Developed through a series of projects addressing the retrofit and fit-out of commercial buildings, ‘Lean Design’ is grounded in the belief that good architecture doesn’t need to mean high cost or heavy intervention. Instead, we focus on doing more with less—delivering maximum value by identifying and investing in a limited number of carefully chosen design elements that define the character and identity of a space.

This approach is rooted in strategic decision-making. Rather than diluting budgets across broad and often unnecessary cosmetic upgrades, Lean Design channels resources into the aspects of a project that truly matter—those that transform perception, performance, and experience. The results are compelling, cost-effective transformations that embrace the existing character of a building, elevate appeal, and meet the expectations of a discerning, design-conscious end-users and investors.

A key strength of ‘Lean Design’ lies in its alignment with changing aesthetic values. Traditional development has often aimed to refurbish and reconstruct with an aim of appearing ‘as new’, layering over with uniform pristine finishes. Lean Design rejects this in favour of celebrating the ‘as found’, the reclaimed, and the repurposed. It repositions raw, existing conditions not as flaws but as assets—sources of grain, texture, authenticity and history. By combining these elements with high-quality, minimal interventions, we create spaces that are natural, healthy, and emotionally resonant, while keeping costs and carbon footprints low.

This philosophy also speaks directly to embodied carbon reduction. The fewer materials we strip out and the fewer new materials we add, the less carbon is emitted. Lean Design naturally favours retention, reuse, and minimal intervention —less cost equals less carbon. It’s a design logic that resonates with growing investor and tenant demand for sustainable, low-impact development.

A flagship example of ‘Lean Design’ in action is Sustainable Workspaces, where we successfully delivered both Cat-A and Cat-B fit-outs for just £94 per square foot—a remarkably low figure for a high-performance workspace in central London. Despite the budget-conscious approach, the project has received widespread recognition, including Winner of the NLA Best Workspace Award 2024, Shortlisted for the RIBA London Awards, and Highly Commended at the AJ Retrofit Awards 2024. It has also been a commercial success for our client, creating space that has proved extremely popular, in constant high demand and always fully occupied. By retaining much of the existing building fabric and celebrating industrial features, we were able to create an environment of authenticity, character, and quality, with modular timber elements and natural materials enhancing the values and aspirations of occupiers.

Lean Design enables us to unlock difficult or seemingly non-viable buildings and sites—those that others may see as too compromised or complex. It brings new life to old structures not through lavish expenditure, but through clarity, restraint, and intelligent intervention. It’s an approach that delivers value, sustainability, and beauty, proving that less really can be more.