He Started His Own Architecture Practice at 29

Focusing in the UK actually turned out to be a lot harder than I was expecting, which was a straight...

And I still think now where we are in 2026, I think it's an incredibly challenging place, particularly in London, to do practice now.

I think things have changed a lot.

Yeah.

It's definitely, definitely hard.

Maybe we can talk a little bit about that because I just want to go on one part because I really appreciate your honesty.

Even though I'm finding it hard at the moment in 2026, I think that...

There's this pretty picture when we go into business of, oh, it'll be fine and you're going to get support and it will all be okay.

And, you know,

I think sometimes we're all guilty of like romanticizing that version.

But I personally think the reality of running my business, which the architects are social, very, very hard.

Yeah, I enjoy it.

But it's not that glamorous picture.

You know, in my opinion, the leader eats last.

I am definitely not being chauffeured around on that kind of thing.

Occasionally, Ben will chauffeur me around now and then.

But that would be in his car.

And on this, I'll be from lucky.

But it's not all glamorous.

I remember EPR artists where I worked, they were really great, really important to me.

And they were fantastic.

And then I would hear stories when I was there about the good olden days when the whiskey cart used to come around and that the three directors of EPR back in the 1930s when they set up, they would have a Rolls Royce chauffeuring them around.

One thing I say is, I think...

The dream, the illusion is different than the reality.

Oh, absolutely.

Focusing in the UK actually turned out to be a lot harder than I was expecting, which was a straight...

And I still think now where we are in 2026, I think it's an incredibly challenging place, particularly in London, to do practice now.

I think things have changed a lot.

Yeah.

It's definitely, definitely hard.

Maybe we can talk a little bit about that because I just want to go on one part because I really appreciate your honesty.

Even though I'm finding it hard at the moment in 2026, I think that...

There's this pretty picture when we go into business of, oh, it'll be fine and you're going to get support and it will all be okay.

And, you know,

I think sometimes we're all guilty of like romanticizing that version.

But I personally think the reality of running my business, which the architects are social, very, very hard.

Yeah, I enjoy it.

But it's not that glamorous picture.

You know, in my opinion, the leader eats last.

I am definitely not being chauffeured around on that kind of thing.

Occasionally, Ben will chauffeur me around now and then.

But that would be in his car.

And on this, I'll be from lucky.

But it's not all glamorous.

I remember EPR artists where I worked, they were really great, really important to me.

And they were fantastic.

And then I would hear stories when I was there about the good olden days when the whiskey cart used to come around and that the three directors of EPR back in the 1930s when they set up, they would have a Rolls Royce chauffeuring them around.

One thing I say is, I think...

The dream, the illusion is different than the reality.

Oh, absolutely.