/ Multi-residential scheme on a steeply sloping site
Kitisuru | Nairobi, Kenya | 2025 | In construction
International Property Awards 2025
Les Jardins is a boutique development of eight contemporary homes designed for a steep Nairobi hillside. The project embraces the challenges of its terrain, transforming constraints into opportunities for innovation, sustainability, and distinctive living.
The houses cascade down the slope, each stepping into the landscape and using the roof of the home below as a private garden. This inventive approach maximises outdoor space on a compact site, while ensuring every residence enjoys greenery, privacy, and sweeping views. The result is a terraced community that feels both dense and open — a new model for living with nature in Nairobi’s increasingly built-up context.
At approximately 300 m² each, the homes are organised around light, flow, and connection. Full-height openings extend living areas seamlessly onto verandas and terraces, creating generous indoor–outdoor spaces. Green roofs, shaded courtyards, and natural cross-ventilation provide comfort and reduce reliance on mechanical cooling.
The architecture is elegant, durable, and achievable with local technical capabilities. Materials such as textured plaster, natural stone, and timber details are chosen for longevity and timeless appeal, blending each house into the hillside. The planting strategy relies on native species for lush yet low-maintenance gardens, while roofscapes carry the landscape across every level of the development.
Discreet circulation ensures privacy and security, while shared landscaped areas encourage neighbourly interaction. This balance of seclusion and community, density and openness, is what sets Les Jardins apart.
More than just eight houses, Les Jardins demonstrates how design can unlock the potential of Nairobi’s steep and constrained sites, offering residents an exclusive lifestyle rooted in nature. It is architecture that is innovative, sustainable, and deeply attuned to place.
/ Conservation and residential development
Build X Studio | Nairobi, Kenya | 2021 - Ongoing | Construction
The Rewildings is a conservation and residential development of seven family homes on a 10.3 acre site, rooted in a strong commitment to the regeneration and enhancement of the local natural ecosystems. The project aims to be an exemplar of climate-positive development in an area of outstanding natural beauty.
Rewilding is the restoration of the land to its natural form. This concept is embraced within the project by using natural materials and sustainable systems, as well as restoring trees and other flora to the site which provide a rich and biodiverse habitat for all local fauna.
The houses adapt to the terrain, the climate, and the particularities of each plot, meaning no two houses are the same. The architecture is an FSC certified timber framed structure insulated with compressed straw, which means that it has 81% lower embodied carbon than a typical local stone house.
It had been detailed carefully to make the timber construction durable. For instance it is built on stilts which makes it sit lightly on the ground and protects against moisture and termites. A climatic consultant was engaged to ensure thermal comfort all year round as well as natural lighting and ventilation.
/ New Build House
Coupdeville | London, UK | 2019
A residential development formerly set on a site of garages in a conservation area within Wandsworth. The proposal was to create a generous four bedroom family home while retaining privacy and filling the spaces with light.
By keeping the building to a single storey and low in profile with a green roof, the structure was relatively unseen and added green space to what was formerly hardstanding.
By shielding the site with a perimeter wall and adding a subterranean element that is set around a central courtyard, the spaces are bright and remain private.
The planted courtyard seamlessly links a bright open-air terrace to the open plan lounge. A large skylight and mezzanine link the lower ground and ground floor lounge, kitchen and dining areas with one another.
The exposed steel and rib-deck structure is celebrated throughout the development with polished concrete slab. Mild steel balustrades, shelving and a custom staircase, with simple birch cabinetry reemphasises a pared-back and pragmatic material pallet.
/ Conversion of car garages into modern residential terrace
Coupdeville | London, UK | 2016
Originally a car garage, the brief called for their conversion into four two-bedroom houses,via the erection of an inset zinc clad roof extension. The facade was restored carefully in reclaimed London Stock brick that dialogues with the neighbouring terraces. Black aluminium-framed windows cut a striking modern profile against the delicate brickwork.
