Ethan joined in 2025 as a Studio Assistant as part of the creative support team. In this role, he helps with the day-to-day running of the studio and collaborates closely with the operations, project, communications, research, and culture teams.



He graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2019 with a degree in Graphic Communication Design, where his final project explored the relationship between sound, space, and light as tools for communication. Alongside his role at the studio, Ethan works as a part-time graphic designer and has previous experience providing administrative support within the fashion&nbsp;industry.

Ethan Spain

Joshua joined the studio as an architectural assistant in 2025, following the completion of his bachelor’s degree at the University of Toronto.



His undergraduate project labelled &#8216;False Proximities&#8217;, explores the barriers between Toronto&#8217;s Public Housing and the city&#8217;s unique ravine system, highlighting the issues faced by low-income tenants in accessing and enjoying these natural spaces. Through community engagement, didactic models and drawings, his thesis reframes the ravines as a vital public amenity while fostering education, stewardship and community for public housing tenants. The project was awarded the 2024 Peter W. and Linda D. Hamilton Award in Social Housing. 



Joshua has a keen interest in model making and has previously held a role as a workshop assistant at his university. In 2024, he published &#8216;The Sketch, The Model and the Student,&#8217; in Scaffold Journal for the University of Toronto. The article looks at the role of model-making in architectural education and the integral part iterative models plays in his approach to design.

Joshua Helm

Rachel joined the studio in 2025 as a Part II architectural assistant and initially worked on the stage 3 design development for The Selby Centre, part of the wider Selby Urban Village masterplan in North London. Most recently, she has been assisting with the design development stage of a mixed-use housing scheme in Toronto incorporating a large community centre in a key city centre location.



She completed her master’s degree at the Royal College of Art. She completed her undergraduate studies at the Mackintosh School of Architecture and the Royal Drawing School, where she later returned as a tutor.<del>&nbsp;</del>Her final thesis project, Of The Deep and Boundless Blue Sea, reimagined the Finnish seaside town of Hanko through a short film, using interviews with local residents to explore the ecological and social impact of eutrophication in the Baltic Sea. Rachel’s approach to design brings together drawing, film and sound, informed by her background as a musician.

Rachel Fonseca Burtt

Daumantas joined the studio as a part II architectural assistant in 2025, following the completion of his master’s at the Mackintosh School of Architecture



His Diploma thesis, titled “Art Factory”, reimagined the role of studio spaces in the 21st century, exploring adaptive reuse of office towers in Brussels to widen access to the arts. His thesis was exhibited at New Contemporaries at the Royal Scottish Academy (RSA), where he was awarded the Medal for Architecture.



Currently, Daumantas is working on Thamesmead Phase 3 for Peabody. He previously worked for the Lithuanian Practice, Arches.



Outside of his professional practice, Daumantas is also involved in volunteering with The Twentieth Century Society (C20) and has a keen interest in heritage preservation, community engagement and research.

Daumantas Patamsis

After completing her undergraduate studies at the Manchester School of Architecture, Frederika gained experience in both architectural practice and journalism. She worked as an Editorial Assistant at The Architectural Review, contributing to both print and online editions, before returning to practice and completing her RIBA Part II at Westminster University.



Prior to joining Karakusevic Carson Architects, she was a Practice Manager at UPP and has held previous positions at various architectural studios across London.



Her passion for writing and research informs her interest in communications and journalism. Her master’s dissertation focused on the ghost town of Varosha in Cyprus, examining its complex political landscape and potential solutions for its reopening while exploring themes of ruination in post-conflict countries.



Frederika drives the communication programmes that promote our studio work and culture. This encompasses digital and website content, social media, press, awards and photography, as well as hosting our public and cultural programme. For this, Frederika works closely with our design, engagement, research and cultural teams studio-wide to help create and deliver engaging communication strategies that ensure we can speak to the communities with which we work, our clients, and the wider public.

Frederika Fraser

Paul Karakusevic founded Karakusevic Carson Architects to raise the architectural design standards and ambitions for the quality of the UK’s social and public housing.



Over the past 20 + years, he has worked alongside residents and local government to improve the design and delivery of affordable homes and neighbourhoods which reflect the needs of real communities; designing and crafting dwellings that give residents dignity and help to improve quality of life and chances for future generations.



To date, the studio has completed 10 major London Council housing projects. Multi-award winning schemes which have provided exemplary homes and are advancing a new era of Council housing. The practice is currently working on some of the most challenging housing estate projects in the UK for a collection of pioneering local government and council client groups who are at the vanguard of direct delivery and social development.



The focus of the practice has always been focused on working for Local government, City Halls and Local neighbourhood community-led housing charities. At present and uniquely the whole studio is engaged in public work.



Projects have won numerous RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects), UK Housing Design, New London Architecture (NLA) and Civic Trust Awards. The practice has been named ‘Housing Architect of the Year’ several times and its work has been published regularly by leading national and international architectural press alongside features in the Guardian, Observer, the New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal.



He co-authored the book Social Housing – Definitions and Design Exemplars. London, RIBA, 2017 and then co-authored Public Housing Works. London, Lund Humphries, 2022; a book charting the last two decades of public housing design in the UK, told through the studio’s housing and masterplanning projects.



Paul has been invited to speak on housing design and the practice’s work at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), the American Institute of Architects, AIA in New York and Los Angeles, the Australian Institute of Architects in Sydney, The Architecture Foundation at the Barbican, and leading universities, institutions and architecture conferences in the UK, Europe, USA, Canada, and Australia.



Over the past 10 years Paul has leant his experience to advise the Mayor of London, Homes England, numerous London Councils and cities around the world on approaches to the refurbishment and transformation of their public housing estates.

