A culture of embracing self-expression and creativity
Studio
Two decades ago, we were one of the first design practices to change its structure to an employee-owned trust, a model based on a sustainable and employee-focused community. Our model recognises the value of the contribution that everyone makes to our success.
Our B Corp certification underlines our continued commitment to high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability, and to the wellbeing of our employees.
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Studio culture
Reflective of the new, more hybridised and flexible approach to work, we earmark ‘Together’ days in the studio each week – on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays – where opportunities for collaborative work and interaction are encouraged. Capping this off each week is ‘Plus Together’, a Thursday evening sociable get-together with talks and presentations.
On a quarterly basis, we have ‘Skills +’ days, where we undertake group trips and activities such as site visits, walking tours, exhibition visits, making workshops and more formal training sessions. These shared experiences continually expose us to opportunities to learn new things together that in turn enhance our work. When possible, we have study trips overseas to see projects – as well as have fun.
Model making
Model-making is a tactile and intuitive process that allows us to communicate the spatial quality of our work in an accessible and tangible way. It remains a core component of how we design at Jestico + Whiles, and this is reflected in the model-making facilities at Sutton Yard and our in-house maker. The assembly desk, part of the main studio space, puts model-making craft on show for staff and visitors. 3D STL printing facilities help us iterate ideas quickly, while a dedicated woodworking workshop allow us to do heavier work in-house.
We create models using a range of scales to communicate different ideas. At 1:1000, projects are seen in their wider context; larger models begin to reveal spatial dialogues between buildings; while working at the finest scale helps us resolve the most tactile elements of a design. A refined materials palette that often includes actual building materials is unmatched in bringing an idea to life.
Gatherings and events
Since 2017, we have been based at our light-filled studio in Clerkenwell, at the centre of London’s architectural community. We host weekly gatherings where the entire practice comes together to share work in progress, alongside monthly practice updates. We take part in softball and five-a-side football against other London practices, as well as organising weekly yoga sessions and a lunchtime running club. We also hold regular practice lunches, cooked in-house by members of the team.
We encourage external organisations to use our extensive social space for talks, installations, events and fundraising for charity.
