About us

Since joining Assael in 2016, Cathy has been leading projects at feasibility and planning stage ranging from a commercial building on a prominent site in the City of London and a residential development in Ealing, to a large masterplan in central Moscow.

With her dedication to designing contextual, holistic and sustainable buildings, Cathy founded our Sustainability Group and successfully achieved ISO14001 certification in 2016. She is also one of the key team members developing Assael’s progression into the design of homes for ‘later living’ whilst promoting housing design quality and innovation.

Away from the office, Cathy is a keen runner and has raised over £6,000 for various charities by running four marathons, 12 half marathons, nine 10ks, and 116 5ks.

Gareth joined Assael in 2021 after seven years at Broadway Malyan where he gained a wealth of knowledge across a wide variety of sectors, including mixed-use, residential, higher education, and parks and recreation. Fortunate to travel with work, his portfolio also includes projects across the UK, UAE and Australia.

Health and wellbeing, sustainability and connecting people with nature are all vital components of design that Gareth seeks to intwine within his projects; he is currently leading on the design stages of several large later living, Build to Rent and affordable housing schemes, and on the implementation of 101 on Cleveland in Westminster and the 500-home Leaside Lock in Bromley-by-Bow.

You’ll often find Gareth participating in one of Assael’s social clubs when he’s not gardening, dining out with friends or staying active through swimming, cycling and running.

After graduating with a degree in French and International Relations, Hannah joined Assael in 2014 to support our teams in preparing design reports, planning submissions and, using her creative skills, artist’s impressions for their projects.

Hannah became our Research and Business Development Manager in 2018. She now compiles submissions for bids and competitions and conducts research into new business sectors and services, including Later Living and off-site construction.

Hannah is also covering chair of our Giving Something Back committee, organising fundraising events for charity. Most significantly, she is responsible for leading Assael’s partnership with Regenerate RISE, a local charity in Putney, including managing a group of our illustrators to produce the first ‘Assael Illustrated Cookbook’ which raised over £1,000. 

Following six years at Allies and Morrison, Holly joined Assael in 2017, leading on several projects, including the redevelopment of the Homebase site in Richmond and a co-living scheme in Kingston.

Aside from practice achievements, Holly was part of a team shortlisted for a new artist studio at the Hauser and Wirth gallery in Somerset, and was longlisted for the RIBA Re:think 2025 competition, exploring the possibilities of neighbourhood streets as extensions of public realm. Holly also sits on the Wandsworth and Richmond Design Review Panels, is involved with student reviews at the University of Sheffield, and was elected by staff to sit on the Assael Board of Trustees between 2018 and 2021.

Outside of work, Holly is a proud advocate for her country roots and enjoys running and cycling in the Great British Countryside. She is also a firm believer that a strong cup of Yorkshire Tea is the solution to most of life’s challenges!

Since joining Assael in early 2011, James has worked on a number of projects with some of the UK’s largest developers, including Barratt London, London Square and Legal & General.

James’ expertise focuses on high-density residential developments, including Build to Rent, urban regeneration and sustainable architecture. Most significantly, James designed and delivered 11 Code 6 townhouses at our Renaissance development in Lewisham, some of the first homes to achieve this level of sustainability in the UK. He thrives on working collaboratively to achieve a shared goal, liaising with stakeholders, local authorities and other consultants.

Outside of architecture, James is an avid sportsman, most notably playing Ultimate Frisbee, captaining and coaching a top European team and representing Great Britain between 2012 and 2014.

Since joining Assael in 2017, Morris has led on the technical design and delivery of key projects, including the multi-phase residential development at Charter Square in Staines-upon-Thames and the 315-room co-living development at Garratt Mills in Wandsworth.

He joined Assael with an array of experience, having previously worked at Patel Taylor as project architect on the 600-home masterplan at TwelveTrees Park, and at EPR Architects on a range of projects, including the Grade II* listed Ram Brewery in Wandsworth.

In his formative years, Morris also worked under the renowned architect Kisho Kurokawa in Tokyo, gaining valuable international experience and understanding of the symbiosis of traditional and modern architecture. 

Raised in the coastal region of southwest Scotland, Morris is an avid adventurer. He spends his spare time kayaking, hiking and wild camping with his son and daughter, occasionally managing to persuade his wife to partake.

