The People Behind the Projects

🔹 Interviewed by: Chris Watling

🔹 Guest: Robert Pike , Founder, Boidus Studio

In every successful project, there’s more than just a strategy—there’s a story. The People Behind the Projects shines a light on the individuals whose work powers progress, innovation, and impact.

This week, we sat down with Robert, to learn more about his journey, understand his thoughts on certain topics, and discuss talking points for the wider industry.

Q1: What part of our industry do you think needs more attention—whether that’s improvement, development, or just better exposure—and why?

"When Did Sustainability Get So Boring?"

That was the provocative question posed during the Mix Morning Sessions at Clerkenwell Design Week — and it struck a chord with me. Part of my motivation for founding Boidus stemmed from my frustration with how the built environment continues to address sustainability: often superficially, occasionally begrudgingly, and rarely with the urgency and imagination the moment demands.

The UK construction industry accounts for nearly 40% of national carbon emissions. This staggering figure underscores a pressing reality: we cannot reach our net zero targets without radically rethinking how we design, build, and crucially — how we reuse. Demolition should no longer be the default. Instead, we must prioritise retrofitting existing buildings and reusing materials as fundamental strategies within a circular economy. These approaches don’t just reduce emissions — they also lower operational costs and contribute to healthier, more resilient places to live and work.

Yet, despite the urgency, momentum has stalled. Why? Because sustainability, once a rallying cry, has, in many ways, become alienating. We’ve buried it in jargon, carbon metrics, and acronyms. We've stopped speaking in human terms.

My thinking has evolved. Sustainability isn’t boring — but the way we talk about it often is. What if, instead of abstract "carbon savings," we focused on how sustainable design can create vibrant, healthy, joyful places to live, work, and play? What if we brought the conversation back to people?

To deliver sustainability at scale, we need more than good intentions. It requires coordinated policy, smarter financing, investment in skills, and bespoke strategies for heritage and hard-to-treat buildings. But above all, we need to shift the narrative — to make sustainability tangible, inclusive, and inspiring again.

Q2: Are there any architects or firms you particularly admire or draw inspiration from?

Asking who inspires me is like asking what my favourite music is — the answer constantly evolves as I grow, reflect, and shift my perspective. I have too many references!

If you had asked me during my degree studies, I would have pointed to Peter Zumthor or Carlo Scarpa — both masters of grounding buildings in their context and designing with all the senses in mind. Their work resonated with me deeply at that stage of my development.

By the time I was at diploma school, my interests had expanded toward landscape-led urban design. I found myself drawn to the work of James Corner and the innovative Dutch approaches to city-making. Their influence became foundational to much of my work in practice, where I focused on the relationship between landscape, infrastructure, and the public realm. I would also cite the book Happy Cities by Charles Montgomery. 

This week at Clerkenwell Design Week, I made a point of attending Alison Brooks Architects’ talk at the EH Smith brick showroom. I've long admired their approach to residential architecture, ever since visiting their projects at Newhall in Harlow. It’s been fascinating to watch how their housing typologies have evolved — from early explorations of integrated workspaces in homes to rethinking amenity space, playing with spatial form, and challenging conventional face-to-face distances.

They were ahead of their time in many respects, and I believe they — along with other forward-thinking practices — will be central to how Britain delivers new homes in the coming decades. Their ability to combine architectural ambition with real-world housing needs is exactly the kind of design leadership we need more of.

Other timely inspirations at the moment have come from the following sources: 

• Leanne Tritton Hon FRIBA was one of the first people I contacted when I was first unemployed, as I was inspired by seeing the #DontWasteBuildings Campaign discussed at Futurebuild led by her, Will Hurst and Richard Nelson . This is detailed here:

Don't Waste Buildings — Abyss: Global business growth for architecture, engineering, construction and property

• The Building Centre has been a great place to go lately as I went there to see Retrofit 25 exhibition in April and was subsequently invited to a conference by Shade the UK on why we need to design children's play areas to adapt to extreme heat. There were so many speakers providing great project examples. 
• Retrofit 25 has had an evening seminar series organised by the National Retrofit Hub and the speakers have all spoken with great positivity about what can be achieved in the sector and how we can meet net zero carbon targets. Shout out to: 
• Hannah Maeve Wooller , Director, Matter of Place Architects CIC - community buildings and retrofit in Norfolk 
• Naomi Rubbra , CEO, Footwork - supporting community innovators across England
• Tim Bowder-Ridger , Conran & Partners
• Alex Baines , Head of Building Better, Saint-Gobain UK & Ireland

Retrofit 25: What's Stopping Us Exhibition and Events | Building Centre London

• The Architects Climate Network has also become a really useful resource and network, and I was recently at their Hug a Building event where they launched their demolition map
• Podcasts to listen to - BBC World Service's The Climate Question; and check out 99% Invisible, particularly the series Not Built For This. Not Built For This - 99% Invisible

Q3: What continuing education or licensure steps have you taken (or plan to take)?

Continuing Professional Development has always been more than just a box-ticking exercise for me. I’ve made a conscious effort to approach it as a meaningful way to stay curious, informed, and relevant — not just to meet ARB requirements, but to grow as an architect and contribute more meaningfully to the profession.

