SIMON SMITH

Founding Partner BA(Hons) DipArch ARB RIBA

As a Londoner through and through, Simon has extensive experience working on properties in the various different London boroughs and communicating with their respective councils. This rich knowledge of London helped form the foundation for Smith & Brooke’s long-lasting relationship with Marldon, a company which has worked at developing a multitude of projects around London. Throughout this partnership, Simon has been involved in bringing many large-scale residential and commercial buildings to life.

In addition to working on large residential projects, Simon regularly uses his creative talent to design inventive solutions to maximise the space of clients’ London homes. His long-standing relationships with clients are testament to his commitment and dedication to the projects.

Over their years at Smith & Brooke, both Simon and Michael have taken a very hands-on approach to providing rich learning environments for students at all stages of their architectural education, with many continuing to work at the practice once they have qualified.

LUCY BROOKE

Director MA(Hons) DipArch ARB RIBA

Having excelled at university, winning awards for her dissertations, Lucy qualified in 2013 and went on to work at Aecom, involving herself heavily with city planning and And Architects, where she expanded her residential experience. After moving on to Grimshaw Architects, Lucy was the package architect working on site at London Bridge Train Station and its interface with the Shard. Having worked at Smith Brooke on and off, Lucy joined her father and became a full-time employee in 2015 and became a Director in 2020. 

Alongside this, Lucy both worked and volunteered for the NAEF charity out in Ethiopia where she acted as Project Architect, building a large secondary school for the local children. Both Lucy and Michael continue to be involved in overseeing the continuing building and expansion of the school, which has enjoyed huge success since the first pupils enrolled.

Lucy works across all RIBA stages and has a keen interest and focus on internal layouts, joinery, bathrooms and kitchen design. 

WILL SMITH

Director BA(Hons) DipArch ARB RIBA

Following in his father’s footsteps, Will became a fully qualified architect in 2015. After graduating from university, he began his architectural career working at Assael Architecture from 2012-2017, where he worked on large scale build-to-rent schemes, including 400 apartments in Walthamstow.  

Will has vast experience working on large scale residential projects, including multiple projects for schools within London. Most notable of these is the Broomwood Hall Schools group, for whom Will has designed a large portfolio that is still growing. Will has also completed many smaller residential builds around London, specialising in complex extensions which challenge the planning boundaries, enjoying designing unique solutions to complex architectural conundrums.

Having joined Smith Brooke in early 2018, Will became a Director at the end of 2020.

KHALIM MAUDARBOCUS

Architectural Consultant BA(Hons) DipArch 

Khalim has been with us at Smith & Brooke for a number of years, working here throughout his degree and joining us as a fully qualified architect in 2007. With a history in large commercial and residential builds, Khalim works very closely with Smith Brooke’s long-term client, Marldon. He has been working on Prescot House, Prescot Street and Chamber Street which, when finished, will complete the design of an impressive and prominent street corner near Tower Bridge which is aimed at rejuvenating the area and increasing its appeal to city dwellers.

ALEX BROOKE YAZDI

Architect Bsc(Hons) MArch ARB

After completing her Masters in Architecture at The Barlett School of Architecture, Alex spent a number of years at Hawkins Brown Architects where she worked on projects within the education sector as well as large scale residential developments. More recently Alex worked at as a Senior Project Architect at Fraher and Findlay, an award winning architect-led design and build company, where she spent time honing her skills in innovative high end residential design for home owners. Her experience in this area bridges refurbishment, retrofit and new builds.

Alex is passionate about designing and delivering well-crafted spaces with a focus on the use of materials to create beautiful, functional buildings both inside and out, and believes that understanding and responding to the specific needs of each client and site is integral to good design. Alex’s interest in the craft of great design is founded in a background in the creative arts; prior to embarking in the study of architecture Alex completed a bachelor’s degree at the University of Arts London.

HAZEL COZENS

Part II Architectural Assistant BA(Hons)

Hazel completed her Part 1 Degree at the University of Newcastle in 2018. Since graduating, she has worked on numerous residential projects in London and the Home Counties with ES Architecture, as well as working towards large scale mix-use schemes at The Manser Practice. Hazel’s experience covers interior design, home extensions, refurbishment, new builds, and commercial schemes. In 2023, Hazel graduated from her Master of Architecture degree at Bath University and joined Smith Brooke as a Part II Architectural Assistant, continuing her journey towards her Architectural qualification.

VIRALI PATEL

Part I Architectural Assistant BA(Hons)

After graduating from Oxford Brookes University, Virali has joined Smith Brooke as a Part 1 Architectural Assistant. With previous experience in residential planning, fire safety design, and as a CAD technician, Virali is passionate about holistic design and creating architecture that enriches the human experience. She wrote her dissertation on this topic, and it remains at the forefront of all her projects. Virali is excited to contribute to the Smith Brooke family and to learn and grow from the amazing team.

OLIVER CIOLLI

Part I Architectural Assistant BA(Hons)

Oliver completed his Part 1 Degree at Kingston University. After graduating, he worked at Bindloss Dawes Architects, where he worked on a variety of projects including a fine dining restaurant, a gallery in Mayfair, a yoga studio and a large glasshouse for a stately home as well as several rear extensions. Oliver specialises in preparing visualizations to help our clients make decisions throughout the design process.

KATE LAIDLAW

Operations Manager

Born and raised in London, Kate studied Graphic Design and History of Art at Central Saint Martin’s School of Art and then Oxford Brookes. She worked in the contemporary art world for 16 years working at Lisson Gallery, White Cube, Hauser & Wirth and David Zwirner and spent 3 years in Sydney, Australia working for the Biennale of Sydney as an Exhibition Manager and Venue Coordinator.

Kate changed careers in 2020 to work within the family business as Operations Manager and hasn’t looked back since. She is responsible for accounting, HR, business planning, website design and a variety of other things!