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.

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

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"

Fulldes, "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

Competitionline, "Dem Brexit entgegen", interview with Uwe Schmidt-Hess

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

Residential 18 - RIBA's Directory of Chartered Practices, p 143, “Heath House”

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"

London 16 - RIBA's Directory of Chartered Practices, p 81, "The Gables"

Descroll, "Soho Terrace by PATALAB Architecture", features Soho Terrace

Property e-magazine, "Radical Transformations", features The Gables

Metro Property, cover page, "Bigger & the best", features The Gables

2015

Homify, "5 Facades Before And After: Amazing Transformations!", features The Gables

Leisure & Commercial 15 - RIBA's Directory of Chartered Practices, p 71, "66 St James's Street"

Interior 15 - RIBA's Directory of Chartered Practices, pp 78 & 79, "The Gables" & "66 St James's Street"

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

Design Matrix, pp 104–106, "Outstanding Design", features Marconi House

The Sunday Times, Home section pp 13 & 14, "Primrose evergreen", 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"

Interior 14 - RIBA's Directory of Chartered Practices, p 59, "Cascade House, Hampstead"

Architects Journal, "Student Shows 2014: University of East London", features Unit 2

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

City Am, p 13 "Mayfair office", 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

The Times, p 13, "There's life in the old girl yet", features Marconi House

Centras, pp 30–31, "Balcombe rezervate", features The Coppice

2011

Tec 21, pp 36-42, "Ceci n'est pas ...", features The Poet's Garden

St Galler Tagblatt, "Wo Nonsens Sinn macht", features Pataspaces