AL_A is a RIBA 2009 Stirling Prize-winning studio founded by Amanda Levete with directors Ho-Yin Ng, Alice Dietsch and Maximiliano Arrocet. The diversity of the leadership team and our 30+ persons workforce brings a richness of thinking and possibility that’s played out in our culture, practice and through our designs.
After working in an open-plan warehouse for over 20 years, the office has had a reset. In March 2021, AL_A moved into a beautiful Georgian townhouse in Bloomsbury, re-imagining the office as a family home. It is emblematic of our studio’s curiosity and adaptability, signalling a new way of working. In our projects, we design for a future where we can live better together and live better with nature. Our team wanted to reflect this in the way we work too. The decision to make this change was fuelled in part by the pandemic and the effects this had on our working culture.
At AL_A, we take our shoes off at the door. As does everyone who visits the office. It is a metaphor for leaving behind preconceptions and an expression of our relaxed and collaborative working culture. On every project, we come together as a team of equals.
We always begin our projects with a conversation, not a sketch. Conversations with each other, our partners and collaborators help us to develop a narrative that is then played out through architecture, at both the macro and micro scales, reflecting our intuitive and strategic way of thinking. This spirit of collaboration is integral to our working life, making it a supportive, social and fun place to be.
This was something we worked hard to maintain throughout the pandemic, and which was aided by the radical transformations that occurred across all areas of working life – most notably in the areas of connectivity and communication. Great technological advancements, and new emerging tools, enabled us all to seamlessly transition into working from home.
Each of us established our own rhythm of working to suit our personality and circumstance – it brought a new balance to our lives and gave us more control over our working day. At the same time, we were all craving human interaction that cannot be replicated in a virtual environment, and which we find essential to our creative process.
At our new John Street office, in London, we wanted to create an operational environment which took advantage of these changes, increased efficiency and productivity and simultaneously allowed us to reclaim the culture we have carefully cultivated over the years. We used sociological data analysis derived from the pandemic and advancements in technological hardware and software to curate an innovative place of work in a ‘home-like’ setting. One that has the comfort of home, but the dynamism and social vibrancy of the workplace.
Completing the move in early 2021, from spring we welcomed our colleagues at AL_A into the new space after UK government guidance was relaxed and it became safer to return. Implementing these new technologies whilst taking careful precautions, we trialled a flexible working schedule with a minimum of 3 days working in the office. We took the opportunity of the move to undertake a total overhaul in our IT hardware, which has facilitated a hot-desking work setup with each colleague equipped with a portable tablet that can be plugged into a workstation both at the office and at home.
The majority of our team has relished the opportunity to physically return and this has steadily increased with 92% of the team working from the townhouse at least 4 days per week, with many people including the directors working from the office every day.
To support our culture at AL_A we have recently relaunched our talks programme, where we invite partners and collaborators to come into the townhouse and share their expertise in our magnificent ‘ballroom’. AL_A also has in-person Pilates classes twice a week to promote health and well-being. In these uncertain times, our office continues to evolve, but even as our priorities shift, the importance of culture and collaboration is a constant at AL_A.
AL_A's approach to curating an inclusive practice workplace is evident in their thoughtful design choices, collaborative culture, and adaptability to changing circumstances. They also recognised the importance of human interaction and the unique creative energy it brings. As the office continues to evolve, AL_A remains steadfast in their belief that culture and collaboration are the foundation of a successful practice.