Per Anton joined Assael in 2016 with a diverse range of experience, from high-end residential to schools and facilities for Battersea Dogs and Cats Home. 

Per Anton has played a key role in some of Assael’s major developments, including the detailed design for Union Wharf, Chiswick High Road and Chatfield Road, and the design, development and construction of Blackhorse Mills and Box Makers Yard, both for Legal & General. He undertakes technical design reviews practice-wide to share this wealth of knowledge.

As a former classical ballet dancer, Per Anton has a keen eye for clean lines and form, something that influences his other creative passions: oil painting and photography. He’s often seen in his studio painting away, and recently held an auction at Assael, raising money for Art in African schools.

Having worked at both a leading architectural practice and at a development company, Phil joined Assael at the start of 2018 with an array of experience.

At Assael, Phil led the delivery of the first phase of Charter Square in Staines-upon-Thames and worked with one of the largest contractors in the Middle East on the development of two MMC housing products. Most significantly, Phil has been leading the delivery of Leaside Lock in Bromley-by-Bow for The Guinness Partnership.

Phil previously worked as an architectural assistant at Allies and Morrison on a range of projects at concept design stages through to construction, and at Spink Property as architect-developer, working on the design and delivery of high-end homes.

Away from project work, Phil is a regular mentor as part of the RIBA programme, spends his weekends refurbishing his own homes, and, growing up in the Lake District, is a keen cyclist and hiker.

Adam joined Assael in 2016 after working at practices in both London and Manchester. He is accomplished in leading a wide array of projects, from small-scale residential developments and extensions, to the refurbishment of a listed arts club building.

Since joining Assael, Adam has worked on a variety of residential-led projects, including the design and planning application for Lewisham Retail Park, the detailed design for Phase 1 of Charter Square in Staines-upon-Thames, and the design of Imperial Phase One in Bromley-by-Bow. Adam is now leading the team on three large projects; the Build to Rent development over the new Nine Elms Station, Vulcan Wharf in Newham- a co-location project of light industrial and residential, and the mixed-use Stone Foundries project in Greenwich.  

Aside from his passion for reinforced concrete, Adam is a keen photographer, illustrator and artist. He often exhibits his paintings, including contributing to Article 25’s 10×10 auction in 2017.

After graduating with a degree in Business Management with Accounting and Finance, Lucy joined Assael in 2016 and, after four years at the practice, was promoted to Accounts Manager in 2020.  

Lucy works with the Commercial Director and Commercial Manager to support the day-to-day running of the company accounts, financial reporting and fee appointments. 

Lucy is a true advocate for Assael’s culture, getting involved in our social, sporting and volunteering activities, including being a member of the cycle club and regularly volunteering with Fulham Good Neighbours to help the elderly in our local area. She is also Treasurer of our Giving Something Back committee, managing the budget and organising events associated with our charitable activities, with the aim to enrich the local community and help others less fortunate than ourselves.

After working with Assael as a consultant for over a year, John officially joined Assael as Head of BIM in 2020. John now leads the strategic adoption and practical implementation of BIM according to the ISO 19650-series across the practice.

John provides cross-industry advice and guidance to assist Assael with the delivery of projects to the BIM ISO 19650 standards. He has created BIM library content, documentation, templates, standards, procedures and workflows for Assael, and he has also trained, supported and assisted the teams in delivering projects in Revit, including 137 homes at Chiswick High Road and our co-living project at Chatfield Road in Battersea.

John has a passion for problem-solving, teaching and helping others, and loves supporting charities and those in need. John also enjoys nature, fitness and exercise, technology and helicopter flying.

Julie joined Assael in 2019 with HR experience spanning many different industries, including luxury fashion at Harvey Nichols and engineering at BMT, before moving into and focusing on the built environment. As well as working for architectural practices, Julie led a project during her MSc in International Human Resource Management that looked at Women in Architecture, and she contributed to a forum promoting more Women on Boards across the built environment.

Julie’s interests align perfectly with Assael’s culture. She is passionate about developing people, enjoys coaching individuals to help them achieve their work/life goals, and she continues to mentor students from Kingston University and London College of Fashion. Julie’s also a keen runner, yogi and rower, and she’s often ‘giving something back’ by fundraising for Winston’s Wish charity.

