Partner, Andrew Paulson joined Lees Associates as a Part 2 Architectural Assistant in November 2003. Five years later, he was asked to become a partner, a position he has now held for over twelve years. In his twenty years with the practice, he has overseen a wide range of prime residential projects in London and beyond.
Andrew takes a leading role in projects; his approach is focused on delivering the optimum result for the client, which he recognises ultimately stems from clear communication and building and maintaining successful relationships across the project team. Clients appreciate his thorough, precise and disciplined nature.
We sat down with him to reflect on his first 20 years at LA:
How did your journey with LA start?
After completing my RIBA Part 2 (Masters), I joined the first firm of architects who offered me a job – I was fresh from university and finally looking to earn an income! I quickly realised that I’d made a mistake, though; I was working on a supermarket and an immigration reception centre, and while I have nothing against either of those, it didn’t align with my personal interests and career ambitions. My experience to date had been working for conservation practices such as Donald Insall and Stuart Page. This, coupled with my interest in residential architecture, led me to hand my notice in after seven weeks. Having learned my lesson, I was then much more selective about the practices I moved on to apply for.
When the opportunity at LA came up, I looked into their work and how the practice was set up and immediately felt it was the right fit for me. I could see that the partners at the time, John Lees and Kathryn Archer, would become great mentors for me, and the rest, as they say, is history!
Dixton Manor, an early project for Andrew at Lees Associates.
What was your role in the beginning, and where are you at right now?
I joined LA as a junior architectural assistant with just a year in practice and a couple of internships behind me. One of the reasons I appealed to LA was my knowledge of ArchiCAD, so my first year at LA was as a draughtsperson, preparing planning, tender and construction sets of drawings.
I became a job runner in my second year after the Associate in charge of the residential scheme I had been working on left. Despite my anxiety, I took on the responsibility and used the project as my case study during my RIBA Part 3 course. Soon after passing my Part 3 and becoming a chartered architect, I became an Associate, which was a very proud milestone so early in my career.
There I was, five years into my career, and I was being offered the opportunity to become a partner at an established, well-respected firm.
In 2008, when Kathryn was on maternity leave, I stepped into a higher-level managerial position. Then, John asked me if I would be interested in becoming a partner. Wow!
There I was, five years into my career, and I was being offered the opportunity to become a partner at an established, well-respected firm.
A year later, John announced his intention to retire, after which my elevation to partner suddenly became a conversation about buying him out rather than becoming a third partner. On 1 April 2011, John departed, and I became the majority partner at LA. It had been a whirlwind 7 years!
Fast-forward over ten years, and my job is very different now from what it once was. I spend about a third of my time actively working on our projects and the rest on the business itself. We’ve established rigorous processes that ensure we consistently deliver the highest service, and this has allowed me to focus more on other priorities, not least maintaining connections and winning work! I also spend a lot of time working with our business coach: we question every aspect of what LA does as a practice, constantly seeking improvements and efficiencies.
A substantial conversion at Lennox Gardens in Knightsbridge was one of Andrew’s first big projects at Lees Associates.
“I have had the pleasure of seeing Andrew rise from a Part 2 student to his current position leading the office, working alongside top consultants and internationally-renowned designers on some of the most well-known and valued properties in London.”
What do you consider your most significant professional achievement at LA?
Looking back, I am, of course, grateful for all of the exceptional projects that I have played a part in, but I suppose my most significant achievement since becoming a Partner is to have consolidated and grown Lees Associates’ position as one of the foremost and respected architectural practices in the PCL residential market. To have been instrumental in the design and delivery of some of the most valuable properties in the world has been a privilege that I will never take for granted.
What projects have you been most proud of during your time at LA and why?
I am proud to have overseen the complex fit-outs of two of the four ultra-prime penthouses at One Hyde Park. I also reflect fondly on one of my earlier projects at LA – the restoration, renovation and extension of Dixton Manor, a Cotswolds Jacobean manor house. Our design preserved a beautiful home with a rich heritage for at least another hundred years but also brought it up to modern standards of living for our client.
One Hyde Park, where Andrew has overseen two penthouse fit-outs.
What is one challenge you’ve faced in these 20 years?
Nobody chooses architecture as a career because they want to run a business; those who last the minimum of seven years it takes to qualify usually do so because they see it as their vocation and are deeply passionate about it. So, taking the reins at Lees Associates, alongside Kathryn, and all the responsibility that came with that, was a massive leap into the unknown for me! Being a good architect is one thing; successfully running a business is another. I had a lot to learn and fast.
Being a good architect is one thing; successfully running a business is another. I had a lot to learn and fast.
Maintaining and growing a business with such a strong history in uncertain economic times was undoubtedly my greatest challenge. Fortunately, Kathryn and I have always worked well together, supporting each other with our different but complementary skills and approaches.
I now thrive on building the business, constantly seeking improvements in what we do and how we do it. This is a fundamental principle we instil in our team: to always pursue continuous learning and improvement!
What is your favourite part about working at LA? How does your job inspire you?
While the diverse and incredible projects we are lucky enough to work on are a constant source of pride and satisfaction, none of that would be possible without the support and inspiration of the LA team. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than to pass on my knowledge to the new wave of architects.
Our recruitment model is to bring the brightest people into the practice at a young age, just as I was when I joined, and to give them as many opportunities as we can. Over the years, we’ve helped many architects through their Part 3 exams and developed their skills. We are also proud of our retention rate, which is in part at least down to the fun, friendly and happy work environment we have carefully fostered over the years.
The Lees Associates team
Where do you envision yourself/LA in another ten years?
Our vision has always been to be London’s leading premium architecture and design practice, delivering a consistently high-quality, professional and value-added service which is as relevant and accurate today as ever. A handful of practices fit into that category, and my primary objective is to ensure we remain one of them.
But we are not resting on our laurels. If my first ten years at the helm of LA were about consolidation, the next ten years will be about growth. Growth not only in size but, more importantly, in the stature of the practice: the quality of what we design and deliver, our processes, and the people who make up our team.
In ten years’ time, as I reflect on my thirtieth anniversary, I want to look back with pride at what we achieved, the projects we designed and delivered, and the teams we were part of.