Design with rigour and sensitivity
We specialise in complex projects for design-focussed people. Whether retrofit, heritage restoration, or new build, we design for families, businesses and communities. Our architecture is grounded in a thorough and respectful understanding of the relationships between people, site and context.
Patalab is a pioneering architecture practice founded in 2008. Our team of exceptional architects is led by partners Uwe Schmidt-Hess, Jordan Thompson and Simon James. We design and deliver transformative projects around London, the UK and Europe.
Design with rigour and sensitivity
We specialise in complex projects for design-focussed people. Whether retrofit, heritage restoration, or new build, we design for families, businesses and communities. Our architecture is grounded in a thorough and respectful understanding of the relationships between people, site and context.
Beyond the everyday
Patalab has become known for our passion and finesse. Our holistic approach pairs attention to detail with an inventive attitude; an emotional connection to space with a practised commercial mindset.
Looking beyond the everyday, we create surprising, sometimes dramatic transformations of existing buildings and challenging sites. Practical and sensitive, our architecture is recognised for its rich materiality; from striking exteriors to beautiful, elegantly detailed interiors.
Architecture that is a joy to inhabit.
A lasting balance
We consider ourselves responsible to the people we design for, to our planet, and to our shared future.
We design for longevity. And we understand that finely-tuned, responsive retrofit will always be more environmentally sustainable than new build. Our expertise is in redesigning, refurbishing and extending existing buildings to be economically sustainable, long-lasting happy environments.
We are a team of dedicated and talented Architects and Designers with a wealth of experience in the design and construction industry.
We are an accredited Good Work Standard Employer, promoting excellence, collaboration, and inclusivity.
We welcome speculative job applications containing a bespoke cover letter, CV and selected examples of your best work through email of no larger than 5Mb size.
Partnering with a broad range of clients to realise unique architectural solutions.
Our work has been honoured with awards that reflect our commitment to quality and innovation.
Year
Award
Project
Recognition
2023
LFA: A Gateway to New Malden
New Malden’s Urban Oasis
New Malden’s Urban Oasis
SHORTLISTED
2022
AJ Retrofit Awards
Snowflake School
Snowflake School
WINNER
AJ Retrofit Awards
The Bird in Hand
The Bird in Hand
SHORTLISTED
2019
Great Place: Lakes & Dales Flexible Housing
Dales Flexible Housing
Dales Flexible Housing
SHORTLISTED
2018
Client Awards of Berlin Borough of Reinickendorf
Zieselhouse
Zieselhouse
WINNER
New Horizon Youth Centre
Ho-Co Hidden Homeless
Ho-Co Hidden Homeless
SHORTLISTED
2017
Build Architecture Awards: “Most Renowned International Architectural Studio - London & Best North West London Residential Design
Heath House
Heath House
WINNER
British Homes Awards: “Home Transformation of the Year”
Heath House
Heath House
WINNER
The Manser Medal
Heath House
Heath House
SHORTLISTED
Don't Move, Improve!
Heath House
Heath House
LONGLISTED
2016
Don't Move, Improve! "Best Use of Materials"
The Gables
The Gables
WINNER
Don't Move, Improve!
Cascade House
Cascade House
LONGLISTED
Sunday Times British Homes Awards
The Gables
The Gables
COMMENDATION
BD Interior Architect of the Year
LONGLISTED
BCO Awards “Corporate Workplace”
Middlesex House
Middlesex House
SHORTLISTED
London Planning Award "Best New Place to Work"
Middlesex House
Middlesex House
COMMENDATION
2015
Surface Design Awards
Cascade House
Cascade House
WINNER
Surface Design Awards
Marconi House
Marconi House
SHORTLISTED
New London Awards
The Gables
The Gables
SHORTLISTED
Archilovers Best Project 2015
The Gables
The Gables
WINNER
2014
FX International Interior Design Awards
Grove Residence
Grove Residence
WINNER
2013
New Homes Award: "Best Large Development"
Marconi House
Marconi House
WINNER
BBC Radio 4 Listening Project's Pod Competition
BBC Sound Pod
BBC Sound Pod
SHORTLISTED
2012
Nabu Nature Reserve Centre: Invited Competition
Nabu Visitor Centre
Nabu Visitor Centre
WINNER
Mid Sussex Design Award
The Coppice
The Coppice
SHORTLISTED
Mid Sussex Design Award
April House
April House
SHORTLISTED
2010
LDSA Building Excellence Awards
Grove Residence
Grove Residence
WINNER
2009
Camden Building Quality Awards
Grove Residence
Grove Residence
WINNER
2008
Natural Stone Awards
Grove Residence