Olivia graduated from the University of Reading with a BA Honours degree in Film and Theatre Studies in 2009 and spent a year working as a Project Manager for Opera Holland Park before joining Assael in 2010.

Alongside her role as PA to Chairman John Assael, Olivia is our Practice Manager, looking after recruitment, the administration team, marketing and memberships. As a meticulous organiser and party planner, Olivia also manages all business entertainment and events, from our cocktail parties, sailing days and wine tasting evenings to MIPIM, property dinners and conferences. She organises all staff socials and events at Assael too, including the annual summer and Christmas parties.

After graduating from the University of Leeds with a BA Honours degree in History of Art and Sociology, Rebecca joined Assael as Team Administrator in 2011.

Rebecca was shortly promoted to PA to Director and worked on numerous feasibility projects and planning submissions before becoming the practice’s Quality Manager in 2014. As Quality Manager, she coordinates our Management Information System, ISO standards and management meetings. Rebecca also led the practice in achieving ISO14001 certification in 2016 and now organises our annual Assael Green Week – a variety of activities, CPDs and interactive sessions to showcase and build upon our commitment to sustainability, health and wellbeing.

Rebecca also coordinates our international marketing events and activities, as well as managing our overseas office in Bahrain.

Stephen joined Assael as an Associate in 2021 with considerable experience across varying sectors, including residential, education, leisure and defence, having worked on a wide range of projects and across all RIBA stages.

At Assael, Stephen is leading on the design development of a large mixed-use co-location scheme comprising light industrial and residential use, the production of a Build to Rent design guide for a large portfolio of sites across the UK, alongside a number of feasibility studies for a range of clients.

Stephen previously worked at Weston Williamson + Partners where he gained significant experience in the delivery of schemes using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC), in particular the use of volumetric modular systems.

Away from project work, Stephen is a regular mentor as part of Assael’s Part III study programme and spends his free time running, sketching and cooking.

Since joining Assael in 2013, Will has led and worked on several complex projects, resulting in his promotion to Associate and being elected by staff to sit on the Board of Trustees of Assael’s Employee Ownership Trust in 2021. 

Will’s key projects include leading on the compliance monitoring of our award-winning 21 Young Street in Kensington, the construction of Church Walk House on a sensitive site at in Barnet, and the implementation of 101 on Cleveland in Westminster. He also has a portfolio of projects at concept design and planning stages in London, Manama and Sydney. 

During his diploma, Will volunteered in the student-led design and construction of a nursery in South Africa. These days, Will is often found participating in any competitive event hosted by Assael, from tag rugby to pool and chess tournaments.

Since joining Assael in 2011, Alex has led the team on many projects, including the implementation of Rainsborough Square in Fulham and the planning and detail design of Union Wharf in Greenwich.

Union Wharf, which has adopted a volumetric construction, is a renowned precedent in the Build to Rent (BtR) sector, and Alex has continued to grow his knowledge in both DfMA and BtR on Blackhorse Mills in Walthamstow and Avon Street in Bristol, both for Legal & General.

Alex has since authored Assael’s first ‘modular design guide’ and his strong technical ability sees him advise all staff on construction methods, with a growing expertise in pre-manufactured solutions.

Away from work, Alex spends time denying accusations of being a plane spotter. His hobbies include travel, golf, watersports and….plane spotting.

Allan joined Assael as an architectural assistant in 2011 and qualified as an architect the following year. Since being with the practice, Allan has been instrumental in numerous projects, ranging from large scale urban residential masterplanning and Build to Rent in London and Manchester, to the conversion of a Grade I listed building set within landscaped gardens in Cheshire. Allan’s professional achievements at Assael resulted in his promotion to Associate Director in 2019.

Allan is accomplished in leading projects from the feasibility stage through to planning, tender and construction, and has played a key role in the development and delivery of the practice’s design and BIM Level 2 standards.

Out of the office, Allan is a long-distance runner, competing in marathons and setting his own personal goal of running 1,000 miles in a calendar year.

Ed joined Assael in 2012 whilst studying for his Masters in International Architectural Regeneration and Development.

