Formed from KDP Architects, following the retirement of the original Partners, Refine Architecture is a practice inheriting years of experience across London and the South-East, with a fresh new look and vision. Our values weave their way throughout our work, from the first stage at Feasibility, all the way through to the completed build. We pride ourselves on a high-quality customer focused service, providing our clients with excellent and purposeful design. Our designers are highly skilled, technically proficient, and knowledgeable, which means you can trust that all of our schemes are fully compliant and actually buildable. We build trust with our clients by providing informative and clear fee proposals that cater to needs. We are innovative and creative, with a keen interest in sustainability; the industry is constantly evolving, and it is important to us that we pass this knowledge on, to create a building with our client’s future and best interests in mind.
Jonathan is an RIBA chartered Architect, and as Partner of KDP Architects, he developed extensive, well established working relationships with other industry leading professional consultants and contractors. He has considerable experience in gaining Planning permissions and managing projects from feasibility to completion across a variety of sectors.
Whilst studying at the University of Brighton, London Metropolitan University and the University of Greenwich, Jonathan had early experience in the importance of collaborative engagement with clients. He worked on several live projects including a new outdoor classroom for the Krishna Avanti Primary School, and a winning competition entry for the 2012 Cultural Olympiad where a series of interactive Mobile Sound Pieces became a public installation in the City of London during the 2012 Olympic Games.
In Professional Practice Jonathan’s greatest expertise are in the innovative design of bespoke one-off houses, housing developments and Schools. These include delivering a 11,000 sqft private property in Bromley, a contemporary glazed pavilion extension to a grade II listed property in East Farleigh, a Paragraph 80 eco-home in the countryside outside of Maidstone, a 72 sustainable home development in Minster, and a 14 classroom block to Westlands Secondary School.
Jonathan is also an RIBA Future Architects Student Mentor and has been a regular guest critic at various universities including University of Brighton and University of Kent. He is passionate about the future of our profession and giving young designers a platform to grow. He also believes strongly in the positive effect this has in continually driving forward new ways of thinking in a creative studio.
Jonathan and James met in 2008 and remained in contact throughout their early architectural careers with James re-joining Jonathan at KDP in 2019, with the aspiration that they would eventually run an architectural practice together. At this point James met Russell, who had joined KDP at similar times. The three established Refine Architecture shortly after.
James is an RIBA chartered Architect, with over 15 years experience working in architectural practice. Having joined Kent Design Partnership in 2007 as an apprentice James has worked through the ranks gaining BA Honours, MArch and PGDip diplomas along the way to becoming an ARB Accredited Architect.
James spent several years during his architectural training working for a large architectural firm in London on urban residential developments gaining a thorough understanding of masterplanning and spatial planning within tight constraints. During his time working in the architectural profession James has forged his technical basis with a passion for architectural design resulting in a well rounded approach to each and every project which he is involved with. James enjoys the variety which each and every project offers from a micro to macro level but has a fond passion with conservation projects, and contemporary renovations and extensions to rural buildings.
Russell is a MCIAT Chartered Architectural Technologist and was previously the technical lead at KDP Architects, following 10 years as Senior Technologist at AHP Architects and Surveyors.
He gained his bachelor’s degree in Architecture at KIAD/UCA in Canterbury, and has developed a strong technical skill set working within a variety of sectors throughout his career.
Russell is a specialist in Revit and has a strong interest in Building Information Modelling (BIM). He is an advocate for sustainable design and has worked on several projects where sustainability has been fundamental to the client’s requirements, having recently achieved an A EPC rating for The Westlands School’s new building. Russell is currently undertaking a number of working drawing packages with a leading ICF supplier, providing energy efficient homes with significantly reduced running costs to the occupier.
Past statement projects include a new Women’s and Children’s building at North Middlesex University Hospital, Kent County Showground’s exhibition centre, and a fire compliance project at St James’ Palace. Russell has been the technical lead on numerous large housing schemes for regional developers, as well as several bespoke dwellings, and recently completed the working drawings and construction package for a new classroom block at Westlands School.
