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Simpson Studio is an award-winning British design house specialising in architecture, interior design and bespoke furniture, with offices in London and Edinburgh. The studio is made up of a multidisciplinary group of designers, architects and cabinet makers who create beautiful spaces through the coordination of each of the studios three specialisms. Their mission is to remove the boundaries within the built environment and create a joined up approach to the world of architecture and design, balancing form and function to create uncompromising environments, that are built to last.
The studio works across the UK, on both residential and commercial projects. Their clients are at the heart of their design process and immersed in the journey throughout the project, while the studio overseas every detail from start to finish; the architectural design, the interior fit out and bespoke furniture, produced by the Made By Simpson Studio arm of the company.
Made By Simpson Studio design and hand-make bespoke products and furniture in house, using British natural materials such as Ledmore marble from North-West Scotland, or English oak from Sussex. Selecting the right materials and understanding their qualities and limitations is key to their work. Materials are tied all the way through a project from the architecture all the way to the design of a single doorknob, and there is an honesty and clarity about where each piece and material originates.
Female Founder
Joanna Simpson, Director of Simpson Studio, started the company in 2013. After graduating from the University of Edinburgh, with a first class degree in architecture and the prestigious Martin Hackett award, Joanna joined the built environment charity Article 25. She worked on projects in Sierra Leone’s largest national park with former RIBA president and Architect Jack Pringle, and schools in Pakistan with revered English Architect and Designer Norman Foster.
Joanna believes that buildings should be underpinned by a powerful idea, which should be an intelligent, honest, and logical response to the intended functionality. It should evoke a sense of place; the experiential and expressive ways places are known. The design should be a response to the local conditions of site, material, scale, and culture, which is then evolved and moulded to deliver the best possible function and enjoyment from a place.
Joanna is an incredibly detailed driven designer, with a full understanding of every project in the studio. It’s also very important to her that everyone in the team has a voice and is able to share opinions, in order to reach the best possible design conclusion. Joanna really values discussion and she is a strong believer in Matthew Syed’s approach to reframing error; that people can only achieve real greatness through iterative design; by trying, failing and continuing to innovate.
Joanna works to ensure that her design house changes the way the built environment is created, to deliver better design and functionality. She believes, that a design house can remove the boundaries in the built environment, creating one holistic and collaborative team, in order to deliver better and more meaningful projects.
Ensuring Clients Get the Best Results
The world of Design and Construction is multi-faceted and complicated, and too often there are design oversights, compromises, overspending, and program delays because a project isn’t joined up. That is why Simpson Studio, as a design house, integrates all ideas, communication and accountability under one roof to make sure it’s clients receive the best possible results. The studio designs every aspect of a project in-house to ensure each detail is captured in a fully integrated and connected scheme, delivering better spaces at the end of the project.
Tackling Challenges
One of the biggest challenge the studio has faced to date is balance workloads, projects, and new business. As a service provider reliant on project-based work it is critical to have the right level of work to support the number of staff and not overwhelm a team, while ensuring business is in the pipeline for continued growth. In the construction industry projects are often delayed, and programmes are ultimately driven by clients and contractor at most stages throughout the process, rather than being controlled in house. World event over the last few years have further disrupted business continuity, with the huge uncertainty Covid brought, wide reaching material shortages and dramatic price increases. Running successful projects under these conditions is challenging. The studio tackled this with open dialogue, both as a team and with its clients. Being open about the problems, willing and progressive with solutions, and flexible in their approach.
Picture of the Future
When it comes to the future, the studio aspires to become the leading British design house for the built environment. This year Simpson Studio has launched its second studio in Edinburgh, and it is committed to expanding its reach across Scotland, with new projects and clients in the pipeline. The Studio is also developing its retail line, which launched last year, with more products in its British Marble range launching later this year.
Joanna feels very proud of everything she has achieved in the last 9 years. Every project Simpson Studio delivers regardless of scale gets the same commitment and quality of design. Simpson Studio’s clients come back time and time again, and these relationships are the greatest achievement for Joanna and her team as a business.
