William Matthews Associates
Area of expertise: architecture and design.
William Matthews Associates is an award-winning architecture practice based in central London. Since 2013 the studio has worked in the UK and internationally on a range of cultural, commercial and infrastructure commissions, completing critically acclaimed projects such as the Tintagel Castle Footbridge which was shortlisted for the 2021 RIBA Stirling Prize.
William Matthews Associates work with committed public and private clients including English Heritage, Canary Wharf, the London Legacy Development Corporation, Network Rail and HS2. We also enjoy collaborating with other architects, designers and artists. The practice has earned international recognition, winning multiple architectural competitions in Europe, the Middle East, and North America. Their work has been widely published in the UK and internationally.
Phone +44 207 5660 071
Address 169 Long Lane, London, SE1 4PN
Website wma.co
Instagram @williammatthewsassociates
Who are WMA?
WMA is an ambitious design-led architectural practice founded in 2013 by William Matthews. We are international in outlook, creatively driven and strive to deliver exciting and elegant designs that set the highest standards; socially, environmentally, and architecturally.
Tell us about your practice?
The ethos of the practice is driven by an untiring determination to understand the spirit of the places in which we build, both urban and rural; to appreciate and consider the bigger picture. We are not driven by dogma or protocol – every project is approached differently, depending on the context, the brief, the client and the unique challenges that every building has. If there is a common thread that runs through our work, it is a sense of humanity – the importance of people, as end users and as collaborators in the design process.
How do you design?
Our method of working is participatory: we want clients, engineers and specialist consultants to contribute from the beginning of a project and throughout the design process. We recognise that we will always be part of a team and whilst individuals can provide leadership only teams can deliver successful projects.
What projects are you currently working on?
Much of our work is won through competition and the team has been very successful over the past years, winning commissions throughout Europe, the Gulf and North America. Current projects include a 44,000m2 Headquarters for the Czech national rail company in Prague and a 100,000m2 office development in downtown Vancouver. Our work has been widely published internationally and won multiple awards. In 2021 Tintagel Castle Footbridge was a finalist for the RIBA Stirling Prize.
What have been the highlights for you in the past year?
2023 marked the 10-year anniversary of the practice. We celebrated at the top of the Shard in London – a building that William delivered just prior to setting up the practice.
What is your special focus for MIPIM 2024?
MIPIM is about re-connecting with old friends, meeting potential collaborators and creating new international networks. We want to meet anyone who is interested in creating great architecture and enjoying the process of design and construction.
Is there a quote that sums up your ambition?
Raphael Moneo used the following words to describe the work of Lapena and Torres:
"Fresh, direct, daring; brief, subtle, mysterious; clean, sharp, happy; shining, full, intense; pliant, light, clean; supple, flexible, lively; fragile, transparent, terse; broken, versatile, open."
These twenty-four words capture many of the things we want to achieve.
Find out more about the RIBA Chartered Practices attending MIPIM 2024.
