Habitis: Design delivered better
Drawing on more than 30 years of residential design and delivery expertise at Assael Architecture, Habitis provides Executive Architect, Principal Designer and technical advisory services that help clients deliver complex residential developments with confidence.
Habitis works with developers and contractors to take consented residential schemes, designed by other architectural practices, through technical design, regulatory gateways and into construction.
Bridging the gap between design vision and project delivery, Habitis combines the Assael group’s technical excellence and compliance leadership with a dedicated, delivery-focused approach to transform approved planning designs into successful built outcomes.
Evolving regulatory requirements, complex technical interfaces and increasing scrutiny of building safety create significant challenges for residential development. Acting as Lead Designer, Habitis coordinates the technical design process, bringing together the project team, managing design interfaces and helping clients balance buildability, quality, programme and cost.
The Building Safety Act and the higher-risk building regime have increased the importance of demonstrable competence, robust design management and clear evidence of compliance. As Principal Designer under both the Building Regulations and CDM Regulations, Habitis supports clients in meeting their statutory obligations, coordinating compliance activities and progressing projects through technical design, Building Safety Regulator (BSR) Gateway approvals and construction.
Services we offer and the value we add:
Executive Architect & Lead Designer –Technical design leadership that protects architectural intent while resolving buildability challenges and coordinating design information for construction.
Principal Designer: Building Regulations and CDM – Proactive compliance coordination and design risk management to support clients in meeting their statutory duties and navigating regulatory requirements.
Technical and compliance audits – Early identification of technical gaps, compliance issues and delivery risks, helping clients make informed decisions and address challenges before they affect the project.
Peer review – Independent scrutiny of design proposals to identify opportunities to improve technical quality, buildability and commercial efficiency.
Construction strategy and offsite manufacture – Practical advice on construction methodologies, Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) and Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) to identify opportunities for efficiency, quality and programme improvement.
Technical coordination and information management – Clear, coordinated design information and effective management of interfaces to support informed decisions, reduce delivery risk and improve confidence in project delivery.
Experienced leadership, backed by delivery expertise
Led by Assael Directors Alex Johnson and Allan Stringer, Habitis brings together a team of experienced architects and technologists with a strong track record of delivering residential projects at Assael.
Combining senior leadership with practical, hands-on project experience, the team draws on its understanding of design, technical coordination and construction to translate design intent into coordinated, compliant and buildable solutions. This expertise helps clients navigate the technical, regulatory and commercial challenges of residential development with confidence.
To discuss how Habitis could support your next project, please get in with Alex Johnson, alexjohnson@assael.co.uk