He has played a pivotal role in many of our high-profile projects including the implementation of Rainsborough Square, the revival of the Grade II listed Ham Mill, the 2,000-home Margarine Works in Ealing and a mixed-use development in Abbey Wood.

More recently, Ed has been leading on two of our key co-living developments in Wandsworth – Garratt Mills in Earlsfield and Chatfield Road in Battersea, both for The Collective, as well as a large co-location project in Waltham Forest. 

Alongside his role as Associate Director, Ed is one of the Trustees of our Employee Ownership Trust, having been elected by staff in 2019.

Outside of the office, Ed is often found running around frantically after footballs, cricket balls and tennis balls, He’s also our golf captain and endeavours to organise events for clients and staff, although his competitiveness has made it difficult to find willing participants…

Having joined in 2000, Rob is currently the fourth longest serving employee at Assael.

Rob heads up Assael Visuals and manages a team of three visual artists who work closely with and support the architectural teams through the design development process. This includes producing images and animations for pre-applications, public consultations and design and access statements, as well as sophisticated marketing material for clients’ upcoming developments.

Rob is also a skilled photographer and is often out on site capturing Assael’s work from early stages of construction through to completion.

Outside of Assael’s virtual world, Rob enjoys walking in the countryside with his wife, two young daughters and his dog, George. He also has a love/hate relationship with his garden.

Emily is passionate about design and heads up the internal design review process at Assael.

She is dedicated to creating thoughtful and contextual schemes that are ‘of their place’, and is experienced in leading the team on the renewal of difficult and constrained sites, often involving heritage buildings, such as Carriageworks in Bristol and Ham Mill in Stroud. Emily has also been pivotal in many of Assael’s urban design and masterplanning projects, including Dreamland in Margate, Margarine Works in Ealing, and Millbrook Park in Barnet.

Emily is a keen artist and illustrator and loves incorporating hand drawings into her architectural work. Over the past few years, she has also raised over £2,000 for charity Article 25 by getting involved in their 10×10 Drawing the City art auction.

Since joining the team in 2010, John has played a pivotal role in gaining planning consent for many of Assael’s key projects, including the revival of Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, Cleveland Street in Westminster, the Royal Academy of Dance in Battersea, and Boston Road in Ealing. He was also project architect for the implementation of the Tower at Great West Quarter in Brentford.

He is now leading a large team on the design of a new, contemporary commercial building in the City of London, and a residentially-led mixed-use development in Richmond.

Alongside his project work, John is part of the team developing strategies to improve the later living sector in the UK. He is also a founding member of Assael’s cycle club and of the practice band, Tender Package. The band competes annually in the industry’s Construction Rocks to raise money for Land Aid, winning Best Performance in 2016 and 2017.

Stephen joined Assael with a wealth of experience across a range of sectors and tenures. He has since played a key role in some of Assael’s major developments, including North Wharf Gardens in Paddington and the revival of Riverside Studios in Hammersmith.

After leading the team on the delivery of our award-winning 21 Young Street in Kensington, Stephen’s proficiency led to his promotion to Associate Director in 2018. He is now leading a large team on the implementation of many of our projects, including Cleveland Street in Westminster and Imperial Two in Bromley-by-Bow.

As well as delivering projects to the highest standard, Stephen’s greatest satisfaction comes from guiding younger architects, ensuring they become well-rounded professionals with a creative approach to design and meticulous attention to detail.

John is an architect with over thirty years of experience running his own award-winning practice.

He is recognised as one of the industry’s top employers, being passionate about the profession and looking after the next generation of architects, and was appointed Fellow of the RIBA in 2019 for his contribution to the profession. John has also been a judge for the RIBA Regional Awards, WhatHouse? Awards, WAN Awards and British Homes Awards and continues to search for and reward examples of great design year after year.

In the educational sphere, John is a Visiting Fellow at Oxford Brookes University, who awarded him Honorary Doctor of Design in 2017, and is President of their alumni association, The Doric Club. He is also an external examiner at The Bartlett and London Metropolitan Universities and lectures at many architectural schools across the country including Cardiff, Nottingham and Westminster.

