Providing best in class architectural, design, and construction services across the prime residential markets of London’s central boroughs, RJHArchitecture have built a formidable reputation by designing truly luxurious spaces for high-net-worth clients. As 2019’s Architect of the Year, we lift the curtain on the firm and its founder, Richard Hastings, to learn more about their unparalleled success.
Operating across Kensington, Chelsea, Westminster City Council and further abroad into Europe and the Middle-East, RJHArchitecture creates outstanding properties for their clients. Working with CEOs, CFOs, entrepreneurs, and high-net worth families, each property is completely unique and incorporates the very best in design and implementation, all whilst ensuring that each space is tailored to the clients’ preferences and parameters.
Based in Central London, RJHArchitecture undertake all manner of projects, ranging from listed buildings, to conservation areas, and exceptional mansion blocks. By virtue of the clientele that the firm work with, the team are well-equipped with the knowledge and expertise to handle a wide variety of complexities and necessities. Drawing on their extensive knowledge, the company can assist their clients in navigating the many obstacles that get in the way of undertaking and executing any building and construction works smoothly.
With knowledge of all manner of property types, the experience of RJHArchitecture extends to work such as apartment renovations, amalgamations, part and full demolition, double-basement formation, and new-build projects. More than just designing or working on buildings, the firm can also work with modern comforts, such as air conditioning, sustainable technologies, passenger lifts, intelligent home systems, and wellness spaces including saunas, steam-rooms, and swimming facilities.
Despite being a young team, staff are incredibly close-knit with weekly workflow meetings and unified long-term goals. The firm as a whole is actively seeking to develop and expand its skillsets, explored further with every project undertaken. As a result, RJHArchitecture now offer in-house lighting design, joinery design, manufacturing drawing production, interior-architectural design, procurement devices, construction management and project management services.
The firm’s work in the high-end residential sector is focused on delivering the perfect
home for the intended user in every possible aspect. For RJHArchitecture, that means absolutely none of the projects are ever the same, which is incredibly rewarding for both the firm and the client. Whilst there are certainly trends and fashions that some clients may be interested in, the firm adapt and seek to incorporate those trends into their schemes in unique ways.
Instead of simply delivering on those fashions and trends in similar ways across every project, the firm allow the client to lead the project with their unique preferences within those trends. That way, each space that is designed and created becomes a bespoke, tailored reflection of the clients personality, totally different from anything else without being reliant on certain fashion trends.
Regardless of scale, every project that RJHArchitecture undertake is utterly clientcentric. The core mission of the firm is to ensure that the properties they deliver to clients are absolutely tailored and perfectly aligned with personal preferences and necessary requirements. In order to ensure this level of excruciating detail is achieved every single time, the firm take the time to explore multiple platforms of information presentation including 2D, 3D, visual, digital, physical and verbal presentations.
Each and every client is totally unique, and as such, so should their space be. Testing various means of presentation and communication from the early stages of any project can help ensure that the RJHArchitecture’s production is tailored exactly to the clients idea of what their space should look like. Complete clarity, understanding and assurance from both sides is gained at proposal level before work commences, and is vitally important for the outcome of a project.
As clients are often incredibly busy with their business work and have extremely limited time, RJHArchitecture utilise several platforms for live-site reporting, sharing of documentation, and ongoing drawings on how a space will look. The firm also use group messaging applications, enabling all members of the design team to communicate clearly with the clients in discussing minor project topics in one, single efficient place. All in all, a seamless client experience remains fundamental to the firm’s ongoing success.
But they are more than just a design team and all members of RJHArchitecture’s team work collaboratively across a myriad of projects. Extremely honest with one another, every member of staff encourages team efforts on complex projects to ensure all parties benefit from one another’s expertise. Having worked alongside many of the UK’s best consultants, the firm’s skills and abilities have been amplified. Since their humble beginnings, their level of understanding regarding design, technical, construction, and contractual processes has increased exponentially.
Trialling advanced new technologies for potential business improvements remains an ongoing element in RJHArchitecture’s growth. Indeed, one of the most important technological advancements made within the office over the last two years is the inclusion of an in-office 3D printer, enabling the production of scaled 3D models. Elsewhere, in terms of software, the company often explore office management, computer-aided design management, team workflow apps, software and systems that are integral to the smooth running of the office.
Looking to the future, the firm have an exciting slate of projects lined up. Currently working on a large amalgamation project in Beirut, RJHArchitecture have also had a large residential enquiry in Sydney, and teamed up with one of the largest interior design firms in Europe on an extraordinary lateral conversion scheme in Central London. If the next twelve months are anything like the last twelve months, it will be a hugely exciting time for the business.
Ultimately, the success of RJHArchitecture as LUXlife’s 2019 Architect of the Year is best exemplified in their continued flourishment where other firms have struggled with uncertainty. Providing best-in-class client service, and devotion to the intricacies of each unique project, the firm are set to be an exciting business for many years to come.
Company: RJHArchitecture
Name: Richard James Hastings
