found in its own offices. Brookes Architects has, over the years, occupied a re-worked public convenience and a disused ticket office and a converted ex-municipal depot. 

• Design

  The clients we work with often bring us adventurous sites. We frequently deal with sensitive or challenging ideas and locations. That’s no problem for us, it makes our work that much more interesting.

  Design is all about the concept and the site. It’s about felt-tip drawings, site visits, sketches, photographs, creating cardboard models and working up virtual 3D visualisations.

  We prepare comprehensive guidance, visual documentation and models to outline our design ideas and explain the impact of development to clients, planners and local communities.

• Detail

  Builders can take our drawings and complete the project right down to the last detail: where the light switches, radiators and electrical sockets go, and where to place the final nails and screws.

  We create information and drawings for a building’s structure, doors, windows, floors, finishes, landscaping, drainage, heating and lighting.

  We work on many kinds of projects, becoming involved at different stages of the creative process. Sometimes we manage a scheme through the design and planning approval stages, for others we are more involved with production information, specification and delivery. In many cases, we handle projects right through from initial design concepts to completion.

• Deliver

  Delivering a project is about working with people. It’s about negotiating skills, reliability, approachability and problem-solving. For Brookes Architects, it means great service.

  Our architectural teams are led by directors who see a project through from concept to execution and delivery.

  Our directors help to bring projects along smoothly without loss of focus or resorting to 'design by committee'. It can be a real challenge to satisfy all parties without losing sight of bold and innovative ideas.

Awards

• 2017 Evening Standard Award for Best Luxury Home under 100 for Langdale House

  2017 Evening Standard Award for Best Conversion under 100 for Fitzroy Gate

  2016 Evening Standard Award for Best Family Home for Walpole House

  2015 Guildford Design Award for The Quarry

  2015 Kingston Society Award for the Hilton Hotel

• 2014 Evening Standard Grand Prix Award for Pembroke Gardens

  2014 Evening Standard Eco Living Award for Pembroke Gardens

  2009 Richmond Society Commendation for nursery in Richmond

  2008 Richmond Society Award for Landsdowne Boathouse, Richmond

• 2008 Townscape Award for student accommodation, Kingston

  2001 Evening Standard Buy of the Week

  2000 National Home Builder Design Award

  1995 What Home Silver Award Best House

  1995 Richmond Conservation Award

• 1995 Richmond Conservation Award

  1994 What Home Best Partnership Development

  1993 Evening Standard New Home of the Year

  1991 Daily Mail Award

  1989 Pride of Place Award

Clients include

• Alamo Rent A Car
  Allenbuild
  A2 Dominion
  Barnet Health Authority
  Beechcroft Developments
  Berkeley Homes
  Bishops Move
  Chartway Group
  Clutch International
  County Gate Properties
  Dwyer Estates
  Enthone-OMI
  Envoplan
  Exel Construction
  Fiorini Foundry
  Frendcastle Management

• Galileo Homes
  Gloucestershire NHS Trust
  GM Developments
  Guy Salmon Jaguar
  Harepath
  Homes by Warwick
  Howarth Homes
  H R Owen
  Imperial College
  Jane Shilton Group
  Laing Homes
  Latchmere Properties
  Leander Properties
  Lichfield Studios
  Martin Grant Homes
  Michael Shanly Homes

• Mosimann Cuisine
  Network Housing Association
  NHP Developments
  Nicholas King Homes
  Octagon Developments
  Paddy Power
  Redrow Homes
  Richmond Housing Partnership
  Richstone Properties
  Roehampton University
  Roundlistic
  Royal Mail Parcelforce
  St Edward Homes
  St George
  St William Homes
  Sapcote Developments

• Savills
  Sharpe Refinery Service(Hydro Carbons)
  Sigma Pharmaceuticals
  Silverstone Circuits
  Surrey County Council
  Sytner Group
  Thames Properties
  Thames Water
  The Bank of England
  The Cherwell Group
  The Grosvenor Estate
  Verve Properties
  Viewranks Estates

Directors  click to view profiles

• Our people

  • The 20-strong practice is managed by ‘hands-on’ directors, including three architects who each lead individual teams in the design, detailing and delivery of active projects.

  • The practice remains committed to service and objectivity. We do not push any particular design agenda, every project is explored in the context of the client's needs, the site and any existing buildings; we simply want to do a good job.