John is a Fellow of the RIBA, and formerly a nationally-elected member of the RIBA Council and their Honorary Treasurer. He is also a Trustee of the Architects’ Benevolent Society and the Master of Students at The Worshipful Company of Chartered Architects.

With over 30 years as an Architect and 15 years in urban design, Russell co-founded the practice with John Assael. He has a strong passion for creating a sense of place, and continues to direct design on many of Assael’s projects. 

Russell spent many years spearheading Assael’s skills in the design of professionally-managed Build to Rent communities in the private rented sector, including extensive research in the US and producing design guides for the UK. Most significantly, he co-authored both editions of the Urban Land Institute’s Build to Rent: A Best Practice Guide, which was sponsored by the British Government.

Russell is Chair of the Urban Land Institute’s UK Residential Council, advises on MHCLG’s Build to Rent Joint Committee, and is a member of the Urban Design Group and the Architecture Foundation.

Russell also oversees Assael’s international work and is often travelling to Bahrain, Russia and beyond, when he’s not sailing –  with 20 years of experience on the water since gaining his RYA Yachtmaster Offshore License.

Pete’s particular interest lies in designing complex mixed-use schemes in urban areas, transforming listed buildings or those in conservation areas with sensitive but ambitious interventions. He has led the design and delivery of many of our award-winning projects, including the renewal of Macaulay Walk, Ham Mill and Bristol’s Carriageworks.

Pete is currently furthering our existing commercial portfolio by embracing new ways of working. His projects at Battersea Park Road, Bromley-by-Bow and Creechurch Lane all include the provision of innovative models for creative, flexible and affordable workspace.

Since joining Assael, Pete has got married, had two children, travelled to every continent around the globe and designed, converted and built three houses… however Nottingham Forest are still in the Championship! Fifteen years later, he remains enthusiastic about designing and creating inspirational places.

Félicie is an experienced architect with both French and British qualifications. She specialises in residential-led urban regeneration and has been instrumental in the design of many of Assael’s key projects since joining in 2000. Alongside being one of our Build to Rent experts, Félicie is currently leading on several research initiatives including ‘later living’ design and the development of Assael Exteriors, our urban design and landscape division.

Félicie, as a recognised professional, participates in many industry-wide and governmental panels; she was personally invited to join Lord Heseltine’s National Estate Regeneration team and is a regular speaker at design and construction events throughout the UK and abroad.

Aside from work, Félicie pursues her artistic endeavours, drawing and painting regularly for charity as well as attempting to keep her personal sketch diary going.

With a particular specialism in the residential sector, Loren’s focus is on conceptualising and delivering prestigious mixed-use regeneration schemes. Her ambition for designing places that have unique, individual responses to their context has resulted in schemes that are rich in identity yet sensitive to their settings. Over the years, Loren has led a large team on the successful design of numerous high-profile projects, including Young Street in Kensington, Leaside Lock in Bromley-by-Bow, and two key projects for Connected Living London – Southall Sidings in Ealing and Nine Elms Overstation development in Lambeth.

Loren is the director heading up the Assael design studio in Sydney. Offering design consultancy for Build to Rent in Australia and New Zealand, Loren has extensive experience designing and delivering in the sector in London and the UK over the last decade. Having recently been appointed to the Property Council of Australia’s 2021-2022 Residential Committee NSW, Loren is well placed to support the industry as they establish this emerging residential asset class. 

Rory joined Assael in 2011 and has a wealth of experience in designing residential and mixed-use architecture for housebuilders, residential developers and institutional investors.

Rory led the implementation of Assael’s Renaissance masterplan in Lewisham, and the design of both Union Wharf, our award-winning modular Build to Rent project in Greenwich for Essential Living, and Blackhorse Mills in Walthamstow for Legal & General.

Rory continues to lead on several Build to Rent projects while heading up Assael’s Sustainability Group and ‘green’ practices. He is also co-leading our research and design strategies for purpose-built developments and communities for later living, particularly those designed specifically for rent. 

Outside the office, Rory likes to relax and keep abreast of current affairs and emerging trends.

Since joining Assael in 2007, Tim has been responsible for the design of many high-profile projects in London, including the redevelopment of the iconic Riverside Studios in Hammersmith, Cleveland Street in Westminster and the Royal Academy of Dance in Battersea.

