About the practice

Patalab is a pioneering architecture practice founded in 2008. Our team of exceptional architects is led by partners Uwe Schmidt-Hess, Jordan Thompson and Simon James. We design and deliver transformative projects around London, the UK and Europe. Design with rigour and sensitivity: We specialise in complex projects for design-focussed people. Whether retrofit, heritage restoration, or new build, we design for families, businesses and communities. Our architecture is grounded in a thorough and respectful understanding of the relationships between people, site and context. Beyond the everyday: Patalab has become known for our passion and finesse. Our holistic approach pairs attention to detail with an inventive attitude; an emotional connection to space with a practised commercial mindset. Looking beyond the everyday, we create surprising, sometimes dramatic transformations of existing buildings and challenging sites. Practical and sensitive, our architecture is recognised for its rich materiality; from striking exteriors to beautiful, elegantly detailed interiors. Architecture that is a joy to inhabit. A lasting balance: We consider ourselves responsible to the people we design for, to our planet, and to our shared future. We design for longevity. And we understand that finely-tuned, responsive retrofit will always be more environmentally sustainable than new build. Our expertise is in redesigning, refurbishing and extending existing buildings to be economically sustainable, long-lasting happy environments. "Having worked with several architects, I really appreciate Patalab’s approach that combines passion for design, technical knowledge and economic understanding. Finding all three qualities within one architect’s practice is very rare." (John Bostock, client)