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 to Build to Rent developments across the UK to an outline masterplan for The Epilepsy Society in Chalfont St Peter.

Cathy also mentors students as part of our apprenticeship programme, she is one of the key team members developing Assael’s work in the later living sector, and she was elected by staff to sit on the Board of Trustees of Assael’s Employee Ownership Trust in 2021, a role she held for a two-year term.

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

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. 

Since joining Assael in 2016, Elin has worked on several large residential schemes across all stages and scales, such as Charter Square for which she ran the design and construction of the marketing suite as well as assisting the team on the planning and construction of the first 260 homes.

Elin has also become accomplished in Build to Rent design, working on the planning, technical design and compliance for Bristol’s Box Makers Yard, and as project architect on the design of 495 homes at Walthamstow Mall.

More recently, Elin worked closely with Aecom to design RightSizer, an innovative demountable construction system that offers maximum flexibility of use and the highest levels of sustainability, and is currently leading on the design of a residentially-led co-location scheme in Willesden.

Elin continues to lead on the design of large residential schemes whilst also playing an integral role in our Giving Something Back team, organising fundraising and volunteering opportunities for staff.

Since joining Assael in 2014, Emma has worked across an array of projects, from heritage-led planning applications at Carriageworks in Bristol and Ham Mill in Stroud, to the technical design and delivery of Millet Place in Newham and Leaside Lock in Bromley-by-Bow. 

Most recently, Emma has been using this experience in BTR and complex sites to lead the design of one of John Lewis’ first residential schemes to come forward.

Emma is also a Certified Passive House Designer and actively promotes the benefits of low-carbon design across the practice. She also embeds herself in all social and sporting activities; she was co-captain of the softball team, part of the netball team, and regularly volunteers for our charity partners. She’s also a salsa dancer, cyclist and marathon-runner, and, when she finds the time, a watercolour sketcher.

Since joining Assael in 2021 and applying both his technical expertise and his design flair to a number of projects, Gareth has quickly progressed to Head of Landscape and now oversees all Assael Exteriors projects.

Qualifying as a Chartered Landscape Architect in 2017, Gareth has over 15 years of experience in landscape design, working across the UK, UAE and Australia and spanning a variety of sectors, including mixed-use, higher education, masterplanning, public realm, and parks and recreation. And in the residential sector – his current specialism – he has delivered multiple projects across all living concepts, including private, affordable, Build to Rent, co-living and later living.

Sustainability, biodiversity, health and wellbeing, and connecting people with nature are integrated components that Gareth embeds within his work, collaborating closely with our architectural teams to deliver high-quality, well-coordinated designs.

The garden is Gareth’s sanctuary, dining out with friends a pastime, and travelling his passion, and you’ll also often find him participating in one of Assael’s social clubs.

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.

Katie joined Assael in 2013 and was promoted to Associate in 2022 after leading key projects and pioneering many charitable, sustainable and sporting initiatives at the practice.

Katie has played a pivotal role in the delivery stages of several projects, including Millet Place, Neasden Lane and Millbrook Park, whilst also working on an array of planning applications over the years, including the revival of Bristol’s Grade II* listed Carriageworks.

As a Certified Passive House Designer, head of our Sustainability Group and a member of the LETI Pioneers Steering Committee, Katie is passionate about engaging staff and the built environment in the wider issues of sustainable living.

She is also an integral member and former chair of Assael’s Giving Something Back Committee, she founded and captained our netball team, and is part of our run, cycle and tag rugby clubs.

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.

Since joining Assael in 2017 as an experienced architect, Morris has led on the technical design and delivery of many key projects, including the multi-phase residential development at Charter Square, the pioneering co-living development at Sunday Mills, and the overstation development at Nine Elms.

Morris now heads up the Assael technical team and oversees the successful technical delivery of all projects across the practice. He strives to foster a greater culture of technical excellence across all levels alongside developing Assael’s technical standards to continually improve service delivery and risk management processes. 

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.

Rob joined Assael in 2015 with experience working on private bespoke new builds, extensions and developments in Cambridge.

Since joining the team, Rob qualified as an architect in 2017 and has worked on a range of large-scale developments at planning, detail design and construction stages, leading to his promotion to Associate in 2022.