Paul Karakusevic

Abigail is one of the UK’s leading masterplanners. She brings this expertise to the early strategy stages of many of the studio’s masterplanning and complex urban renewal projects. She is currently leading the Selby Urban Village project, a large-scale, mixed-use masterplan in the London Borough of Haringey that includes the delivery of 200 new affordable homes alongside a new civic-focussed leisure and community space. In addition, Abigail is leading designs for the Alexandra Park estate revitalisation in Toronto, Canada.



After studying architecture at Sheffield University, Abigail later gained a second master’s in urbanism and development from the London School of Economics. Her academic research focusses on housing and large-scale urban change, and she has taught on these subjects at the Architectural Association, Royal College of Art and London Metropolitan University.



Abigail has integral involvement in research activities and publications at the studio including ‘Public Housing Works’, and ‘Social Housing: Definitions and Design Exemplars’, which she co-authored with Paul Karakusevic. Building upon the principles established by the 2017 publication, she is currently working on ‘Social Housing – Definitions and Design Exemplars Volume 2’ with Mike Althorpe. Together, they also co-led the RIBA-funded research study ‘Revolutionary Low Rise,’ a project which explores lessons for London’s growth through low-rise high-density case studies in the UK, USA and Europe.

Broadwater Farm Estate

Meridian Water Masterplan

Martlesham & Rochford refurbishment

The Selby Centre

Selby Urban Village

Selby Road

Abigail Batchelor

Caroline focusses on estate renewal and retrofit projects which are developed through integrated community engagement and co-design with local authorities, housing associations and resident organisations. She is currently working on two social and mixed tenure housing projects in London in addition to the design of a social housing block in Catalonia, Spain.



Caroline leads the studios retrofit projects, including the comprehensive, design-led retrofit of a post-war housing estate in London from 2020-2022. This was followed by a series of retrofit studies for a housing association Victorian estate typology, and pilot refurbishment studies of two 1960’s large panel system (LPS) buildings at Broadwater Farm Estate in the London Borough of Haringey. In 2023, she co-authored ‘Retrofit Social Housing’, a publication designed to share practical retrofit experience and advocate for affordable, resilient public housing. She is a qualified PAS2035 Retrofit coordinator and holds Level 3 Award in Energy Efficiency in Traditional and Older Buildings.



Caroline joined the studio in 2012 and became Associate Director in 2022. She was shortlisted for a RIBA Rising Star Award in 2016 for excellence in community housing following her pioneering work with residents on the Bacton Estate in the London Borough of Camden. Recognised for its quality and community focus in social housing, the project won numerous awards including a Civic Trust Award and Building Award. The project was also featured in the Guardian’s ‘Top Ten Buildings of the Year 2016’.

Bacton Estate Masterplan

Cherry Court, Bacton Estate

Commerce Road

Caroline Hull

Joseph joined the studio as a part II architectural assistant in 2024. Since then, he has been working on the masterplan and Phase 1 designs for the Westgate Area of Basildon Town Centre.



Before joining the studio, he previously worked at Owers Warwick Architects in Cambridge on a number of office and life science laboratory projects<ins>.</ins>



Joe completed his undergraduate and master’s degree at the University of Sheffield. His final year joint thesis project ‘Home / Grown Darnall’ proposed a non-extractive, biobased, affordable neighbourhood that looked to further the inter-relationship between food and material growing in Sheffield through a Community Land Trust (CLT) model. This work was nominated for the AJ Student Prize.



Joe is a passionate climate action advocate, being appointed in an inaugural volunteer role as Student Ambassador for the Architects Climate Action Network (ACAN).

Joseph Bass

Daniel has over 10 years’ experience in residential design, with expertise in the design and adaptation of housing typologies to suit particularly complex urban sites and conditions. Since joining the studio in 2013, he has led a number of our largest public-sector estate renewal projects, which he and the team have developed through in-depth resident engagement and co-design. Currently, Daniel is leading the renewal of the Ledbury Estate for the London Borough of Southwark, and a new lakeside community in South Thamesmead, East London.



Previously, Daniel led the renewal of Hereford House and Exeter Court for the London Borough of Brent and played a central design role on the Nightingale Estate, a masterplan to re-work 2ha of vacant land in Hackney to create 400 new homes, a community centre, local retail and public realm improvements.



Daniel joined the practice from Tony Fretton Architects, where he worked on the Historic Royal Palace’s first contemporary public building within the Unesco World Heritage site of the Tower of London. Previous experience working for David Chipperfield Architects includes work on the Turner Contemporary Art Gallery in Margate and the Saint Louis Art Museum in America.

Hereford House and Exeter Court

Nightingale Estate

South Thamesmead Phase 2

Ledbury Estate

Daniel Buckley

Edward leads large-scale and complex public housing projects, guiding schemes from concept through to construction and handover. His technical and regulatory expertise ensures design quality and delivery excellence across all stages of development. Most recently, Edward has been leading delivery stages on all phases of the St Ann’s Hospital site in Haringey, delivering 971 new homes, in addition to the site stages of the 1970s Steyne Estate, which will complete in 2026.



Edward was previously project lead on the RIBA Award-winning Kings Crescent Estate, the first phases of which were completed in 2017. Recognised for his design expertise and knowledge of the borough, he was appointed to Hackney Council’s Regeneration Design Advisory Group (RDAG) in 2019. Edward also led the transformation of three station carparks for Transport for London (TfL) in the London Borough of Harrow into sites for affordable homes – a city-wide strategy which will help to confront the pressing housing shortage in the borough and encourage sustainable travel into London.



Edward oversees the studio’s Design Guardian role, representing local authority clients to ensure design quality and technical compliance during delivery of council housing projects across London.



Edward joined the studio in 2012 and became Associate Director in 2022. He previously worked at Haverstock Associates and studied at the Mackintosh School of Architecture, Glasgow School of Art.

