Luxury Residential Architects London
A handful of London architects can point to work on a Stirling Prize winner. Fewer still will have the person who actually did that work sitting across the table from you on your own project. Design United Studio is led by director Jürgen Kuppers, whose background at Foster + Partners included 30 St Mary Axe, widely known as the Gherkin, and the RIBA Award-winning Marseille Vieux Port masterplan.
The Same Pedigree, Without the Layers Between You and It
Why a Two-Person Studio Can Compete With a Prestige Practice
At a larger practice, a high-profile residential project is often led day to day by an associate, not the partner whose name sold the pitch.
At Design United Studio, Jürgen is directly involved from the first meeting through to completion, on every project, not just the ones large enough to justify his own time.
Kirana Laonipon, our Part II architectural assistant, provides that same continuity throughout, rather than a project being handed between different people as it moves through each stage.
Foster + Partners Pedigree, Applied to a Single Home
30 St Mary Axe and the Marseille Vieux Port masterplan were built at a scale most private houses never approach. But the discipline behind them, rigorous detailing, honest use of materials, structure treated as part of the design rather than hidden behind it, translates directly to a single residential project.
That's the standard a luxury project gets held to here, regardless of the building's size.
A Bespoke Design, Not a Signature Look Repeated Across Clients
Some practices at this end of the market develop a recognisable house style and apply it project to project.
We design outward from the client and the site each time, then combine the architecture and interior design as one integrated service, rather than briefing them separately and hoping the two visions line up.
Working the Way High-Value Projects Actually Need To
Privacy matters more on some projects than others, and a small studio has a natural advantage there. Fewer people have visibility into a project's drawings, budget or timeline at any given stage, and every conversation happens directly with the two people actually doing the work.
Built to a Standard That Doesn't Cut Corners Once the Design Is Approved
A strong concept only holds up if the specification and site oversight match it. We stay involved through material selection, joinery detailing and on-site quality control right through to completion, not just the design stage, so what gets built matches what was actually agreed.
Ten Years, One Name on Every Project
The Studio Behind the Pedigree
Design United Studio is led by director Jürgen Kuppers, a RIBA and ARB registered architect whose background includes large-scale projects at Foster + Partners, working alongside Part II Architectural Assistant Kirana Laonipon.
A lot of our larger-scale work concentrates in areas like Chelsea and Kingston, though the same standard applies wherever a project happens to be.
Big-Practice Experience, Small-Studio Attention
Our Track Record
2
Hands-On Team
100+
Projects
99%
Planning Approval Success Rate
10+
Years in Practice
What Our Clients Say
"We interviewed practices with far bigger names, and every one of them made clear our project would be led by someone junior once the contract was signed. Here, it never stopped being Jürgen."
"The finish on the joinery alone told us this wasn't a firm treating our house like their hundredth project that year."
"We valued being able to keep the whole project quiet until we were ready to talk about it. That was never in question with a team this size."
SEBASTIAN C.
ISABELLA F.
RUPERT K.
Straight answers before you call
Frequently asked questions
Common questions from clients considering a high-end residential project in London.