Grove Residence
WINNER
Publications
2023
HomeWorldDesign , "Victoria Square Townhouse"
Architects' Journal , "Patalab completes retrofit of mews house in Marylebone", features Marylebone Mews House
HomeWorldDesign , "Marylebone Mews House"
e-architect , "Marylebone Mews House in West London"
2022
Living etc , "Kitchen peninsula ideas", features Highbury Fields Apartment
Living etc , "Perfect pantry ideas", features Wandsworth Cottage
Homebuilding & Renovation , pp 185-187 "Brise soleil", features Wimbledon Garden Room
Living etc , "Modern hallway ideas", features Highbury Fields Apartment
Casa.com.br , "Highbury Fields Apartment"
Dwell , pp 60-62, "Change of Scene", features Highbury Fields Apartment -
My House Idea , "Highbury Fields Apartment"
Not a Paper House , "Highbury Fields Apartment"
Grand Design Magazine , "7 Ways to remodel your home", features Wandsworth Cottage
Living etc , "Apartment storage ideas", features Kensington Gardens Apartment
Not a Paper House , "Marylebone Penthouse"
Architecture Social , "Wandsworth Cottage"
2021
My House Idea, "Marylebone Penthouse"
e-architect, "Marylebone Penthouse"
Casa.com.br, "Wandsworth Cottage"
Home World Design, "Wandsworth Cottage"
My House Idea, "Wandsworth Cottage"
design addicts platform, "Wandsworth Cottage London"
Design Raid, "Wandsworth Cottage"
Gooood, "Bird in Hand, Hampstead"
e-architect, "Wandsworth Cottage in South London"
ArchDaily China, "Bird in Hand"
Interior Design, "Patalab Architecture Breathes New Life into a 19th-Century South London Cottage", features Wandsworth Cottage
ArchDaily, "Bird in Hand"
Architecture Social, "Bird in Hand, Hampstead"
e-architect, "Bird in Hand in Hampstead"
My House Idea, "EC1 Penthouse"
Architects' Journal, "RetroFirst Stories: Scarpa-inspired Hampstead High Street revamp", features The Bird in Hand
Rethinking the Future, "Highbury Apartment"
Rethinking the Future, "Snowflake School"
Apostrophe Podcast, "Prisons or Sanctuaries", features Uwe Schmidt-Hess's thoughts on design and what can be learnt from the 1918 Pandemic
Architecture Social, "Clifton Hill House"
Rethinking the Future, "Clifton Hill House"
My House Idea, "Clifton House"
e-architect, "Clifton Hill House in St John's Wood"
Rethinking the Future, "Reinickendorfer Strasse"
Rethinking the Future, "Argyll House"
e-architect, "Perrins Court Office Renovation in Hampstead"
Education Snapshots, "Snowflake School"
AECcafe, "Snowflake School in London"
e-architect, "Reinickendorfer Strasse Apartments in Berlin"
Rethinking the Future, "Eclectic House"
My House Idea, "Argyll House"
Homebuilding & Renovating, "Loft Conversion Stairs: How to Comply with Regulations and Get the Design Right", features Cascade House
Fulldes, "Snowflake School"
Architecture Social, "Snowflake School"
e-architect, "Snowflake School in West London"
Architects' Journal, "Patalab retrofits former Salvation Army hall into specialist school", features Snowflake School for children with autism
My House Idea, "Eclectic House"
Design & Build Review, "The New Bauhaus", features Uwe Schmidt-Hess's thoughts on buildings of the future
e-architect, "Eclectic House in Camden"
Not a Paper House, "An 18th-Centuray Apartment Renovantion", features Highbury Apartment
e-architect, "Highbury Apartment in Islington"
Rethinking the Future, "The Gables"
Rethinking the Future, "EC1 Penthouse"
2020
Rethinking the Future, "Kensington Gardens Apartment"
Not a Paper House, "An Airy Living Space in London", features EC1 Penthouse
Rethinking the Future, "Cascade House"
My House Idea, "EC1 Penthouse"
e-architect, "EC1 Penthouse in Clerkenwell"
Home World Design, "EC1 Penthouse"
Gooood, "Office refurbishment in Shoreditch", features 141-143 Shoreditch High Street
Rethinking the Future, “Whittington Estate Apartment”
e-architect, “Cascade House in Hampstead Village”
My House Idea, “Cascade House”
House Diaries: “A detached Arts and Crafts townhouse in Hampstead”, features Heath House
e-architect, “Shoreditch High Street in East London” features 141-143 Shoreditch High Street
Not a Paper House, "Refurbishment of a small apartment", features Whittington Estate Apartment
e-architect, "Whittington Estate Apartment in Archway"
e-architect, "Wimbledon Garden Room"
Deutscher Architektur Verlag, pp 178-183, "Wohnen. Zukunftsorientiertes Bauen", features Reinickendorfer 65/66
Home Snapshots, “Kensington Gardens Apartment”
Interior Minimalistas, "Reforma de un espacio industrial de los años 50", features The Gables
e-architect, "Heath House – Arts and Crafts Townhouse", features Heath House
Not a Paper House, "Residential conversion by Patalab Architects", features The Gables