A decade on, Tim’s tenacity and commitment to creating high-quality, lasting and inventive buildings led to his promotion to Director. He now oversees the design quality of all projects at Assael, as well as directing on the graphic and visualisation output across all divisions. He is also currently co-leading on Assael’s development in the workplace sector and has recently designed a contemporary building in the City in line with changing trends towards co-working and flexibility.

Alongside design, Tim enjoys traveling, football, surfing and Netflix, perhaps a little too much.

Gigi has run our accounts and personnel departments for over twenty years. She first joined Assael as Administration and Human Resources Manager, was then promoted to Company Secretary and then went on to become a member of the Board in 2001.

Gigi is responsible for maintaining statutory records and financial planning, monthly accounts, salaries and reports, ensuring all staff records and practice policies are up to date.

Gigi graduated from the Gothe Institute in 1987 and spent five years working in the design and fashion industry before joining Assael in 1994.

John joined Assael Architecture in 2000 as IT Systems Manager and was promoted to Operations Director in 2017.

After receiving his Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of Warwick, John spent seven years working in the manufacturing industry, designing hydraulic and pneumatic systems.

John now provides strategic direction for business information systems, communications and other areas at the forefront of IT at Assael. He is also responsible for various areas of business operations including facilities management, archiving and business continuity planning.

After many years working with CAD and information systems, John now explores developments and opportunities in BIM and related areas of PropTech.

Hoda has worked with Assael since 2010, building a strong network of clients and opportunities in the Gulf region.

Her experience includes the interior design and delivery of schools, health centres, palaces, villas, offices, hotel suites, the VIP lounge at Bahrain International Airport and many exhibitions within the Gulf states, as well as further afield.

Hoda was the first woman to enter the sphere of engineering at the Gulf Technical College in Bahrain, and the first woman to run for the Bahrain Chamber of Commerce and Industry in 1985. She is Chairman of the Women’s Committee of the Arab African Unity Organisation for Human Rights and Anti-Terrorism and Chairman of Affaq for Advanced Projects Association, honoured by His Majesty the King of Bahrain in 2015.

Tom joined Assael with a range of experience, from small, private residential projects where he worked closely with the end users from conception to completion, to much larger retail and commercial projects, including the design of a flagship store in Central London.

Tom has since become an essential member of the Assael team. He has been heavily involved in, and led, the design and delivery of many of the practice’s buildings, and now focuses on leading a team on planning projects, including a co-living scheme in Harrow, a co-location project in Stratford comprising nearly 100,000 sq ft of light industrial space and 450 homes, and a large 1,200-home masterplan in Watford.

Tom is a keen sportsman; he founded our tag rugby team, plays in the football and softball teams, and takes part in charity fundraising events.

Sarah joined Assael as Front of House Manager in 2011, ensuring the smooth running of the Assael studio, from welcoming guests, to looking after the maintenance of the premises. 

Sarah has an ever-expanding role at Assael and now works alongside our Commercial Director to deal with the day-to-day running of the company accounts, financial reporting and fee appointments. 

Sarah was also previously a member of our Giving Something Back committee, organising Assael’s involvement with Race for Life, Jeans for Genes Day and Christmas Jumper Day, as well as being part of our in-house Sustainability Group.

After completing her degree in architecture, Sarah joined Assael in 2011 to assist the project teams on feasibility documents and planning applications. With an eye for graphic design, Sarah shortly began refining the practice’s templates before branding became her full time role.

She now manages our brand identity, press and communications, website, bids, filming and photography. She works closely with PR consultants, creative agencies and clients, and designs all marketing material in-house, including brochures, exhibitions, award submissions and investor booklets.

Alongside her work in corporate communications, Sarah trains all staff in InDesign, helps the students with their portfolios, and she also curated 70 welcome boxes for staff when we moved offices in 2015, leading to The Sunday Times Innovation in Engagement Award. 

Sarah completed her studies with the Chartered Institute of Marketing in 2019 to further her role in communications and she also co-leads on mental wellbeing initiatives at Assael, including representing the practice as co-founder of the Architects’ Mental Wellbeing Forum and qualifying as a Mental Health First Aider in 2021 to provide support to the Assael team.