Build Magazine December 2015

Build Magazine 59 Please tell us what your business does. Ernest Tsui Architects and Partners Ltd is an RIBA Chartered practice. And, thanks to the re- cent Build Award, we are doing what we always set out to do, make award winning, cost effec- tive, High End residential architecture. We as- pire to give the client beautiful bespoke homes that truly meet their current and future needs. This applies to, both, a family or a developer looking for a creative solution, that makes the most of their property and investment. We do this through a rigorous and tailored design process. We take a project from the initial brief to the, well crafted, finished scheme. Who are your main clients? Our clients come in a broad range of catego- ries, which is exciting for our workload and portfolio. But typically it is a family looking to expand, reorganise and reprogram their exist- ing environment. This allows for a better use of spaces as the families either grow or when extended family move in. And also it is the overseas investor. They are similar to a family, as they are usually a group of likeminded peo- ple, looking to make the most of the vibrant UK property market. They look for high end, often cutting edge solutions to create the most desirable environments to sell or let. Our Client base allows for a rewarding design process for the team. Each one lets us use our many talents to realise client aspirations. What makes your firm stand out from your competitiors? Our team. We are international. The core team have a diverse set of cultural backgrounds to draw on and we also are able to resource using our talented pool of collaborators in other countries. We can do this as technology essentially has no boundaries. In our studio based team, we also have experience that ranges from residential, transport and infra- structure architecture, shored up with interior and automotive design. These many facets within our studio’s culture, plus close collabo- ration with clients, consultants and contractors always creates uniquely brilliant, cost effective, solutions to any brief. What’s the biggest challenge facing you at present? Having to say no to some projects at the mo- ment. No business ever wants to do that. The demand for our specific way of working and skill set means learning to say no is a chal- lenge. To achieve the highest quality design you need to resource the best team. Our team is strong. And we endeavour to give the client nothing less than the best. So now we are discussing how to develop and expand the team. So, adding more talented collaborators, with both exemplary and complementary skills. And this should remove that particular challenge. What’s the overall aim for your business? To build upon the highly regarded repu- tation we have already established and bring the rewards of our experience to the client, first and foremost. Tell us about your firm’s biggest challenge. A challenge that faces all architecture firms. What is the value of architecture? Especially poignant on days where the bureaucracy is not going the clients way. We are not only designers, but have to be adept at the politics and the negotiations needed to get things built. ‘Every day is a school day’ and it is like taking another step toward a doctorate. A key skill is to have a team who learn adapt and therefore flourish in their role of creating the finest architecture that the constraints will allow. What individual working in your industry and beyond do you admire the most and why? Architect Bjarke Ingels of BIG fame. He and his team are phenomenal right now and make waves almost literally. He is, by age alone, one of our contemporaries but is creating a legacy worthy of some of the architectural heroes of the last generation. His firm has made an impact through Architecture whether it be built, in print, through cultural resonance or by reputa- tion. This is the strongest way to show the public the value of what we do. It is both inspiring and aspirational! Beyond our industry it has to be Paul Smith, a fabulous designer who epito- mises that design is a lifestyle not just a job. His twitter and Instagram are always a source of inspiration as the images are filtered through the eyes of a consum- mate designer. Name: Ernest Tsui + Immanuel Gaskin Company: Ernest Tsui Architects + Partners Ltd Email: [email protected] Web: www.ernesttsui-architects.co.uk Address: 25 Maidenshaw Road, Epsom, Surrey. KT19 8HE Telephone: +44 7957 650 451 60 Seconds