The Insider Magazine.
29th April 2022
The Insider Magazine talks to our Director Joanna Simpson on founding a multidisciplinary design house with the aim of creating better space through architecture, interiors, furniture and product design.
What first attracted you to this career? ‘Growing up my family were always doing a new renovation as my parents bought the next project, so I had lived in six houses by the time I was 14 and I loved it.’
You work across both residential and commercial projects – which do you prefer? ‘I love doing both because it keeps everything fresh and allows us to look at both commercial and residential from another lens.’
I understand you like to work with British natural materials including timber, marble and hides – can you explain the appeal? ‘There is a huge wealth of extraordinary world class materials and manufactures in the UK and I don’t think these are utilised or celebrated enough in the built environment. The leather we use, for example, is used in Aston Martin Cars and our wool in used by Chanel. I love the opportunity to build with local and natural materials, it’s one of the best parts of my job, rooting a building in its location and heritage and celebrating local craft and excellence.’