Practice Profile

Julian Cowie Architects is a London based architecture studio founded in 1996. The practice works on a range of residential, commercial and civic projects providing full architectural, interior design and masterplanning services for both public and private sectors. Our range of completed projects includes hotels, private houses, residential developments, offices, retail, transport and the extension and conversion of historic buildings.

The work of our studio has won critical acclaim and professional recognition winning several national and international design competitions. Our built projects have also been published widely in the architectural, lifestyle and broadsheet press. In 2007 and 2008, Julian Cowie Architects won the Housing Design Award and in 2008 was awarded the BD ‘Housing Architect of the Year Award’. In 2010, we received The RIBA Award for Architecture.

Design Philosophy

Our design is based on a consistent approach rather than a particular style with each scheme a unique response to site, context and our clients brief. We aim to achieve simple, elegant and practical solutions through intensive discussion with our clients and consultant team.

Many of our projects involve the insertion of new uses within complicated urban sites and often have difficult planning histories. We pride ourselves on creating an imaginative and sensitive architectural response which is borne out in our success in achieving planning consent and the quality of our built work.

Working Method

We typically work on a small number of projects at any one time. This allows for great continuity and personal involvement. Unlike many practices, we have a policy of a single project architect following each scheme through from the first meeting to detail design, construction and completion. The practice director is involved in all stages of the design and attends all client and design team meetings in tandem with the project architect. We believe this structure has allowed us to develop strong, long term relationships with our clients and enhance the rigorous quality of our completed buildings.

Director

Julian Cowie BA(Hons) MA(RCA) RIBA FRSA

Studied at Newcastle University and The Royal College of Art.

After qualifying as a Chartered Architect in 1992 Julian Cowie worked with James Gowan Architects on the Ospedale Nuovo, Milan and later at Allies and Morrison where he was project architect for the New Graduate Building at Newnham College Cambridge.

Julian is a certified “Passivhaus” designer and is able to integrate this environmentally conscious design approach seamlessly with projects.

Julian Cowie Architects was established in 1996 after winning the international design competition Europan IV. Since then the practice has completed over 100 built schemes ranging in construction value from £100,000 to over £25,000,000.