• Ian Felgate

  • Ian Felgate was born in London in 1970 and studied Architecture at Kingston University where he was awarded a commendation for his Post Graduate studies.

    He qualified as an architect in 1996 and has worked at Brookes Architects since 1995. He became a director in 2000.

  • Ian has a wide range of experience on projects including house extensions, large residential schemes, commercial developments and schools.  He is able to provide all services across the RIBA work stages from initial feasibility studies to site inspections and contract administration. 

  • He has led and managed planning applications for large projects, presenting them to design review panels and speaking at planning committees and has been successful with a number of appeals.  He has extensive experience of delivering production information packages and running building contracts on site, including dealing with construction disputes and adjudications.

  • Amongst his completed buildings are large blocks of apartments, traditional and contemporary high quality individual houses, several large student housing developments and a number of school projects. 

    Ian is married with two grown up children. He enjoys gardening and is a Corporation of London volunteer for Epping Forest, carrying out a weekly litter pick in the forest.

• Liz Whelan

  • Liz was born in Heston in 1964. Educated to A level standard, Liz attended a Diploma for Personal Assistants course at Brooklands Technical College. Six years with a tour operator, working her way up to Executive Secretary to the Group

  • Managing Director, was followed by two years with Mclnerney Estates PLC as PA to two Directors. Finally, in 1991, Liz joined Brookes Architects where she has been for the last 32 years as Office Manager culminating in directorship in 1996.

  • As Company Secretary, she manages all the administrative support for the architectural team.

    She is involved in producing complex evidence for public inquiries, collateral warranties and party wall awards.

  • Liz lives with her Maltese partner, Joe, in Mitcham and spends her spare time dancing Salsa and travelling to and from their holiday home in Malta.

• Tim Lane

  • Tim Lane was born in Bristol in 1977. He grew up near Portsmouth before moving to London in 1997 to obtain a BSc in Architecture at The Bartlett, University College London.

    He joined Brookes Architects in 2000 as a year out student and remained at the practice part-time whist he studied for a Masters Degree at the Royal College of Art.

  • In 2004, Tim returned to Brookes Architects full-time, qualifying as an architect in 2010.

    Having run a number of successful projects on site, he was made an associate in 2014, heading up a team dedicated to some of the large production information packages in the practice before becoming a director in early 2017.

  • Tim has spearheaded the adoption of BIM at Brookes Architects, developing in-house systems and processes for managing large scale schemes including Green Park, Reading (467 residential units, a podium car park, community centre and retail units) and Lu2on Gateway (401 residential units and 2,000m² of commercial space).

  • He is an active member of the London Revit User Group (LRUG) and has given presentations in both London and Manchester.

    Tim is married with two children and is passionate about music. He enjoys playing the guitar and drums in what little spare time he has.

     

• Chris Howe

  • Chris Howe was born in Chelmsford. All his efforts at school were focused on craft, design and technology; the workshops were far favoured over the classrooms. Technical drawing skills were established early on as a result of his father’s profession as an engineering draughtsman.  Experience was gained in both hand drawing and the very early inception versions of AutoCAD in the mid 1980s.  

  • Combining these interests led to architecture school at Leeds Polytechnic. After a very instructive placement ‘year out’ in the deep end on building sites, post graduate studies continued at Leeds Metropolitan University as it had by then become. London was then calling as the place to de  velop his professional experience, achieving full qualification in 1997.

    After serving a long and instructive apprenticeship with a sole practitioner, Chris joined Paul Brookes Architects in 2004, becoming a director the following year.

  • With experience across a wide range of projects primarily within the residential sector, from one-off houses to large urban mixed use schemes, Chris has many taken projects from initial concept stage through to final delivery. Every project is bespoke and is approached without preconceptions. He is comfortable working across a broad spectrum of styles from contemporary through to traditional.

  • Together with his three fellow directors, the practice was rebranded as Brookes Architects before they took ownership in 2017.

    Chris has never been far from a practical hands-on approach, fully refurbishing with his wife (also an architect) two of their own homes in Wimbledon. He is currently refurbishing 'Bon Ania', his barge moored on the Thames, for the second time now!

     

Current Work

• Contact Details

  
  Unit 1
  56 Glentham Road
  London
  SW13 9JJ
  

  T: +44 (0) 20 8487 1223

  E: [email protected]

   

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