/ Conversion of Central London Hops Warehouse into 3 Flats
Coupdeville | London, UK | 2016
Completed: 2016
Floor Area: 3765 sq ft
Client: Private
This building was originally a hops processing warehouse built in the late 1800’s, forming part of the Union Street Conservation Area it is a fantastic building fully of character, texture and detail.
The task was to extend and convert the building into 3 flats of modern regulation, while losing none of its charm. Due to the proximity to the Thames and busy main road, creating residential units was a challenge in itself.
By resetting all floor levels, planning was granted for extending at 2 floors to the rear and adding a floor on top with a new roof terrace.
Forming the prominent building on this parade, careful detailing was required for the original structure to remain prominent. Sustainability was the balance of retaining the uncovered features that usually get buried, by super-insulating the new areas.
In terms of layout, the large volumes were retained, by a series of design features, such as mezzanines, metal screens, sky doors, lattice treads to stairs cases and a complex fire system.
By recycling & resetting the existing joists, floors, windows, stairs, doors, paneling, and using old barn wood; this was a painstaking process akin to car restoration, the end result was clearly worth it reaching river view prices per square foot.
Striking the balance between the warmth of raw materials by Brandler Design London and modern open spaces by Coupdeville a non generic attention to detail is evident that exceeded expectations.
/ New build timber framed 5-bedroom house
Coupdeville | London, UK | 2016
The scheme was conceived as two stacked, offset, L-shaped tapering volumes. Their interplay creates dynamic cantilevers and setbacks on the upper floor, emphasised by the contrast of external finishes of light render and dark porcelain. Large projecting glazed openings overlook the courtyard and garden; these are boldly framed with pressed metal and louvred in red cedar.
/ Feasibility Study for a 70,000 m2 Mixed Use Development
Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners | Monaco | 2014
Feasibility study to create a mixed use 70,000 m2 development in Monaco, including residential, retail and commercial units as well as a park and fire station.
A key consideration for this project was to maximise views of the coast, whilst protecting the views from Tour Odeon - a 47 storey tower which sits directly next to the site. It was also the aim to create a clear diagram between public and private space. The site is split into half with a road running through it, the eastern part of the site is given to the public, with a park and a shopping centre, whilst the western side is mainly private and residential
/ Feasibility Study for the Conversion of a Listed Factory to a Mixed Use Development
Rogers Stirk Harbour & Partners | London, UK | 2014
Feasibility study to transform a listed disused textiles factory into a multi-use complex including, residential, retail and office space. Using typologies influenced by an increased demand for live-work units and the trend for repurposing industrial buildings, a language based on the building’s DNA of robust structural bays was developed to respond to this challenging site. The scheme creates a community hub and landmark for the local area
/ £3.5m new build centre offering a range of services for young people
RCKa | London, UK | 2013
Flexible spaces are provided to encourage young people to appropriate them in creative ways, such as the entrance area which can be read as an expansive mid-landing positively connecting all building levels. A triple-height wintergarden is crossed with high-level balconies that provide important break-out space for all key uses.
Corrugated concrete and polycarbonate panels create textured and translucent facades, which change character depending on the time of day
/ Internal repurposing and reconfiguration
In collaboration with Gensler and the Stephen Lawrence Trust | 2017 | Completed
A re-imagining of the existing building to create a motivating setting that fosters collaboration among emerging designers. A bold orange tone has been applied to the floors, walls and ceilings to visually connect the front and rear spaces across all three levels. Large glazed partitions replace solid walls, increasing visual permeability and giving glimpses of different activities taking place within.
/ Design and build of a timber wind shelter on a Swedish world heritage site
Arknat | High coast, Sweden | 2019
Arknat is an organisation that constructs wind shelters along the high coast of Sweden - a world heritage site - aiming to increase the connection of the public to nature. After an initial individual design phase, my scheme was chosen to be constructed by the group.
As one approaches the site, you are greeted by a mature pine tree and a unique rock which mark the plot's centre. The rock tops a 2m drop to the forest floor below, and then the landscape falls away towards the water, so one is drawn to stand on top of it and admire the view. Off-centred was conceived as means to enable one to experience multiple aspects of the site, highlighting its beauty and capturing key viewpoints.