Kings Crescent Estate Masterplan

Kings Crescent Estate Phases 1&2

Kings Crescent Estate Phases 3&4

Great Eastern Buildings

St Ann’s Masterplan

St Ann’s Heritage

Steyne Estate

St Ann’s Phase 1

Barking Riverside

Edward Blackett

Kieran is a part II architectural assistant with experience working on residential, heritage, and education projects. He is currently working on the delivery of the St Ann’s Masterplan in the London Borough of Haringey.



Before joining the studio, Kieran worked on heritage projects at Purcell and education projects at Jestico + Whiles and Walters &amp; Cohen. Kieran has also been closely involved with outreach programmes, and is keen to continue engaging with local communities and the next generation of aspiring designers. &nbsp;He studied at the University of Kent and the London School of Architecture where his final thesis which was explored the creation of resilient communities around the subject of food to craft new pieces of the city.

Kieran Chan

John brings a long and distinguished career in housing design to his role at the studio and maintains an overview across all of our major projects. Working closely with project architects and design teams, he interrogates designs with procedural oversight and technical rigour to reinforce the quality of our work. He has most recently co-led the design of the Somers Orchard estate for Portsmouth City Council.



Applying his comprehensive technical and delivery knowledge, John previously worked on the transport and strategic infrastructure works and early housing sites for the Meridian Water Masterplan. His work on the project encompassed establishing key links between the railway station and the wider first phase, developing and guiding the complex phasing, delivery, and infrastructural requirements for the long-term masterplan. 



John holds a master’s degree in environmental and energy studies and deploys his knowledge and expertise in sustainable and low carbon design across our projects. He joined the studio in 2016 having previously worked across cultural, educational, residential and mixed-use buildings in the UK and internationally.

Meridian Water Infrastructure

Branch Place, Colville Estate

Colville Street, Colville Estate

Housing Creative London

Somers Orchard, Horatia and Leamington Houses Site

John Moore

Kieren specialises in large scale design and strategic masterplanning projects for national and regional public sector authorities across the Midlands and the South of England. She is driven by a commitment to improve architecture through greater collaboration between designers, planners, local authorities and local communities, and brings over a decade of experience and knowledge to the practice.



Kieren is currently leading design of a mixed-use masterplan for the Westgate area of Basildon Town Centre, working with Basildon Borough Council to deliver 97 new affordable Extra Care homes for residents over the age of 55, a 95-room hotel and new commercial uses, set within new landscaping and public realm. She is also working on high-level housing and masterplanning studies for public sector clients in Canada and Australia.



She previously led the renewal of the Somers Orchard Estate for Portsmouth City Council, a project which extensively re-plans an urban neighbourhood to deliver 566 high quality council homes, as well as public spaces and pedestrian connections.



Kieren is an advocate for diversity in the built environment and regularly organises events on this theme for the Birmingham Architectural Association. She also contributed to the Sound Advice publication ‘Now You Know’. In recognition of her work, she was named a RIBA Rising Star in 2018 and became a RIBA BAME award winner in 2019.

Basildon Westgate

Kieren Majhail

Laura joined Karakusevic Carson Architects as Practice Manager in 2010 and became Practice Director in 2017. Working closely with the Director, Laura is responsible for the strategic planning and oversight of the practice, as well as the day-to-day operational management. This includes multiple commercial elements such as; finance, legals, contracts and policy, resourcing, human resources, health &amp; safety, and communications and new business. Laura is also a mental health first aider and fosters a work culture built on progressive and forward-thinking policies. Driving this through effective leadership, she works to promote staff wellbeing to create a productive studio.



Laura oversees the practice’s pioneering social value programme, working in collaboration with multiple partner organisations and our in-house community and social value team. This work has created impactful change on policy for delivering social value programmes on local authority projects city-wide. Laura was previously a member of the Advisory Board for Blueprint for All and is currently Chair of Trustees for local not-for-profit arts organisation Peer.

Laura Cobb

Olivia joined the studio following completion of her master’s in architecture at the London School of Architecture. Since joining the studio, she has been part of the team for Phase 1B of the St Ann’s masterplan, contributing to both design and technical development for the ambitious long-term renewal of the former Victorian hospital site.



In her thesis at the LSA, Olivia explored an adaptive proposal for a former power station in Hackney, exploring themes of discard, ruin, and reuse. She has experience across civic, residential, and commercial sectors, having previously worked at BDP and Stiff + Trevillion. Olivia completed her undergraduate degree at Sheffield School of Architecture in 2020.

Olivia Bailward

Maurizio’s work encompasses city-wide and regional strategies, the masterplanning of new mixed-use neighbourhoods, and the delivery of long-term development projects tailored to the specific needs of public sector clients. He is currently leading all phases of the redevelopment of the St Ann’s Hospital site in North London, working with Peabody Housing, their development partners, and wider stakeholders to secure the landmark new neighbourhood. The ambitious project will create 950+ mixed-tenure homes, including older adult and shared ownership housing, as well as high quality, civic- and sustainability-focussed public realm, affordable workspace and heritage building refurbishments. 



Maurizio also led several key projects within Transport for London’s housing delivery programme, designing proposals for new housing on existing carpark sites in Harrow, London. His knowledge of strategic masterplanning has also previously been applied on projects including the first phases of the Meridian Water masterplan, Hoxton Press, Byron Quarter, Ponders End, and a masterplan for a 30ha site in South Bermondsey, London. Before joining the studio in 2012 he worked for Design for London (DfL) and the Greater London Authority (GLA).

Hoxton Press, Colville Estate

Colville Estate Masterplan

St Ann’s Phase 3

Maurizio Biadene

Sam works collaboratively with local authority clients and residents to re-shape and fully utilise challenging council-owned sites across London. He is currently leading a series of residential-led, mixed-use projects for Brent Council in the South Kilburn Regeneration Area and at the St Raphael’s Estate which have evolved through an engaged co-design process.



