DRMM - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director, Studio London / Berlin
Alex de Rijke is a founding Director of dRMM, having established the practice in 1995 with Philip Marsh and Sadie Morgan. He is a design champion at dRMM, responsible for the concept, construction and delivery of our timber projects. These include Sliding House, Kingsdale School, Charlton WorkStack, Tower of Love, Endless Stair, WoodBlock House, Maggie's Oldham, and the Stirling Prize-winning Hastings Pier.
Alex conducts ongoing research into contemporary materials, technologies and methods of construction. Through his leadership, dRMM has become a recognised pioneer and authority on engineered timber design and construction, especially laminated timber structures.
Having introduced softwood CLT (cross laminated timber), to the UK with groundbreaking work at Kingsdale School, London and Naked House, Oslo in 2006, Alex invented, in collaboration with AHEC and ARUP, the world's first cross laminated hardwood timber for Endless Stair in 2013, dRMM's London Design Festival installation at Tate Modern. dRMM's Maggie's cancer care centre in Oldham 2017 was the world's first hardwood timber CLT building and explicitly demonstrates a synthesis of concept, material construction and user well-being; a project that reveals de Rijke's ‘total design' ethos in the integration of landscape, architecture, furniture and art.
As an expert in the relations between materials and emerging construction types, de Rijke has presented dRMM's work from Scandinavia and Europe to Asia and Australasia. He has given conference papers on a range of themes including: engineered timber architecture and construction; prefabricated and mobile architecture; and the relationship between architecture and health. De Rijke is an outspoken critic of the global problem of embodied carbon-heavy materials and building methods that are the default of the construction industry. Through his championing of the need to build using timber and low carbon materials, dRMM were the first UK architecture practice to make public buildings in CLT and have since the 1990s consistently been able to innovate and improve sustainable design through real projects.
Prof de Rijke has always combined cutting-edge practice with education, always positioning learning through experiment and making. He was appointed as the first ever Professor of Timber Architecture at TU Delft in 2023 and has extensive teaching experience at various institutions including London South Bank University, the Düsseldorf School of Architecture and the Architectural Association. De Rijke was Dean of Architecture at the Royal College of Art and Professor of the Masters programme from 2011-2015, instigating a new culture of making and prototyping. Alex was External Examiner for Architectural Association/Hooke Park Design & Make Masters 2016-21, and is currently External Examiner on UAL/St. Martin's Spatial Design programme, London.
With a longstanding parallel interest in photography, de Rijke documents dRMM's projects on an ongoing basis for publications and exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale 2008 and 2012, and dRMM's timber architecture exhibition, Forest of Fabrication 2019. He has served on the Major of London's design advisory panel, and continues to contribute to design discussions at universities and institutions such as RIBA, ARCAM (Architecture Centre Amsterdam), the Milan Salone del Mobile and The Plan ‘Perspective' conferences. De Rijke represents dRMM and champions timber for the wider profession in the media through radio, TV appearances and features in publications such as The Plan, Architecture Today, Dezeen and The Guardian.
Alongside and often integrated with his architecture, de Rijke has designed and made many furniture pieces using (some) recycled plastics and (predominantly) wood. Key examples of his freestanding and fitted furniture are ‘Table; turned' for the London Architecture Wishlist, and various works with artist Richard Woods.
Job Titles:
- Executive Assistant to Sadie Morgan
- in 2021 As Executive Assistant
Alexis joined dRMM in 2021 as Executive Assistant to Sadie Morgan. Alexis provides support to Sadie, managing her hectic diary, organising meetings and travel and responding to media and speaker requests on Sadie's behalf. Alexis also provides business development support to the wider dRMM team, organising events, project tours and managing the contact database. Alexis really enjoys event planning and is excited to see how she can help develop working relationships within a fun and sociable environment.
Before joining dRMM, Alexis worked as a household PA for high-net-worth families. From this she learnt a lot about management across different levels and always keeping many plates spinning with a calm and level head. Alexis enjoys being part of the dRMM team and in her spare time likes long walks with her family.
Job Titles:
- Project Architect
- Project Architect, Studio London
Andy is a Project Architect at dRMM. He is currently leading the adaptive reuse of a 1930's town hall to residential use, and is busy working on an exciting new mixed-use project in East London. Prior to this, he worked on Wick Lane, delivering the project on site. He has a wealth of experience working on various different building typologies; from project inception and successful design competitions, right through to practical completion and planning monitoring.
Andy studied Architecture at the University of Brighton before completing his Masters Degree at the Royal College of Art (RCA). He returned to Brighton to complete his Part III, where he now teaches on the undergraduate course.