/ An exploration of the relevance of Igbo architecture in a low-cost housing context
Research Project | Umuahia, Nigeria | 2020
Prototype low cost housing scheme on a 1.9 hectare site, in Umuahia in the south east of the Nigeria, which is sustainable culturally and socially as well as environmentally.
/ An exploration of the relevance of Igbo architecture in a low-cost housing context
Research Project | Umuahia, Nigeria | 2020
Being of Nigerian descent and having lived there when I was very young, I have a particular interest in the country. Nigeria is made up of a multitude of ethnic groups and so my focus is on my group - the Igbos - who traditionally live in the south east of the country.
In Nigeria there is a severe housing problem due to high levels of urbanisation, and unsuccessful political intervention. Formal housing production is at approximately 100 000 units per year and it is suggested that at least 1 000 000 units are needed yearly to bridge the 17 to 20 million unit housing deficit by government’s target date of 2033.
On the other hand I feel housing designs originating from other parts of the world are transplanted indiscriminately here, so there is a lack of awareness and appreciation of traditional architecture and construction techniques.
As part of my thesis project I am aiming to investigate how modern Nigerian architecture can benefit from its heritage, with a view to proposing a design for a prototype low cost housing scheme on a 1.9 hectare site, in Umuahia in the south east of the country, which is sustainable culturally and socially as well as environmentally.
/ An exploration of the relevance of Igbo architecture in a low-cost housing context
Research Project | Umuahia, Nigeria | 2020
Being of Nigerian descent and having lived there when I was very young, I have a particular interest in the country. Nigeria is made up of a multitude of ethnic groups and so my focus is on my group - the Igbos - who traditionally live in the south east of the country.
In Nigeria there is a severe housing problem due to high levels of urbanisation, and unsuccessful political intervention. Formal housing production is at approximately 100 000 units per year and it is suggested that at least 1 000 000 units are needed yearly to bridge the 17 to 20 million unit housing deficit by government’s target date of 2033.
On the other hand I feel housing designs originating from other parts of the world are transplanted indiscriminately here, so there is a lack of awareness and appreciation of traditional architecture and construction techniques.
As part of my thesis project I am aiming to investigate how modern Nigerian architecture can benefit from its heritage, with a view to proposing a design for a prototype low cost housing scheme on a 1.9 hectare site, in Umuahia in the south east of the country, which is sustainable culturally and socially as well as environmentally.
/ Collective housing Complex exploring new ways of living in the Stockholm suburbs
Y1 Masters project | Stockholm, Sweden | 2019
Studio project looking at a responsive landscape urbanism, in the context of the densifying and expanding city of Stockholm, with the aim of proposing a housing scheme in one of the suburbs. Eschewing the orthodoxy of urban block masterplans, the project works with the natural landscape, proposing radical dwelling typologies that offer new ways of living.
A starting point for the project was to look at a selection of post-war satellite city communities, with housing typologies by architects such as Ralph Erskine. Then a free form investigation into new ways of living was conducted, looking at how individual private life can exist with ideas of collectivity, interior and exterior.
In the final part of the project, a housing typology was further developed from these first studies, onto a specific site in the Stockholm suburbs
/ Detailed competition design of a timber cycle and pedestrian bridge
Norrköping municipality | Norrköping, Sweden | 2019
Norrköping municipality | Norrköping, Sweden | 2019Norrköping is a post-industrial city, its centre framed by linear promenades lined with linden trees since C19th. The concept was to draw on its heritage, but to introduce a clear break from the past, given the city's optimistic vision for the future.
As a relief from the linearity of the existing promenades and the heaviness of its industrial past, the new walkway twists, following the contours of the topography on the southern side, until it bears round and crosses the river with a gentle and sculptural curve. The bridge widens at two points along its span, giving the opportunity for pause and reflection. The principal structure is a continuous block-glued glulam beam - the block gluing process offers the possibility to produce curved elements, as well as stepped cross-sections.
