About

We are the curators of our clients’ dreams.

Established in 1981 as Lees Associates, LA London is an RIBA Chartered Practice operating in the high-end residential, retail, commercial and hospitality sectors.

What we do

We are progressive, market-leading architects and designers who are attentive to detail and relentless in our pursuit of innovative solutions that deliver a sustainable premium product.

Client experience

We are the curators of design for our clients who have the highest aspirations, respecting their time, budget and quality expectations as we guide them through the design and construction process to realise and exceed their vision.

Quality

We are recognised as an experienced, reliable and trusted practice, fastidious in our approach to design and holding ourselves and our work to the highest standards.

Team

We are committed to the well-being of our growing team of skilled, talented colleagues. We are all passionate about the success of our projects and the unique problems that we solve.

Studio

We provide an inclusive, vibrant and productive working environment, conveniently located in the heart of London.

Business

We are an independent, self-financed, growing partnership that implements a systematic approach to strategy, the development of new opportunities and the delivery of operational efficiency.

We also offer measured surveying as an independent service

Team

Partners

  • Andrew Paulson

    Partner
    BA (Hons) Dip. Arch. MA RIBA ARB

    Andrew has been a partner of LA London for since 2011 and in his 20+ years with the practice has overseen a wide range of prime residential projects, both in London and further afield.

    He always takes a leading role in projects; his approach is focused on delivering the optimum result for the client, which he recognises ultimately stems from clear communication and building and maintaining strong and successful relationships across the project team, built on earned trust. Clients appreciate his thorough, precise and disciplined nature.

    Andrew has a proven track record of successfully designing and delivering an array of prime and super-prime residential projects, both as Design and Executive Architect.

  • Kathryn Archer

    Partner
    BA B. Arch. RIBA ARB

    Kathryn has been with LA London for over thirty years, running high-end projects across all sectors: residential, retail, hotel, hospitality and workplace. She particularly values the way in which experiences in one sector can inform those in others.

    She has an excellent record for retaining clients and has worked for Harrods and Selfridges for a combined period of over twenty-five years, including working on the restoration of both of their facades. She also maintained The Savoy as a client for almost 10 years, adding over 80 new suites and refurbishing the famous reception foyer.

    Today, Kathryn splits her time between premium commercial and residential projects.

  • James Hall

    Partner
    M. Arch. BDS

    James joined LA in early 2015, rising quickly through the ranks to Associate and Associate Director before becoming a Partner in 2024.

    He has been trusted by clients and colleagues alike to oversee a number of our top projects in recent years, including a listed refurbishment in Covent Garden, a listed Belgravia townhouse and the fit-out of a 12,000 sqft penthouse in Knightsbridge.

    James is also our Operations Director and leads the ongoing development of our BIM standards and template.

    He never underestimates the value of a close client-architect relationship throughout the lifespan of projects and always engages positively with the client and design team in order to achieve a smooth and enjoyable process.

Associates

  • Miruna Stroe

    Miruna is an experienced Architect with a PhD in Architecture. She has overseen a number of our top Belgravia projects over the years, continuing to this day.

    She is a patient and conscientious Architect with wide-ranging professional and academic experience. In her role as a job-runner she has adopted a methodical, reliable and thorough approach that is respected by her colleagues and co-consultants alike.

    Miruna also has the role of our Quality Manager, overseeing our QM process.

  • Cristian Tudose

    Cristian joined LA London in early 2018. His projects have included a substantial super-prime residential listed refurbishment schemes in Belgravia, Kensington, Little Venice and Marylebone.

    Since qualifying as an Architect under LA’s tutelage, Cristian has become one of our most respected Project Architects, running projects with diligence and confidence, leading to his promotion to Associate in 2023.

    Cristian is also Director of LA Surveys.

Studio

LA London is based in the heart of London, in London Bridge with excellent transport connections on our doorstep.

We are lucky to have a large, flexible studio space, opening onto a beautiful garden terrace, which leads to our conference room, private meeting booths and library.

We sub-let a number of desks to others who can enjoy the benefits of our studio at competitive rates. Contact us if you are interested.

Housed in a characterful building that is regularly used for filming and photoshoots, our studio is located just a stone’s throw from London’s famous centre of gastronomic delights, Borough Market.

And we are 200m from London Bridge Tube station, meaning we are never more than 30 minutes from any part of central London.

Needless to say, our terrace is heavily used throughout the year but especially during the summer months. We regularly host barbecues, drinks and games evenings, as well as our famous annual summer parties.

A central component of our studio is the football table - great for our team to unwind at, plus our Table Football Competition is a regular favourite at our summer parties.

Our studio is well-located and offers both a good-sized, well-lit space for our creative team to work from, and a tranquil oasis from the hustle and bustle of the city just yards away in our peaceful courtyard garden.

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Values

Our values are an essential part of our cultural DNA – they represent what LA London stands for, and they set the standard as we continue to build on our market-leading position. 

  • Nothing is more important to a successful relationship than having complete trust. For us, that is with clients, fellow consultants and internally amongst ourselves. We strive to earn the trust of everybody we work with by treating them with respect and honesty and always delivering on our promises. This builds a strong rapport and lasting relationships. Our honesty and integrity ensure we always make a positive, experience-enhancing contribution to our projects.

  • Regular, clear, sustained communication between all parties throughout a project is key to a successful outcome. As Lead Designer, it is vital that we have regular two-way dialogue with the whole project team. But as important as external communication is, so is our own internal communication. We hold two team meetings a week, ensuring everyone is focused on their priorities and meeting delivery milestones.

  • We invest our most precious resource, time, into listening to our clients and understanding their needs. Only then can we use our professional experience and expertise to ensure we meet or exceed their expectations.

  • Our clients invest in us both emotionally and financially. In return, it is our duty to passionately and diligently deliver a service that provides real, measurable value for those who put their trust in us.

  • We recognise and act on our environmental and social responsibilities: reducing waste, embracing sustainable innovation and leading by example.

  • We are constantly reviewing our systems and processes: innovating, improving, updating and simplifying wherever possible. We listen to all feedback received and never stop learning.