Since the practice’s appointment in 2019, Sam has led design of the St Raphael’s Estate masterplan and several subsequent projects. Following an extensive co-design programme and selection of an infill strategy, he has developed the first phase of housing on the estate, in addition to new community and placemaking interventions across the neighbourhood. He has also worked with Brent to design a new primary school and affordable homes in South Kilburn. Previously, Sam led Bury Street West, a project of 50 low-energy suburban homes and a public open space in Enfield which completed in 2022; as well as Great Eastern Buildings, an infill scheme adjacent to a railway line for Hackney Council.



Before joining the studio in 2012, Sam led a masterplan for the renewal of the Aberfeldy Estate in East London at Casey Fierro Architects. He is a regular guest critic at the School of Art, Architecture and Design at London Metropolitan University.

Bury Street West

Wembley High Road, Cecil Avenue

St Raphael’s Estate Masterplan

Jervis Court

Sam McDermott

Edward joined the studio in 2013 and became an Associate in 2022. His expertise lies in the design of housing typologies which challenge and develop standard plans to create forward-thinking designs. He works across multiple projects, using this knowledge to redevelop complex urban sites and create housing which combines intelligent tenure mixes and densities with elegant and progressive architecture.



Most recently, Edward has been working on Commerce Road, the concluding phase of the Brentford Lock West redevelopment on the Grand Union canal, delivering 124 socially rented homes. In addition he is working on the concept design for some of our international projects including a social housing scheme in Catalonia, Spain and a high rise scheme in Toronto, Canada.



His prior project experience also includes designs for new homes in the Selby Urban Village masterplan, Haringey, and the recent planning application for Hereford House and Exeter Court for the London Borough of Brent. As part of the wider South Kilburn masterplan, Edward led the design of the scheme’s interlocking mansion blocks and towers.



He is a regular critic at schools of architecture and taught a professional diploma design unit at London Metropolitan University from 2014-2018. He was awarded the Rome Prize in Architecture by the British Academy in 2013.

Edward Simpson

Since joining the studio in 2013, Sabine has played a key role in the delivery of numerous public housing projects, leading teams through detailed design stages through to completion with technical rigour and advanced knowledge of detailing, legislation and specification.



Sabine is currently leading the construction stages of the Ledbury Estate, a major council-led housing project for Southwark Council, working towards handover of the first new homes to residents in 2026.



Prior to this, she led the design of Colville Street, which includes 93 homes, a community centre and energy centre, as part of the second phase of the wider Colville Estate Masterplan for Hackney Council. She worked closely with local estate residents from the outset, helping to shape a shared vision, taking the projects to detailed planning stages. &nbsp;Her other past projects have included Dujardin Mews, Somers Orchard, Branch Place and Wembley High Road.



Before joining the studio, Sabine worked on housing and masterplanning projects for Mikhail Riches Architects and dRMM in London. She studied architecture at the University of Fine Art in Vienna and London Metropolitan University. Sabine became an Associate in 2021.

Sabine Rosenkranz

Suzanne has been with the studio since 2011 and became an Associate in 2021. In that time Suzanne has worked on and led public housing, estate renewal, masterplan and urban strategy projects for multiple public sector clients, utilising her design, planning, and strategy expertise. She is currently leading the delivery of the third phase of the St Ann’s Masterplan for Peabody in Haringey, having worked on the design of the original masterplan and each subsequent phase.



She is also leading the studio’s research into housing design for later living as part of her ongoing work for the St Ann’s Masterplan, and previously at Wyndham and Redcar Housing for the London Borough of Southwark.



Suzanne played a pivotal role from concept to practical completion of Dujardin Mews for Enfield Council. Completed in 2017, the project won a RIBA National and Civic Trust Award. She was also project architect on the concept stages of Phases 2 and 3 of the Colville Estate, a project which Suzanne has been involved in since the development of early masterplanning principles to detailed planning submissions. Before joining the studio, Suzanne worked in Stockholm and Copenhagen on landscape-led masterplans and housing projects across Scandinavia and Northern Europe.

Dujardin Mews

Suzanne Prest

Andrew leads the creation and coordination of our bid, competition, and framework submissions, working with the studio’s wider design teams, clients, and collaborators to win public projects. In this role, Andrew has developed an expert knowledge of public sector procurement to create civic-minded and socially considerate proposals for our clients.



Before joining the studio, Andrew worked in marketing and digital communications in architecture. He earned a master’s in architectural history from the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL and an undergraduate degree in architecture from the University of Kent. His independent architectural research and writing has been published in The Architectural Review, Clog Journal and Failed Architecture.

Andrew Knott

Anna joined the studio in 2015 as a master’s graduate and has since worked on multiple public housing projects, demonstrating her talent for developing appropriate and innovative residential typologies. Most recently, Anna has been guiding the delivery stages of the St Ann’s Masterplan in the London Borough of Haringey, a neighbourhood of 950+ homes, new public realm, and refurbished heritage buildings which transforms the former hospital site. She was previously project architect on Hereford House and Exeter Court, a 250+ home estate renewal scheme for the London Borough of Brent. Across all her projects Anna has applied her expert knowledge of BIM to develop designs, and helps to lead BIM strategy and working processes across the wider team.



Anna often mentors young people in the studio through our Key to Architecture programme, leading CV and portfolio workshops with university applicants looking to enter education and careers in architecture. She studied architecture at the University of Sheffield and Oxford Brookes University.

