WEST PORT FIVE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Director
- Chartered Architect
Colin is a chartered architect and project management surveyor. He has a long history in commercial, civic and educational projects in Edinburgh, London and Hong Kong. His high-end commercial expertise coupled with his interdisciplinary involvements in the residential market allow him to deliver our clients a well-informed and well-rounded architectural service. Colin's career has seen him work in a series of roles related to the built environment, namely as an architect but also as an interior designer, developer and project manager.
Colin has a passion for unique urban experiences. He is interested in the way cities and places recreate themselves, continually engaging us through one-off and temporary experiences. He is an avid globetrotter and when not in the office he can be found experiencing new cuisines, pop-up attractions, bars and restaurants different countries and cities have to offer.
Dan is participating in practice life as an intern on a once monthly basis from November 2021-2022. He is an Interior Design graduate (2020) from De Montford University, Leicester. He is interested in how interior design and architecture intersect and how built spaces can cater to the needs of people and the natural world.
During his time with us he will be learning key architectural principles and be given an insight into design programming. He will also be exposed to and use different architectural software and helped to develop his model making, hand drawing, presentation and communication techniques.
As a designer, Dan looks to explore the meaningful relationship between the built environment and nature. He is keen to understand how built environments can help build more resilient, equitable and sustainable communities.
Outside design, Dan enjoys a variety of activities including playing the drums, live music, cooking and baking. Ever active, he's often found scaling a hill or mountain.
Job Titles:
- Senior Architect
- Chartered Architect
Emma is a chartered architect in the UK and joined West Port in July 2022. She has experience on small residential developments, alongside mixed-use masterplans and educational projects.
Emma studied Architecture at Nottingham Trent University and Newcastle University where she graduated with Distinction. She completed her Part III qualifications at the Architectural Association. During her studies at Newcastle, she was involved in a research project in Italy which piqued her interest in projects that encourage sustainable regeneration, consulting closely with existing demographics and the history of a place.
Prior to starting with West Port, Emma worked at Stolon Studio. She was involved in a number of small to medium scale residential development projects for private and local authority clients. Each project had an acute, creative response to environmental needs and a focus on social interaction and community space.
Hannah joined us as a placement student during her Masters in Planning (MPlan) at UCL. Following the completion of her studies she moved into her new role as an Urban Designer. She is currently leading West Port's Make.Kin.Cities blog, researching and showcasing tools for creating equitable cities. She also spearheads our urban realm related projects, where she brings her background in planning and design to the fore.
Hannah has an aptitude for economics and possesses a multi-dimensional appreciation of spaces and places. With an undeniable passion for the built environment, she is strongly driven to understand the agents and decisions which come together to create great cities and strong communities. Her masters' research projects looked at viability assessments, Opportunity Areas and the ever-changing relationship between planning policy and real estate investment in the formation and aesthetics of the City of London.
Interestingly, Hannah holds an undergraduate degree Textile Design from UAL. A proficiency she's been putting to good use on our cultural and gallery projects.
Outside the studio she is a keen runner and hiker. She has also led the organisation of fundraising expeditions including half-marathons, a cycle from London to Paris and an upcoming climb to Base Camp Everest, which she'll be partaking in this September. Collectively, Hannah has helped raise over £15,000 for the charity, Action Against Hunger.
Kathleen is an architect working across a diverse selection of projects in the office. She is the lead on our soon to open Africa Fashion exhibition design for the V&A.
Kathleen joined us from Bennetts Associates in 2021. She has quickly become an integral member of our team with honed experience in cultural, art and commercial design. Growing up in Hong Kong, and with a good dose of wanderlust, Kathleen has a well nurtured passion for travel and new experiences. She is deeply interested in the relationship between culture, space and architecture coupled with a fascination for the creative use of natural materials. Her interests and background in art and cultural projects, previous work with Blueprint For All (formerly, Steven Lawrence Trust) and LISG (Lesbian Immigration Support Group), are demonstrative of our studio's values and drive to take on projects and or partake in initiatives that express and celebrate diversity and the complex socio-cultural relationships found in great spaces, cities and places.