Contemporist, “A Sunken Lounge Creates A Distinct Space In This Living Room”, features The Gables
Interior Design, "Patalab Updates Arts and Crafts Townhouse to Showcase Art Collection", features Heath House
2019
Dezeen, “World's tallest shipping-container building to be built in London”, features 118 Vallance Road
New Atlas, “World's tallest shipping container building planned for London”, features 118 Vallance Road
Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, “Nine-Story Shipping-Container Building to be Constructed in London”, features 118 Vallance Road
The Urban Developer, “World’s Tallest Shipping Container Building gets Development Approval”, features 118 Vallance Road
Trendhunter, “Record-Breaking Shipping Container Offices”, features 118 Vallance Road
Architects’ Journal, “Patalab wins approval for 'world's tallest' shipping container building”, features 118 Vallance Road
Architectural Review,“Patalab wins approval for 'world's tallest' shipping container building”, features 118 Vallance Road
Architects’ Journal, “Finalists in RIBA Lakes and Dales housing contest revealed”
BD Online, “Six shortlisted in ‘Lakes and Dales’ housing comp”
BuildIt, “Stunning conversions from across the UK”, features The Gables
Bauwelt 02.19, “Der Brexit und Die Architekten”, pp 10&11, interview with Uwe Schmidt-Hess
2018
Braun Publishing, pp 152-155, “When a Factory becomes a Home. Adaptive Reuse for Living”, features The Gables
AECcafe, “Heath House in Hampstead”
Berliner Morgenpost, “Reinickendorf vergibt Bauherrenpreis für gelungene Projekte”, features Zieselhouse
Hertfordshire Infrastructure Charrette 4, pp 12 & 13, “The Office of the Future is a Park”, lecture about the future of the office by Uwe Schmidt-Hess
2017
House & Garden, pp 89-93, "United as One", features The Gables
AIT, p 28, "Wohnhaus The Gables in London"
Descroll, "Wimbledon Garden Room by PATALAB Architecture"
Wohnrevue, pp 74-82, "Wohnwerkstatt", features The Gables
Financial Times, pp 94-98, "The Big Picture", features Heath House
AJ Specification, pp 6 & 7, "Wimbledon Garden Room"
Designtrends, "Interview with award winning architect Uwe Schmidt-Hess"
Gardens Illustrated, p 89, "Missing Link", features Wimbledon Garden Room
AECcafé, "Cascade House in Hampstead", features Cascade House
2016
FX Design, pp 26-28 "141-143 Shoreditch High Street"
Abitare, "Living in an old garage", features The Gables
AJ Specification, pp 12 & 13, "Integrating Bespoke Lighting", features 141-143 Shoreditch High Street, Heath House & 66 St James's Street
Interior Design Magazine, p 128, "Keeping it simple", interview with Uwe Schmidt-Hess
Domus, "Garden Room", features Wimbledon Extension
Architektur & Wohnen, pp 114-118, "A Cinderalla Story", features The Gables
Architektur & Wohnen, pp 114-118, "A Cinderalla Story", features The Gables
Homify, "10 easy ways to decorate with timber", features The Gables
Housing Specification, p 18, "The Gables"
Descroll, "Soho Terrace by PATALAB Architecture", features Soho Terrace
Property e-magazine, "Radical Transformations", features The Gables
2015
Homify, "5 Facades Before And After: Amazing Transformations!", features The Gables
PAD Magazine, pp 26 & 27, "New Way of Seeing Things", features Cascade House, The Gables and 66 St James's Street
Descroll, "Office Refurbishment in London's West End", features 66 St James's Street
Dwell, "London Industrial Compound Converted Into Modern Housing", features The Gables
Homify, "Before & After: The Gables, London", features The Gables
Dezeen, "Converted Primrose Hill garage", features The Gables
ArchDaily, "The Gables"
2014
Baunetz, "Die Wohnwerkstatt", features The Gables
Brick Bulletin, p 11, "Memory of place", features The Gables
Ham & High, "Shimmering walls transform Primrose Hill garage", features The Gables
Descroll, "Twisted Display Plinth"
Furniture & Cabinetmaking, pp 42–46, "Mayfair Reception Desk", features 55 Grosvenor Street
Descroll, "Bronze Desk", features 55 Grosvenor Street
Dezeen, "Long Staircase spans converted London apartment", features Cascade House
2013
Maris,"The Ultimate Reception Desk", features 55 Grosvenor Street
The Woodworkers Institute, "Bespoke Reception Desk", features 55 Grosvenor Street
Building Design, "Architect's Eye photography competition", features Blackpool Pier photograph
Building Design, "Three designs shortlisted for BBC Radio 4's The Listening Project", features BBC Sound Pod
Architects Journal, "Revealed: finalists in BBC mobile recording pod contest", features BBC Sound Pod
2012
2011
Tec 21, pp 36-42, "Ceci n'est pas ...", features The Poet's Garden
St Galler Tagblatt, "Wo Nonsens Sinn macht", features Pataspaces