Anna Nicholls

Emma joined the studio in 2010 and has since worked on a variety of building types and projects including estate renewal, station and infrastructure design, and commercial and industrial retrofit schemes, gaining extensive experience remodelling existing buildings and integrating them into their wider urban fabric. She was previously project architect on the first detailed phase of housing at Broadwater Farm Estate in Haringey, and played a central role in developing retrofit designs for two existing 1960’s large panel system (LPS) buildings, Martlesham and Rochford, as part of the wider estate vision. Emma is now working on the delivery of South Thamesmead, a residential scheme located beside Southmere Lake in East London.



Emma was instrumental in the meanwhile use strategy for the Meridian Water Masterplan; including the adaptation of two industrial warehouses into creative workspaces, alongside the design of Meridian Water railway station which completed in 2019. Additional projects include the Record Hall, the extension and refurbishment of a 1920’s industrial building; and Faircharm Creative Quarter, the retrofit and upgrade of warehouse buildings into studios and housing in Lewisham. Emma gained her undergraduate degree from the University of Bath and her master’s degree from Cardiff University.

Faircharm Creative Quarter

The Record Hall

Emma Dochniak

Hajir leads community and stakeholder engagement, along with wider outreach activities and social value initiatives, across all the studio’s public sector housing, masterplanning, and mixed-use projects. She works with residents, community members, council officers, clients, and local businesses to evolve design briefs and strategy through open and creative collaboration. Her background in community engagement combined with qualification as an architect supports her approach, giving her the knowledge and skills to effectively communicate and discuss design proposals.



Hajir previously worked at consultation and placemaking specialists The Means, where she collaborated with residents and stakeholders to develop plans for a community centre in Harrow and a neighbourhood around Battersea Power Station. There, Hajir helped to establish an empowered association of businesses and community groups, working with them to deliver placemaking initiatives. Hajir was also a project manager for a project in Canning Town, Newham and continues to contribute to the project as a trustee. She completed her master’s in architecture at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London in 2016 and professional practice qualification in 2022.

Regent Park Phases 4&5

Hajir Kheder

Lara is an experienced architect and BIM specialist who has worked on large-scale, mixed-use masterplans, civic buildings and housing in the UK and Europe. Lara is currently working on the technical design stages of South Thamesmead, a residential scheme of 300+ homes set beside Southmere Lake in south-east London. Previously, Lara led the BIM design and coordination for the refurbishment of a post-war housing estate in London, where her design and technical expertise proved vital in the development, testing and coordination of technical solutions.



Lara previously worked at Eric Parry Architects in London where she led the design and BIM coordination of a hybrid retail/office Crossrail oversite development, and at a studio in central London on a 20ha mixed-use masterplan for which she led the BIM coordination with the large subconsultant teams. Lara is a graduate of the Faculty of Architecture in Lisbon, Portugal.

Lara Raposo

Laura is a highly skilled architect with experience leading projects of various scales including complex city renewal, residential and public buildings in Europe and the UK.



Laura is also a certified Passivhaus Designer which she embeds into all of her projects, prioritising sustainable design principles from concept through to delivery. Laura is currently jointly leading the detailed design stages of the Steyne Estate in the London Borough of Ealing, which includes a Passivhaus building for older adults.



Before joining the studio, Laura worked at O’Donnell + Tuomey on proposals for V&amp;A East at Stratford, and prior to that at Atelier Peter Zumthor and Fielden Clegg Bradley Studios. Laura studied at the Dundee School of Architecture. She was awarded the Guild Bequest Award and the Ibstock Brick Prize during her undergraduate degree and the RIBA Wren Insurance Scholarship for her master’s degree.

Laura Cannon

Matthew is highly experienced designing and coordinating complex cultural, healthcare and residential projects, working across all RIBA Stages. Since joining the studio in 2022, Matthew has been leading the design of South Thamesmead Phase 2, a new community of homes within the wider Peabody Housing masterplan for the Thamesmead neighbourhood in Bexley. 



Matthew previously worked at Adjaye Associates on designs for a church building set within the Abrahamic Family House interfaith complex in Abu Dhabi, and at Stanton Williams Architects on the Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Disease in Children at Great Ormond Street Hospital, a major project that he led from concept through to on-site delivery.



Matthew is a graduate of the Welsh School of Architecture and the University of Cambridge, where during his studies he explored the design and significance of public architecture in interwar Europe.

Matthew Grandfield

Maximo is a highly experienced BIM Manager with a background working across projects of varying scale and scope with large design and consultant teams. He joined the studio in 2018 and works closely with our design teams to establish and implement high BIM standards and procedures to reinforce the design and technical quality of our work and ensure effective collaboration and project delivery. Utilising his in-depth design and technical knowledge, his work includes scripting custom BIM tools to enable holistic and data-driven analysis and evaluation of designs. Maximo also works closely with our BIM working group to develop knowledge and skills in Revit and BIM delivery.



Maximo previously worked as a BIM specialist at Steffian Bradley in London. He gained his master’s at the School of Architecture, Seville University, where he was a teaching assistant in the Department of Architectural Technology and the Department of Mechanics, Theory of Structures and Geotechnical Engineering.

Maximo Cubero

Michael is a senior architect with expertise in sustainable design and technical detailing, skills which he has applied across a number of our adaptive re-use and council housing projects. Currently working on the technical design and construction stages of the Steyne Estate for Ealing Council, he also recently led these stages for Bury Street West, a collection of 50 low-energy homes and public open spaces situated on a piece of Metropolitan Open Land (MOL) in the London Borough of Enfield. His technical and compliance knowledge is also currently being applied in a Design Guardian role for a major estate project for Southwark Council.



Michael was also project architect on the Record Hall, a complex retrofit scheme which extends and refurbishes a 1920’s industrial building in the Hatton Conservation Area in Clerkenwell into a hub of creative workspaces. Michael worked on the project from concept through to delivery. Michael joined the studio in 2012 after completing undergraduate and postgraduate degrees at the Welsh School of Architecture where his studies focussed on sustainable design and the potential to retrofit Britain’s housing stock to zero carbon standards.