Andy has a passion for the wider design spectrum from illustration to product design. During his postgraduate studies at the RCA, he explored social and critical views toward architecture, especially linked to social class and taste, which he explored in his masters thesis. Andy endeavours to integrate making into his architectural practice and runs the studio model workshop. He is often found doing DIY or exploring pubs in his free time (not at the same time!)
Job Titles:
- Project Architectural Designer
Originally from Cape Town, Catherine moved to London after completing her MA in Visual Arts at the University of Stellenbosch. She has worked in creative and admin support for architectural practices since, and joined dRMM as studio manager in 2019. Working with the studio's admin team, Catherine oversees the smooth-running of the operational side of the studio on a day-to-day basis. With a particular interest in HR, Catherine is currently working towards a CIPD level 5 certificate in HR Management. Outside of the office, current obsessions include exploring her south London neighbourhood for good pubs and sourcing and restoring vintage Ercol chairs.
Job Titles:
- Project Architectural Designer
Job Titles:
- Architectural Technologist
Before joining dRMM, Cerise spent eight years working in the construction industry for a variety of different clients including developers, housebuilders and architects. She graduated from university with a degree in Building Surveying and Property Management and translated her love of developing details and problem solving into her role as an Architectural Technologist. At dRMM Cerise uses her extensive technical knowledge to help manage and coordinate the construction phases. Outside of the studio, she is a keen boxer and enjoys cooking and trying new foods.
Charlotte joined dRMM as a Part II in 2023 and is currently working on Brent Cross Town - a residential scheme in north-west London. Her previous study and work experiences, in primarily heritage settings, have fostered Charlotte's personal methodology of care and interest in the evolution of architectural typologies. She studied at the University of Sheffield and her MArch Thesis, ‘Taking Note' was set in Cairo and explored the importance of memory, reimagined the process of cultural documentation, and is nominated for the RIBA Silver Medal.
Charlotte enjoys teamwork, as demonstrated during her undergraduate degree at Bath University both by her competitive hockey career, and her part in a group nominated for a RIBA Bronze Medal for testing the implementation of a timber diagrid tower in New York. In her spare time she propagates too many plants, enjoys almost all ball sports, and loves baking with friends.
Denice is a Project Architect at dRMM. Before joining, Denice worked at AHMM for five years on housing, offices and mixed-use masterplans in the UK. She also worked at architectural charity Article 25 on post-disaster reconstruction in Haiti. Since joining the studio in 2022 she has been involved in the design of Earl's Court, a community focussed mixed-use scheme in West London.
Denice is a mentor at Blueprint For All where she shares her design skills and knowledge with aspiring architects. She studied Parts I to III at the University of Nottingham, University of Westminster and Newcastle University. Denice is also a bookworm and massive foodie!
George joined dRMM after moving to the UK from New Zealand. He studied at Victoria University of Wellington where he received his MArch following a Postgraduate Diploma in Project Management. Whilst living in Auckland, George worked at Architectus and ASC architects, on large scale masterplanning, education and aviation projects, alongside on-site construction observation. As part of the process, he was able to collaborate with community stakeholders and user groups to achieve a holistic design. In his spare time, George enjoys travel, trying new pubs and team sport. He prides himself on being half of the Auckland architect's mixed doubles tennis champions.
George joined dRMM in 2023 and is on the team responsible for delivering a mixed-use housing masterplan. Prior to this he graduated from the Royal College of Art where his thesis critiqued toxic masculinity through a reimagining of his all-boy secondary school. As a Part I, George worked at WilkinsonEyre delivering a 52-storey office tower in the City of London. His group entry to Non-Architecture's ‘[UNDER] WATER PARK' competition won the editorial pick. His ethos encapsulates empowering the disenfranchised by inducing discussions on uncertain worlds within architectural storytelling, engaging at the intersections between performance, film, animation, and narrative image-making. In his spare time, you will find him playing the guitar or promising himself he'll get back into boxing.
Job Titles:
- Senior Sustainability & Regenerative Design Manager
- Senior Sustainability & Regenerative Design Manager, Studio London / Berlin
Hugo joined dRMM in 2023 and helps the studio and its projects have a positive natural impact and achieve high standards in environmental performance. This is achieved through research, development, and implementation of effective evidence-based design, and operational strategies and solutions. With an academic background in the natural sciences to doctorate level, Hugo brings together a recent BSc in Architecture and Environmental Design, experience as Sustainability Champion and Researcher at Jestico + Whiles, and more than a decade of prior engineering research and consultancy experience in the field of sustainable energy systems. He has a particular interest in wellbeing and sustainability in the built environment.