Rob assisted on the implementation of our award-winning 21 Young Street in Kensington, was project architect on the delivery of 101 on Cleveland, and co-led the technical design of Millbrook Park in Barnet. He is now using this experience to run the complex technical design and delivery of 479 Build to Rent homes located above the new operational Nine Elms underground station.

Away from his projects, Rob is a keen sportsman and often represents Assael at industry-led triathlons and football tournaments.

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.

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.

Oliver joined Assael in 2023 with extensive experience in the development of BIM and adoption of new technology in the AEC sector. He has a strong understanding of the implications of applying the BIM process to architectural projects, from appointment challenges and team mobilisation to information production and project deliverables.
 
Oliver now leads on Assael’s strategic adoption and practical implementation of BIM according to the ISO 19650 series, providing advice and guidance to assist the teams with the delivery of their projects in BIM and Revit. With support from Assael’s BIM team, he manages library content, documentation, templates, standards, procedures and workflows.
 
Away from the digital world, Oliver can often be found getting his hands dirty, from messing around with old cars, to gardening or lending a hand on renovation projects.

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.

She was promoted to Quality Manager in 2014, which has seen her managing our ISO standards, management meetings, sustainability group activities, and all things related to our processes and procedures. She led the practice in achieving ISO14001 in 2016 and is now leading on the BCorp certification process.

Whilst continuing to manage the company’s integrated management system, Rebecca is now our Practice Manager. She looks after a number of areas, including recruitment, the administration team, coordinating marketing events and our international offices in Bahrain, and she is also PA to both co-founders, John Assael and Russell Pedley.

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 in 2021. In the same year, Will was elected by staff to sit on the Board of Trustees of Assael’s Employee Ownership Trust, a position he held for a two-year term. 

Will’s key projects include leading the implementation of Oakley Gardens in Barnet and Hortensia Road in Chelsea, the amenity and penthouse fit-outs at 101 on Cleveland in Westminster, and the compliance monitoring of our award-winning 21 Young Street in Kensington. Will’s projects have since stepped up in scale and he is now project lead for the implementation of two large Build to Rent schemes: 460 homes at Southall Sidings in Ealing for Connected Living London, and 350 homes at Pier Road in Newham for Populo Living.

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.

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 – Sunday Mills in Earlsfield and Florence Road in Battersea, as well as a large co-location project in Waltham Forest. 

Alongside his role as Associate Director, Ed was elected to sit on the Board of Trustees of Assael’s Employee Ownership Trust between 2018 and 2021.

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…

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.

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.

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.

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

He 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 and construction of Blackhorse Mills and Box Makers Yard.

Using this experience in Build to Rent, Anton now oversees Assael Interiors, working with a range of clients, including Grainger, Heimstaden, Pension Insurance Corporation, Platform_ and Redevco, on schemes across the country.

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 regularly hosts charity art auctions at Assael.

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, Sheffield and Westminster, as well as the University of Nottingham, who awarded him the title of Honorary Professor in 2023. 

Alongside being a Fellow of the RIBA, John was formerly a nationally-elected member of the RIBA Council and their Honorary Treasurer, and a nationally-elected member of the ARB for four years. He was also a Trustee of the Architects’ Benevolent Society from 2004 – 2021, and is currently 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 was formerly Chair of the Urban Land Institute’s UK Residential Council, he 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 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, social value, and post occupancy evaluation. 

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, she sits on the Croydon Design Review Panel, is an elected member of the RIBA Council London, 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.

Tim’s tenacity and commitment to creating high-quality, lasting and inventive buildings is clear in his portfolio of work, and since joining Assael in 2007, he has been responsible for the design of many high-profile projects in London, including the redevelopment of the iconic Riverside Studios in Hammersmith and 101 on Cleveland in Westminster.

Alongside working across all living concepts, Tim is currently leading on Assael’s development in the co-living sector, having contributed to the publication of The European Co-living Best Practice Guide in 2022 and directed the design on three key projects, including Sunday Mills, which completed in 2022 as one of the UK’s first purpose-built co-living schemes.

Alongside design, Tim enjoys skiing, football, cooking and spending time with his family. His favourite member of the family is his dog, Morris, but don’t tell his wife and kids.

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.