Kathleen continues to strengthen her know-how in cultural and art led projects across multiple scales. She is intimately involved in our public space and architectural intervention work as well as our outreach activities.
Khalifa is trained in architecture, urban design and masterplanning. He has interdisciplinary experience in the design and delivery of residential buildings across multiple scales of development. He is particularly attuned with the inception to tender stage requirements of high-quality housing developments and has worked on the planning submissions, detailed designs and tender packages for clients including Alchemi Group, Barratt Homes, the Berkeley Group, British Land, CEG and Countryside Properties.
Khalifa holds a degree in Architecture from the Edinburgh College of Art and a Masters in Architecture from The University of Edinburgh. He also holds a combined MSc in Urban Design and City Planning from University College London (UCL) where he graduated with distinction and commendations for his work in researching the inclusion and participation of black ethnic minority communities in the place-making and redevelopment of Burgess Park, Peckham.
Khalifa has a well-versed interest in architectural research and expanding the abilities to both design and use the city to marginalised communities. He is founder of the ‘make.kin cities ‘ Tumblr blog dedicated to exploring and explaining the relationship between social sustainability and the built environment. He has been a visiting guest-reviewer of student work on the Bachelors of Urban Design and Planning course at London Southbank University and the Urban Design & City planning Masters at UCL. Khalifa is a sitting Design Review Panel member for Ealing and Lambeth Borough Councils.
Laura is a chartered architect with a history in commercial and residential projects across the UK. She was project architect at Farrells before venturing out on her own.
Laura is closely associated with the team and is currently supporting the delivery of our residential refurbishments.
Manny joined us in February, 2021. She is a Part II architectural assistant with an extensive amount of experience on small-medium sized residential projects in the UK.
Manny studied architecture at University of Kent and Glasgow School of Arts. She is currently undertaking her Part III at the University of Westminster. During her postgraduate studies, she participated in a six month exchange in Kyoto exploring the language and culture. As part of her design thesis, she explored the rituals in food production and consumption as a medium between our connection to biophilic designs and the natural environment.
Manny holds an interest in holistic-led designs in the development of collective and sustainable communities. She is passionate about exploring the relationships between culture, people and the local environment to understand and improve connections for physical and mental wellbeing. In her free time, she is a dabbler in many hobbies such as pottery, crocheting and gardening. Her current goals are to master the penny board and to cast more jesmonite terrazzo pots!
Job Titles:
- Architect
- Chartered Architect
Oliver is a chartered architect with broad technical knowledge in the design and delivery of buildings across multiple scales and sectors. He recently joined our team following a short sabbatical in Italy where he participated in and helped run the design and build workshop, Camposaz.
Outside architecture, Oliver is a keen carpenter and joiner. He hosts a monthly radio show and has his own hand-made leather goods brand.
Sophie joined the studio in October 2021. She is an architectural assistant with a wealth of interdisciplinary experience. She has previously worked in several small - medium sized architectural practices as well as for Lendlease, one of the world's largest construction and development companies. Alongside her on-site project management and design experience she brings with her a sincere passion for community engagement and participatory design.
Sophie studied architecture at the University of Bath and the University of Sheffield. She completed her Masters' degree at Sheffield with Distinction. Her final year thesis championed participatory, community-led design and postulated that the success of local neighbourhood regeneration hinges on the assimilation of the voices of local residents. Utilising this approach, the project, located in Thamesmead, encompassed a new local centre and social housing. Similarly, her postgraduate dissertation researched the lack of diversity within architecture and the crucial role that mentoring, and youth engagement must play in tackling this. This research is to be published in the academic journal, field, January 2022.
Sophie is currently working alongside Laura on small home refurbishments and our Old Kent Road housing project for Southwark Council. In her free time, she is an avid baker, netball player and macrame enthusiast! She has run 2 half marathons in the past and has her eyes set on the next challenge!