Job Titles:
- Marketing Manager
- in 2023 As Marketing Manager
- Marketing Manager, Studio London / Berlin
Jacqueline joined dRMM in 2023 as Marketing Manager after six years in a similar role at Haworth Tompkins. She looks after the studio's press and publicity in both London and Berlin. Before entering architectural communications she spent ten years as an interior designer, a long stint working in the magazine industry as a picture editor, and a short one as a crossword compiler. Jacqueline enjoys marrying up her experience in photography and design to come up with engaging and accessible ways to communicate projects and keep them relevant to a wide audience. Outside the studio she seeks out walled gardens, exhibitions and small dogs.
James joined dRMM as a project architect in 2023 and is currently working on a large mixed-use project in south-east London. He studied at the Canterbury School of Architecture and at Westminster University before qualifying in 2019.
Prior to joining the studio James worked across a variety of sectors, work stages, typologies and scales with an emphasis on high-density residential. This most recently at Conran & Partners, on the transformation of an existing brownfield site into a new residential quarter in Harrow. Outside of architecture, James is a keen hiker and avid cook, spending weekends ticking off restaurants on his ever-growing list of recommendations.
Job Titles:
- Architectural Designer
- Architectural Designer, Studio London
Joe began his career at a structural engineering firm working on ultra-light structures with climatic envelopes utilising Texlon Etfe. Building on his strong technical background, he went on to study Architecture at the University of Westminster, where he explored interests in sustainable and ecological design. Joe has subsequently worked for a number of practices on a wide variety of projects, including the Crown Hotel Tower in Sydney and the innovative Sahara Forest Project. His experience also includes listed buildings, a multi-story car park and small residential and retail projects.
At dRMM, Joe is working on the Tustin Estate regeneration in south-east London. Out of the office, Joe enjoys spending time with his two kids, working on his house and sailing.
Job Titles:
- Associate, Head of Sustainability and Regenerative Design
Kieran joined dRMM as a Part II Architectural Assistant in 2023 and is currently working on a mixed-use, affordable housing project in London. He recently completed his MPhil in Architecture and Urban Design at the University of Cambridge with distinction, and was awarded the Dalibor Vesely Prize and RIBA Dissertation Medal Commendation for his research and design project on the migrant humanitarian crisis in northern France. He worked in Calais for a year supporting displaced people by facilitating their access to food and water. Now back in the UK, he continues to volunteer serving hot meals to Londoners and in his spare time enjoys cooking, reading, meditating and watching TV.
Lily is a Studio Coordinator at dRMM. She has a degree in Psychology and International Business from the University of Sussex, a broad-based course covering all aspects of psychology. Here she developed a specific interest in social and applied psychology.
Previously, Lily has volunteered as a companion at a day centre for the elderly. Before starting university she worked in a primary school and during her studies she was a Covid Coordinator for a local GP. At dRMM Lily focuses on studio finances, human resources and operations. In her spare time Lily likes walking with her dog Luna, watching films and visiting museums.
Job Titles:
- Architect at DRMM Studio Berlin
- Project Architect and Bid Manager
- Project Architect and Bid Manager, Studio Berlin
Lorenz is an Architect at dRMM Studio Berlin. Before joining us, he was employed at interdisciplinary practices in Berlin and Barcelona where he worked on architectural and urbanism projects of varying scales. In his career to date, he has obtained broad knowledge of sustainable design, including timber and CLT construction and the economic use of these resources.
At dRMM, as well as project work, Lorenz is part of the future team and writes bids for potential projects all across Germany. As a student, Lorenz split his studies between Technical University Berlin and Waseda University Tokyo, and has initiated and curated workshops and artistic events underpinned by his academic interests ever since. Outside the office Lorenz is a passionate photographer and has taken part in small exhibitions showcasing his photographic work of Tokyo, Detroit and Ukraine.
May joined dRMM in 2023. Working alongside the Berlin office and closely with the Head of Marketing, she is responsible for the research, coordination and production of all bids. May seeks out opportunities that align with dRMM's ethos and values, helping the wider team tap into new sectors and forging partnerships with emerging practices. With the design team, May coordinated and produced dRMM's winning competition submission for the Aylesham Centre regeneration in Peckham - a project close to both where she lives and where she grew up. Prior to joining dRMM, May worked for five years at Zaha Hadid Architects, as well as a spell at architectural visualisation studio Rockhunter.
