23 August 2022 · By Richard Waite
The latest in a series of practice profiles looking at architects who have recently decided to go it alone
Founded: Early 2021 (we're a pandemic practice!)
Main people: Wife and husband directors Cecilia D’Avolio and Jon Mills
Where have you come from? We met as architectural assistants, working for the Canterbury-based Clague Architects.
Cecilia started her studies in France and came to the UK under the Erasmus exchange programme, with a plan of spending only a year in the UK (little did she know!) Jon studied architecture part-time at the University of Greenwich while working in practice under the banner of the apprenticeship programme, for which he is a huge advocate.
From Canterbury, we eventually made our way to London, accepting jobs at different firms. Jon took up residency at Rolfe Judd Architects and delivered a number of high-profile inner London developments. Cecilia found herself at Ray Hole Architects, working on more leisure-focused schemes, such as ZSL London Zoo and the refurbishment of Westfield shopping centre in Shepherd’s Bush.
We founded CDJM Architects in early 2021 to provide a platform for our shared architectural passions and interests. We believe in exciting, finely crafted, practical architecture and are committed to maintaining ‘big practice’ quality in all the work produced by our emerging studio.
What work do you have and what kind of projects are you looking for? Between ourselves, we have a diverse set of experiences to draw upon, coming from both Rolfe Judd (Jon) and Ray Hole (Cecilia). We are equally comfortable delivering large-scale residential/mixed-use developments, as we are working through nuanced leisure, community and culturally focused regeneration schemes.
The first few projects we secured as a firm reflect this and likely also reflect the changing times brought about by the pandemic. We found ourselves working up a few larger-scale residential developments in east and north London, while delivering a handful of quirky urban infills closer to home in south-west London.
As a fledgling firm, we are ambitious in our aims, and we like to work with clients who are mindful of the pressing need to retrofit/re-use buildings wherever possible. One of our very first commissions was to design a knockdown and rebuild scheme out in Esher, which would have ultimately delivered a similar scale property to what was already on site. We managed to convince the client to adapt the existing bungalow building by adding a new wing and roof extension, which completely transformed the look and feel of the property.
In terms of our current projects, we have recently gone to out to tender for a 30 unit scheme in Wood Street, east London, which will hopefully be on site very soon. We also have a series of residential led developments on the books which are all in the pre application/planning submission stages.
Future work wise, we are currently liaising with a few design-led property developers who tend to focus on inner/outer London. We would also like to engage more with local authorities, particularly with a view to delivering public, arts and cultural projects.
What are your ambitions? Our aim is to be recognised for our design-led, context-driven approach to architecture. We also wish to be known for creating progressive, sustainably focused schemes alongside clients who are passionate about enhancing sense of place and community.
Recruiting comes with the added complexities of finding a larger studio
We are currently in the process of recruiting, which comes with the added complexities of sourcing a larger, more suitable home for the studio. We would like to find somewhere which will allow the practice to grow organically, while fostering a healthy studio environment for the team. No spoilers just yet, but we believe we have found the perfect place to do all the above in Tooting, south London.
We are striving for a team of seven-12 people, which we feel would be a reasonable size from our past experiences in much larger practices.
Animation of Worlingham Mews project - design development
What are the biggest challenges facing yourself as a start-up and the profession generally? The biggest challenge as a husband and wife led architectural firm is knowing when to dig in with an idea, and when you have gone too far. We have both had to quickly adapt to switching off the business brain at the end of the day, which used to lead to some feisty conversations at the dinner table.
We’ve had to quickly adapt to switching off the business brain at the end of the day
More generally however, one of the most significant issues we faced as a start-up was the inability to network face to face, due to Covid-19. Meeting new people and making connections digitally certainly has its place, however we believe nothing can replace true tangible human interaction.
On the topic of the pandemic, it has also brought about a near systemic shift to the status quo, and the biggest challenge any architectural practice faces today, start-up or otherwise, will be adapting to this newly emerging market. Being a smaller practice, we can certainly be more nimble and adaptable to said market, using measures such as remote working and flexible hours wherever necessary.
Which scheme, completed in the last five years, has inspired you most? It is difficult to list just a single project, but on balance, we love MATT Architecture's Wellington House in Wimbledon – we could be a little biased considering it’s in our home town. Jokes aside, the scheme has significantly repaired an important piece of townscape, acting as the gateway between Wimbledon town and Wimbledon village. It is also a partial retrofit project, which sought to re-use a large proportion of the existing buildings’ structural frame.
Mediating between its contemporary façade language and the traditional context in which it sits, this project is an all-round winner in our books.
Wellington House by MATT Architecture: Shortlisted in Workplaces 2,000m² - 10,000m²
How are you marketing yourselves? We have started to find a good balance between face-to-face networking and social media.
Funnily enough, we initially overlooked the benefits of social media, and all that it can offer a start-up architectural practice. My brother (Jon) is a very successful tattoo artist based out in Hackney (@mills_tattoo for the ink lovers out there!). He was aghast when he realised we hadn’t tapped into the hidden powers of Instagram, considering we are a visual practice such as his own, tattooing.
My brother was aghast when he realised we hadn’t tapped into the hidden powers of Instagram
Now when I look back, it was so obvious, but it did take some convincing for us to take the plunge. Instagram has since become an integral aspect of our day-to-day office lives. We love that it is a catalyst for discussion and allows us to create rapport with our followers.
We’re always eager to connect with industry professionals and to hear from like-minded clients. We believe our work should be self-explanatory and is itself one of our best forms of marketing.
Tags CDJM Architects New practice south-west London
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