Team

GRID Inside is part of GRID Architects and our skills as interior designers and architects are an essential part of the Restoration Programme due to the extensive and complex nature of the project. We’re going far beyond just redecoration in order to improve the estate for modern living at this quintessential London address.

The improvements can be categorised into four main parts: the apartments and common areas to each house; the amenity spaces; the building envelope; and the basement. 

We have a large team working on the project - split into ‘mini’ teams, focussed on each part of the programme. My role is to ensure that the design approach is consistent across all parts and that we do justice to such a seminal architectural and heritage asset. 

Fundamental to our approach is capitalising on the 1930’s character of the exterior building in the new interior design. The majority of the original internal features have been lost over the years and our objective is to reinvigorate the interiors with a design that is influenced by the era of the building but in a contemporary ‘fresh’ manner using colour, materials, details, and lighting. 

With the design team, we are taking the opportunity to modernise the mechanical services throughout the entirety of the estate which will improve the environmental performance of the buildings. These will include replacement windows with greater thermal performance which will match the appearance of the existing windows, improved insulation to the roofs, reduced air leakage, and new high-performance heating systems that will include heat recovery ventilation to the apartments. 

Our overall aim is to sensitively refurbish and restore this much-loved estate, taking inspiration from its original character to enhance the estate’s built environment for all our existing and future residents.

Setting a future-proof sustainability strategy for the development is key to ensuring all teams share the same vision, making it a priority for Dolphin Square to get as close as possible to a net-zero building.

Laure is instrumental in ensuring Dolphin Square is a zero fossil-free building as well as overseeing the overarching strategy for the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) objectives of the project.

Divya has shaped the sustainability strategy, setting the key performance targets of the project, and ensuring health and wellbeing are considered at each step of the project.

“My key priority is to align the scheme to a future-proof Net Zero Carbon framework such as the RIBA 2030 Climate Change Challenge. This has helped guide all areas and stages of the construction process to ensure the best shot at achieving a world-leading residential scheme that is relevant for the next 50 years. Areas such as energy efficiency, climate resilience, embodied carbon, construction and operational waste, and community engagement have been central to my work” 

As a WELL assessor, Divya has engaged extensively with the entire team to enhance air & water quality, lighting levels, sound, thermal comfort, and both tenant & employee wellbeing. Since joining RAM Partners in 2005, he has overseen the acquisition and repositioning of more than 30,000 apartment homes, with a value exceeding $4 billion. He also successfully expanded RAM Partners’ operations to include more geographic locations in the Western US, Florida, and Texas. Currently responsible for the performance of RAM Partner’s 70,000+ units and 1,600+ employees, Williams continues to grow the RAM Partner’s presence throughout the US with more than 10,000 units in the RAM development/ acquisition pipeline.  Williams holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University.

Building certification is key to positioning Dolphin Square as one of the best residential buildings in the country. To do so, BREEAM and WELL have been the foundation of the sustainability strategy.

Clodagh is leading the BREEAM certification as well as framing the wider ESG objectives with Divya.

“My key aim is to guide the team through building certification and ensure efficiency in aspects such as energy consumption, waste management, material choice, and procurement are well developed throughout the design. My priority is to ensure the main targets of BREEAM form the foundation of the sustainable refurbishment, but that our wider ESG targets are not bound by certification schemes. Encouraging the design team to reach beyond certification targets and keep sustainability relevant within design discussions is the key driver for my contribution to the Dolphin Square development.”

BREEAM certification will help improve the environmental, social, and economic impact of the refurbishment, enhancing Dolphin Square’s position as one of the most sought-after addresses in London.

Ben has been involved from the outset of the Restoration Programme to ensure the decisions and strategies employed on this significant project secure the safety of everyone during the construction phase and far beyond. The principal designer role is to plan, manage, and monitor the design phase and reduce risks through coordination with the design team – acting as a project manager specifically overseeing risk reduction/elimination.

The Hollis approach to safety in design is one of engagement and collaboration, closely coordinating with design teams to identify desirable outcomes for the benefit of Dolphin Square for years to come, with careful consideration to resident safety in their apartments, common areas, and communal garden. The great history and character of Dolphin Square is considerately balanced against aspirations to provide modern health and safety measures. Ben is the head of the Health and Safety Service at Hollis and as a chartered surveyor with over 20 years of experience in the construction industry, he has acted as principal designer on a range of new build and refurbishment projects, in both the private and public sectors. This wide range of experience allows him to bring technical and commercial expertise from across the property lifecycle, making him the ideal candidate to effectively manage stakeholder interests at both strategic and delivery levels. Ben is supported on this project by Elliott Lockyer, Mason McIntyre, and Lawrence Bonavia.

Mark is a Partner at Hollis, leading the Cost Management service. As cost managers on Dolphin Square, his role involves working with the design team to responsibly deliver the very best and most appropriate solutions. As a Chartered Quantity Surveyor he works with the designers and engineers to explore all options – ultimately ensuring we achieve the appropriate balance of design, creativity and flair. Hollis also tender the project to contractors, working with the Project Managers to make sure the right and best contractor is secured to deliver this important scheme. For Mark, it’s partly about governance and control but also about collaboration and commitment – the key to achieving the very best outcomes for Dolphin Square.

Dolphin Square’s gardens are probably the estate’s most valued asset. As landscape architects, we are passionate about the conservation and enhancement of London’s landscapes and gardens and are proud to have led many major park and garden restoration projects over the last 20 years.

We are really pleased to be working on Dolphin Square as it’s a unique garden in London and the most intact design of Richard Sudell, its original landscape architect. He designed it for use by the many and the few at the same time, a theme which of course will continue. His vision for the gardens with their variety of spaces, plants, and global themes, has successfully provided for generations of Dolphin residents. However, the gardens have become overgrown and tired over time, with some of their original planting and delight lost. But landscape restoration is not just about planting. There are a number of complex issues that need to be addressed. Much of the paving is uneven, and details that gave the gardens their individual character have been lost. This project gives an opportunity to revitalise them whilst retaining their heritage, which many residents value, and for which it has been recently listed by Historic England.

One of our main interests is the integration of restoration, biodiversity, access, and sensitive new design within historic landscapes. Through sensitive restoration of the main gardens and new design within the Moroccan Garden we will be able to better connect them from the buildings making them more accessible for all. As a result, we believe this will lift the spirit and significance of the revitalised garden for all its residents and visitors.

Our philosophy is to conserve what is most significant about a place, but through sensitive and creative design, make the space work for its current users. This may include some new materials, but only to strengthen the identity, heritage, access, and biodiversity values.

Landscape architect & researcher Annabel Downs and Architect, Kim Randall are part of the team to ensure the scheme has the specialist input it deserves.

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