Beyond her architectural background, she is the maker behind mish mish studio, a brand specialising in monochrome and terrazzo homeware. Here May explores concrete-alternative materials such as jesmonite, incorporating recycled elements like mussel shells into her designs.
Maya is a Part II Architectural Assistant, joining dRMM after completing her postgraduate studies at the Bartlett School of Architecture. She has a keen interest in community development projects; mobilising local people to improve and regenerate their surroundings. During Maya's final university project, she worked with residents in the historical city of Tiberias and led interviews to record and understand their relationships to the city. She is currently working on Tustin Estate Phase 2, drawing on her previous experiences working alongside communities. In her spare time, you will find Maya travelling both near and far, and visiting the many galleries in London.
Navid joined dRMM in 2023 and is currently working on a large mixed-use scheme in south-east London. Before this he was at shedkm for four years, where he gained experience in housing, workspace and mixed-use masterplanning at various scales, including the East Wick and Sweetwater masterplans in east London. Navid has particular interest in utilising visualisation as a design tool to enhance the creative process. He believes good architecture is ordered, methodical and celebrates materials from which it is made; creating holistic places with a simple considered form.
Navid studied for his undergraduate degree and master of architecture at the University of Liverpool, before qualifying as an Architect in 2022. His thesis explored the notion of transience, creating a coastal resort typology which catered to the requirements of holidaymakers' gradual transition into their increased allocated vacation time in the future. Outside of the studio Navid enjoys DIY, gardening and discovering new Sunday roasts in the countryside.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Founding Director
- Director, Studio London / Berlin
Philip Marsh is a founding Director of dRMM, having established the practice in 1995 with Alex de Rijke and Sadie Morgan. Philip retains a hands-on role within the practice's projects, driving his belief in social usefulness through every stage of a project from concept to completion. A creative pragmatist, Philip's designs balance design with viability and buildability to gain planning permission and deliver on time and budget.
Community and social inclusion is the thread which connects Philip's work. He has led the team behind many of dRMM's flagship projects including Kingsdale School, Faraday House, Kings Cross ArtHouse and Clapham Manor School and Trafalgar Place, both of which were shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize.
Philip came to architecture through interior design and this is manifest in his people-focussed ‘inside out' approach, which puts the users experience of space and their journey through the building at the forefront of the process, with external appearance driven by function rather than aesthetics. Proving socially conscious architecture doesn't have to be worthy, colour is a recurring theme in Philip's work, favoured for its ability to foster a sense of identify and bring joy. Housing projects such as Wansey Street and Brill Place, and Clapham Manor and Wintringham Primary schools use colour as a means of bringing art into the cityscape.
His belief in community and user experience means that placemaking and public realm are essential ingredients in Philip's designs, with generosity in landscape and public space for the common good a signature touch. At projects such Kings Cross ArtHouse and Trafalgar Place, buildings are arranged around public spaces and the quality and value of the overall development is enhanced as a result. Most recently this has been embodied at Wintringham Primary Academy, a new school constructed from dRMMs beloved engineered timber, with an open wooded grove at its heart.
Collaboration is another hallmark of Philip's work. He thrives on the exchange that springs from working with other creative minds, with often spectacular results, such as the Buckminster Fuller-inspired geodesic dome he developed with engineers MHA and timber expert Gordon Cowley for the theatre at Kingsdale School. The structure perfectly fulfilled the brief for a performance space at the heart of the school in an unexpected way, pushing creative boundaries whilst maintaining an economy of means.
Philip's ability to build a rapport with people from all backgrounds makes him a natural at working with multi-head clients and stakeholder groups, as well as leading complex multi-disciplinary design teams. His genuine approach and down-to-earth approach helps him unite teams behind a shared vision for exceptional projects. His obvious commitment to achieving the best outcome for the communities he works with brings everyone involved a project along with him.
Outside of the studio Philip is recognised as an industry leader and puts his expertise in residential and civic architecture and urban design to use as a design review panel member for Old Oak Common & Lambeth; visiting critic at Liverpool University and formerly as a tutor at the Architectural Association.
Rhona joined dRMM in 2023 as Studio Assistant and works on studio operations, finances, and IT. She has a degree in Interior and Spatial Design from the University of the Arts London which covers a range of disciplines including architecture, art, furniture, interior and spatial practices. This developed her interest in production design and spatial narratives in film. After university Rhona worked in outreach and communications for a charity providing equal opportunities in the hospitality industry. In her free time, she can be found watching films at her favourite independent cinema and exploring south London.
Job Titles:
- Project Architectural Designer