Michael Line

Patricia designs intelligent housing-led urban strategies to re-shape cities into successful and functional neighbourhoods and districts. Since joining the studio in 2020 she has worked on a series of large-scale projects in London and Toronto, including the St Raphael’s Estate infill masterplan, and the Regent Park Estate for Toronto Community Housing Corporation. She previously led the Urban Design Framework for Broadwater Farm, a major estate renewal of 800+ homes and civic infrastructure for the London Borough of Haringey which was driven by active engagement with a large resident group.



Patricia previously worked at Levitt Bernstein in London on town centre, residential-led masterplans and design codes for local authorities and housing associations in the UK. Projects include the Miles Platting Masterplan in Manchester, and the Brentwood Town Centre Design Plan and Design Guide. Patricia also worked at DiederenDirrix in Holland on the development of a former industrial site in Eindhoven City Centre. She studied at the Polytechnical University of Catalonia, Barcelona.

Patricia Calvino

Paul is an experienced architect who applies his in-depth BIM and technical knowledge to create housing that is high quality, viable, and sustainable. Since joining the studio in 2012, he has worked on numerous local authority housing projects including Hereford House and Exeter Court, a 250+ mixed-tenure home scheme in the London Borough of Brent; and Bury Street West, 50 low-energy homes and public open space located on a piece of Metropolitan Open Land (MOL) in the London Borough of Enfield. Additional projects include Fenwick Estate South, 55 homes and a revised community hall in the London Borough of Lambeth; and Ponders End, a mixed-use masterplan on the old site of Middlesex University in Enfield.



Paul previously worked at PAC Studio Architects in Dublin, Ireland where as an architectural graduate of the Dublin School of Architecture he designed a series of government office interior fit-outs, residential extensions and healthcare projects.&nbsp;

Paul O’Brien

Sean has over 10 years’ experience working on residential projects for both commercial and affordable housing providers. Since joining the studio he is working as a project lead on the delivery of the second phase of the St Ann’s Masterplan in the London Borough of Haringey.



Sean previously worked at Patel Taylor on numerous significant masterplans across London, including the regeneration of the Grahame Park Estate in Colindale, where he led the detailed design of Phase 2. Other projects spanned sectors such as education, leisure, and health as part of mixed-use developments. Sean also has over 12 years’ BIM experience, having had key involvement in setting up the BIM implementation strategy at his previous office.



Sean completed his master’s in architecture from Westminster University in 2012 and earned a first-class undergraduate degree from the University of Lincoln.

St Ann’s Phases 1B & 2

Sean Deacon

Sean is a talented housing architect with eight years’ experience working closely with local authorities on complex projects. He is also a qualified Retrofit Coordinator and has worked across major housing retrofit projects at the studio; work which has involved extensive analysis of the buildings’ fabric to guide effective solutions to improve spatial and environmental performance. He is currently working on the delivery stages of the Ledbury Estate in the London Borough of Southwark.



Since joining the studio, Sean has also worked on new-build housing, industrial, and masterplanning projects. He co-led the concept design stages of South Thamesmead Phase 2 for Peabody, and worked on the design of new homes on a series of car park sites for Transport for London.&nbsp; Sean was also part of the team for the illustrative masterplan for the Phase 2 Outline Planning Application (OPA) of Meridian Water Masterplan for Enfield Council. This involved plot testing for 2,300 homes and developing the overall masterplan strategy. Sean joined the studio in 2015 after completing his masters in architecture at the University of Sheffield.

Sean McGee

Since joining the practice in 2021, Sofia’s work has focussed on civic, community, and mixed-use buildings and masterplans developed through close resident and stakeholder engagement. She has worked on two major projects in Haringey: the refurbishment of Victorian hospital buildings at the St Ann’s Hospital Masterplan for Peabody Housing, creating new commercial and community space; and the Selby Urban Village and Centre for the borough council. She has also worked on a community centre and estate masterplan in Toronto; and a new community hub at the St Raphael’s Estate in Brent, which will provide new facilities at the heart of the wider estate renewal.



Sofia previously worked at Hall McKnight in London on projects including the renovation of the Quadrangle Building at Kings College to provide a new home for the engineering department. She earned her master’s from the Department of Architecture of the University of Coimbra in Portugal and also holds a postgraduate qualification in advanced studies in building rehabilitation from the Department of Engineering, University of Porto, Portugal.

Sofia Vaz Santos

Since joining the studio in 2015, Tom has largely worked on technically complex projects at detailed design stages. Recent work includes the refurbishment of Victorian hospital buildings at the St Ann’s Masterplan to create community facilities and workspace; and developing a pilot scheme for the retrofit of a post-war housing estate in London. Driven by detailed analysis of the buildings’ fabric and structure to inform interventions, Tom is experienced designing to improve thermal performance in the existing buildings while maintaining their architectural character.



Tom has also developed a variety of feasibility studies for mixed-use developments for the London Borough of Newham, and for a public housing retrofit programme for the New York City Housing Association (NYCHA). This encompassed investigating and designing a workable approach to infill and rooftop extensions for housing estates across the city. Tom studied architecture at London Metropolitan University and completed his part III qualification at RIBA North West.

Tom Melson

Sam’s background and interest lies in the sustainable, adaptive reuse of historic buildings for contemporary needs. Since joining the studio, he has applied this knowledge on the renovation and conversion of the existing Victorian hospital buildings at the St Ann’s Hospital site in Haringey, North London into new civic facilities, proposals that he is developing within a BIM environment.



He is currently assisting with the construction stages of Ledbury Estate for Southwark Council, which will deliver 345 homes, alongside a community centre and commercial spaces.