This year, I’ve focused heavily on sustainability. One of the most rewarding aspects of my last role was being part of the in-house sustainability group. We regularly hosted talks and seminars covering a broad range of environmental topics, creating space for critical thinking and practical learning. To complement this, I attended Futurebuild, which centred on retrofit — a theme that resonates strongly with my own values. It was refreshing and energising to hear from pioneers like Duncan Baker-Brown and Julia Barfield, who are pushing the boundaries of sustainable design and circular thinking.

I'm also actively preparing for the implementation of new environmental legislation, recognising that staying ahead of these changes is essential not only for compliance but for responsible, future-focused practice.

At the same time, the Building Safety Act continues to dominate the industry’s agenda. Staying on top of the evolving procedures — especially as more projects move through Gateway 2 — is absolutely critical. It’s changing the way we work, from how we document our decisions to how rigorously we scrutinise suppliers. This legislation has prompted a much-needed cultural shift, encouraging us to challenge assumptions and deepen our accountability.

And CPD isn’t always predictable — sometimes the most unexpected learnings can be the most exciting. At Clerkenwell Design Week, I found myself drawn into a session on mycelium — something I’d never anticipated but found incredibly thought-provoking in the context of biomaterials and regenerative design. I would like to give a shout out to: 

Paola Garnousset of Blast Studio Products | Explore Innovative Materials — Blast Studio

and Savannah Willits of PLP Labs. Symbiocene Architecture – PLP Labs

Q4: What project has been the most fun to work on and why?

Watford Riverwell: From Concept to Community

During my time at Pod Architects Ltd , one of the most rewarding experiences was helping the practice secure the role of lead architect for the Watford Riverwell Northern Masterplan in 2016. I played a key role in shaping the early design strategy, advocating for a landscape-led approach that prioritised active travel, public realm integration, and long-term sustainability. It’s been incredibly fulfilling to see many of those principles realised over time.

With large masterplans, one of the most valuable lessons is learning how flexible and responsive they must be. Stakeholder priorities shift — sometimes dramatically. In this case, the neighbouring hospital opted to expand into part of the masterplan area, requiring a fundamental reassessment of some of the core principles and spatial allocations. Navigating these changes while preserving design integrity was a major learning curve.

Back in 2016, I produced a series of early axonometric sketches proposing a high-density housing parcel, inspired by benchmark projects like Accordia (Alison Brooks Architects and Fielden Clegg Bradley Studios) and the work of Peter Barber. That initial vision eventually evolved into what is now known as the Avenues Housing Scheme in Watford.

Today, the project is used by the client as an exemplar scheme, frequently cited and nominated for awards. It stands as a testament not just to strong early design thinking, but to the commitment of many — from the dedicated team at POD to the managing director who championed the high-density approach through planning negotiations. The overwhelmingly positive feedback from residents upon occupation speaks volumes about the value of staying true to a clear, people-focused vision.

It’s a project I remain deeply proud of — not just for its built outcome, but for what it taught me about collaboration, persistence, and the long arc of masterplanning.

Q5: Has the increase in remote working impacted projects?

Remote Working and the Architectural Workflow: A Personal Reflection

I still remember the days before COVID when we'd gather around a barely audible speaker for the occasional awkward conference call. Then, almost overnight, everything changed. Suddenly we were on Teams or Zoom daily. The transition was jarring — but also transformative.

The fact that architects could work from home during the pandemic helped many projects stay afloat. It demonstrated to clients that our workflows could remain consistent, even in crisis. For me, this shift hit at a pivotal moment: I began work on the RIBA Stage 4 package for the Watford Avenues scheme just as the first lockdown began. We all had to adapt — fast. There wasn’t much time to overthink it. We made it work because, frankly, we had no choice.

But I won’t sugarcoat that period. It was incredibly difficult for me personally, and the blurring of lines between work and home life had a serious impact on my mental health and family. There was no separation, no pause — just an endless loop of tasks and screens in the same space where I was supposed to look after family, relax and reset. 

Fast forward to today, and while the world has reopened, Zoom and Teams have embedded themselves into daily workflow. On the one hand, this is a clear win: it saves travel time, reduces costs, and makes collaboration across cities and even countries easier than ever. On the other hand, the relentless nature of back-to-back virtual meetings can be exhausting. It’s a different kind of burnout — quieter but no less real.

Personally, I prefer to work in the studio. I value the clear boundary between home and work, and the informal, spontaneous conversations that happen in shared spaces. That said, I appreciate that others thrive in remote environments — especially those with caregiving responsibilities or long commutes. In my last role at an AJ100 practice, Fridays in the office could feel oddly empty, with only a quarter of desks occupied. But logistically, the practice made hybrid working feasible by investing in infrastructure — allowing seamless remote access to shared Revit models and key systems, which kept workflows running smoothly.

The future of architectural work is clearly hybrid — and I think that’s a good thing. But as an industry, we still need to grapple with how we balance flexibility, collaboration, and wellbeing in this new paradigm. As I start a business on my own I also have to think how should I work day-to-day when I don't have a boss breathing down my neck. Design inspiration isn't always something that happens to me between 9am to 6pm for sure and some days I would prefer to pick my kids up from school at 1530 and maybe work after 2100. I think we now live in a space where conventional work patterns are evolving. I hope that benefits projects because designers aren't so fixed to a strict 9-6 day!

🙌 Let’s Celebrate the People Behind the Projects

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