Before joining the studio, Sam worked at Stanton Williams Architects on the adaptation of historic buildings to form the new and upgraded London Museum. He studied architecture at Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL and London Metropolitan University, where he graduated with a distinction.

Samuel Napleton

Alberto has been with the studio since 2014 and has worked on residential projects of varying scales at all RIBA Stages. He is currently working on St Ann’s Phase 2, a mixed-use residential scheme consisting of 464 new homes continuing the transformation of the former St Ann’s Hospital site.



His previous work has also included the renewal of the Steyne Estate, delivering 188 new mixed-tenure and older adult homes through innovative low energy design principles. He was also involved in the construction phases of Bury Street West, a project of 50 low-energy homes and a public open meadow located on Metropolitan Open Land (MOL) in Enfield.



Before joining the studio, Alberto worked on housing projects for two practices in Milan: Argot ou La Maison Mobile and Maderna Trovato studio. He studied architecture at Politecnico di Milano where he was also a teaching assistant, and at the Technical University of Lisbon.

Alberto Coco

Morgan joined the community and engagement team in 2022 to support the delivery of our resident co-design programmes and community events and activities for a number of London boroughs. Morgan brings architectural training and experience, giving her the skills and knowledge to share and collaboratively evolve design ideas. She has also played a central role in developing the studio’s Key to Architecture social value programme, as part of which she manages and runs regular work experience and internship placements. Morgan has developed practice-wide accessibility guidance and is a member of the Post Occupancy Evaluation working group, ensuring project engagement continues through the building’s lifetime.



Morgan previously worked at Maccreanor Lavington as an architectural assistant on mixed-use residential schemes. She studied architecture at the University of Manchester and London Metropolitan University, where her master’s project focussed on sustainability strategies for large-scale masterplans.

Morgan MacGregor

Andrew joined the studio in 2016 following his undergraduate degree in architecture from Dundee University. Since then, he has worked on several major masterplans and estate projects including Broadwater Farm Estate and Selby Urban Village. He is currently working on the construction stages of South Thamesmead Phase 2, delivering a new neighbourhood of 329 homes overlooking Southmere Lake.



He has also been central to some of our publications and research projects: producing technical architectural drawings for ‘Public Housing Works’, ‘Social Housing: Definitions and Design Exemplars’, published by RIBA, and coordinating research for the team behind the RIBA-funded research study ‘Revolutionary Low-Rise’.



Andrew gained his postgraduate degree in architecture from London Metropolitan University. His final year thesis on the proposed renewal of the new Covent Garden Market in Battersea was nominated for a RIBA Silver Medal.

Andrew Hopper

Since joining the studio in 2009, Hiroshi has worked on almost all of our major local authority housing projects and has developed an expert knowledge of housing design standards and statutory regulation. Hiroshi provides critical quality review within projects and helps to develop workable masterplans underpinned by considered and rigorous unit and layout planning.



Hiroshi is an excellent visual communicator and as our in-house illustrator his intricate hand-drawn drawings and sketches have been supporting our bids, conceptual designs and planning applications as well as explaining housing typologies and urban and architectural strategies to residents and the public. He studied architecture at Nihon University in Tokyo and the Glasgow School of Art.

Hiroshi Nagata

Since graduating, Laura has gained experience across social housing, public realm design and conservation projects. At the studio she is currently working on the Selby Centre masterplan, a major renewal project in the London Borough of Haringey providing a new community centre for the Selby Trust, sports facilities, and mixed-tenure homes. She was previously part of the design team for the Broadwater Farm estate renewal masterplan for the London Borough of Haringey.



Laura previously worked at architecture practices in Glasgow including at Elder + Cannon Architects and AHR Architects on a range of residential and conservation projects including 300 social rent homes in a coastal woodland settlement. Laura studied architecture at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland. During her postgraduate degree she undertook research into the positive role infrastructure, architecture and public spaces could have on community health and wellbeing in Glasgow.

Laura Purdie

Lois joined the studio in 2020 and initially worked on the Selby Urban Village, a mixed-use masterplan for the London Borough of Haringey, where she led some of the main community and engagement activities that helped shape the design brief. Her work since has spanned a variety of uses and scales, utilising her design knowledge, expert visual and written communication skills, and experience leading engagement.



Most recently, she has been part of the design team for Phase 1 of the Westgate area of Basildon Town Centre. Prior to that, Lois worked on several strategic feasibilities and high-level masterplans for brownfield and fringe city sites, in addition to assisting with planning stages of the Somers Orchard project for Portsmouth Council and the Zoning by Law application for Regents Park in Toronto.



Lois previously worked at Adjaye Associates and Transit Studios and from 2019-2020 was part of the New Architectural Writers (N.A.W). Her work has been published in the Architects’ Journal, Frame Magazine and the Royal Academy journal. Lois studied architecture at Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London and worked as a graduate teaching assistant on the MArch course. Her graduating master’s thesis on prison reform and social infrastructure was nominated for the 2020 AJ Student Prize and the RIBA Silver Award.

Lois Innes

Rob is an architect with specialist experience in designing large mixed-use schemes. He is currently working on phase 3 of South Thamesmead, delivering a new neighbourhood of 392 homes overlooking Southmere Lake.



He previously led the concept design stages of Commerce Road, the final phase of the Brentford Lock West redevelopment in the London Borough of Hounslow, which will deliver 124 socially rented homes. &nbsp;Rob has also worked on some of the studio’s other major projects, including The Selby Urban Village masterplan in Haringey, a major mixed-use scheme re-providing the Selby Centre and delivering 200 new homes alongside upgraded community facilities, workspace and sports provision.



Prior to joining the studio, Robert worked at CPMG Architects in Nottingham and London across large-scale residential projects from RIBA Stages 1-5. He gained his diploma in architecture from London Metropolitan University, where during his studies he focussed on the relationship between buildings and the public realm and how changing patterns to work in the city present opportunities for architecture to define civic spaces. Robert studied architecture at Nottingham Trent University.

Robert Haynes

Adam runs our dedicated model shop and workshop, leading a small team in the production of architectural models for all the practice’s projects. Adam has been running the modelmaking at the studio for over 15 years and has designed and produced all our housing and masterplanning models, from presentation and display pieces to interactive models made for resident engagement and co-design processes.



With incredible attention to detail and technical rigour, his work has formed a major part of our UK and international public-facing activities and touring exhibitions including ‘In the Making’ at RIBA London (2015), ‘Social Housing’ at RIBA London and AIA New York, and exhibits at the Royal Academy’s Summer Show (2024), the Center for Architecture (2018), and the Oslo Triennale (2019).&nbsp;&nbsp;

Adam Melville

Laura manages the practice’s quality and document control procedures, working with the senior management team and wider design studio to ensure our procedures are effective and meet up-to-date ISO and BS standards. She has an in-depth knowledge of document control and quality assurance protocols and is responsible for maintaining and coordinating our suite of manuals, and managing major system, platform and policy changes in addition to leading our annual audits.

Laura Egbi

Dina is an experienced ACCA-qualified finance manager with a specialism in the architectural sector. She joined the practice in 2021 and oversees our financial operations, accounts and daily bookkeeping. This involves working closely with external accountants, the Practice Director and the wider leadership team.

Dina Godfrey

Mike is a researcher and urban historian with a focus on housing typologies and UK social and urban policy. He leads the practice’s research and learning initiatives which includes editorial and curatorial responsibilities on our major publications, exhibitions, and events, and leading on initiatives fostering relationships with cultural and academic institutions.



He authored ‘Public Housing Works’ (2021), a book capturing two decades of the studio’s journey and work and co-authored the RIBA-funded research study ‘Revolutionary Low Rise: Informing London’s Suburban Densification’ (2019) with Abigail Batchelor, a piece exploring international examples of low-rise, high-density housing design. The project was presented at the Barbican Centre and at the RIBA. He also co-authored ‘Social Housing’ (2017) and curated the associated exhibitions at RIBA London and the AIA Centre for Architecture New York. He has most recently co-authored, ‘Dual Cities &#8211; Social Housing in London and New York,’ a comparative housing volume, published by RIBA and supported the AIA New York and released in Spring 2025.



Mike was previously public programmes curator at the RIBA and a lead research co-ordinator at architectural think-tank Building Futures. He is a member of the RIBA’s Research Development Group and is also an independent curator and educator, leading architectural walks and lectures as ‘The London Ambler.’

Mike Althorpe

Donata’s expertise is in developing large-scale urban strategies for mixed-use masterplans and town centres. Since joining the studio she has worked on the renewal of <a href="https://www.karakusevic-carson.com/projects/somers-orchard-horatia-and-leamington-houses-site">Somers Orchard</a> for Portsmouth City Council. This has involved worked closely with the council and the community to design accessible, high quality pedestrian connections, movement networks, and playable public spaces which will extensively re-organise the site. She has previously worked on capacity studies for several town centre and high street sites across London, as well as masterplanning projects in Toronto including the Regent Park Estate. 



Donata previously worked at Aecom in London on projects including the North West Cambridge Masterplan, a vision for a 140-acre site which will support the expansion of the University of Cambridge; as well as the University of Sussex Campus Vision and West Slope Masterplan, and the Brixton Central Masterplan. Donata earned an undergraduate degree in architecture from Vilnius Art Academy, Lithuania and a master’s in urban design from the University of Westminster.

Donata Satkauskaite

Basil joined the studio following the completion of his undergraduate degree in modelmaking from Arts University Bournemouth. Since joining the workshop, Basil has worked on a variety of models spanning numerous projects. From consultation to presentation models, Basil’s wealth of experience using workshop machinery has allowed him to produce models to a high quality while maintaining an efficient workflow. Basil specialises in timber models while also integrating CNC technology to aid in the accuracy needed while working at small scale.

People

Ethan Spain

Studio Assistant

Joshua Helm

Architectural Assistant

Rachel Fonseca Burtt

Architectural Assistant

Daumantas Patamsis

Architectural Assistant

Frederika Fraser

PA and Communications Manager

Paul Karakusevic

Principal

Abigail Batchelor

Associate Director

Caroline Hull

Associate Director

Joseph Bass

Architectural Assistant

Daniel Buckley

Associate Director

Edward Blackett

Associate Director

Kieran Chan

Architectural Assistant

John Moore

Technical Director

Kieren Majhail

Associate Director

Laura Cobb

Practice Director

Olivia Bailward

Architectural Assistant

Maurizio Biadene

Associate Director

Sam McDermott

Associate Director

Edward Simpson

Associate

Sabine Rosenkranz

Associate

Suzanne Prest

Associate

Andrew Knott

Bids & Competitions Manager

Anna Nicholls

Senior Architect

Emma Dochniak

Senior Architect

Hajir Kheder

Senior Engagement Manager

Lara Raposo

Senior Architect and BIM Specialist

Laura Cannon

Senior Architect

Matthew Grandfield

Senior Architect

Maximo Cubero

BIM Manager

Michael Line

Senior Architect

Patricia Calvino

Senior Urban Designer

Paul O’Brien

Senior Architect

Sean Deacon

Senior Architect

Sean McGee

Senior Architect

Sofia Vaz Santos

Senior Architect

Tom Melson

Senior Architect

Samuel Napleton

Architectural Assistant

Alberto Coco

Architect

Morgan MacGregor

Engagement and Community Coordinator

Andrew Hopper