Articles from Selena
The latest news, updates and expert views for ambitious, high-achieving and purpose-driven homeowners and property entrepreneurs.
Architectural Designer
Hailing from Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, Selena is an experienced architectural designer who brings international expertise to the Urbanist Architecture team. Before relocating to London, Selena worked at multiple highly respected architecture firms in New Zealand, leading several projects and honing her craft in the areas of residential, educational and commercial architecture. She’s worked extensively across new build design, as well as in renovations and refurbishments.
She completed both her bachelor’s and master's degrees at Victoria University in Wellington, where she studied the A-Z of architecture and even completed a thesis on dystopian design (a thesis we’re dying to read). She’s also travelled extensively - most recently across Europe - where she was struck by the diversity of architectural design across the continent, noting Barcelona’s iconic La Sagrada Familia as the building that most inspired her through her travels.
Navigating tricky sites and finding effective solutions for projects that come with a tangle of site restrictions are challenges she embraces, and there’s nothing she finds more satisfying than helping a client bring their vision to life and seeing its evolution from a drawing on the page to an elegant and functional construction out in the world. At Urbanist Architecture, Selena works closely with the rest of our tight-knit team to focus on a range of projects, using her exceptional design skills right across our residential portfolio.
When she’s not busy crafting her clients’ dream designs, Selena can be found on the squash court, in the kitchen whipping up her famous cheesecake, or perhaps even hiking up a mountain somewhere (she has trekked Mt Everest Base Camp - no big deal).
“ I used Urbanist Architecture to support with the designs of our house which included an extension and changes to the interior. With a brief idea of what I wanted they provided some amazing designs and were always happy to accommodate my requests. Final designs went above and beyond what I had anticipated. ”
C. Llanes-Kidder — Oxford
“ I buy a lot of properties, use a lot of property development strategies and have tried many architecture companies in London through my long history with property investment. I have never seen support as professional, excellent or quick as I get from this architecture office. Nor I felt the kind of care, concern and desire to help people I see with them. They are really one in a million! Many thanks. ”
Wills M. — Berkshire
“ We at SWIM Enterprises CIC are thrilled with the successful outcome of our Certificate of Lawfulness application and the seamless experience of working with Selena and the rest of the team. The well-structured application process and the Urbanist Architecture team's expertise in addressing the intrinsic considerations of our project were instrumental. We look forward to more future collaborations and wish the UA team every success in their endeavours. ”
Rehan U. — London
Working side by side with a client and seeing our early design ideas transform from a drawing on the page to a building out in the world that’s both functional and visually striking is definitely one of the most rewarding elements of the job.
Architectural Designer
The latest news, updates and expert views for ambitious, high-achieving and purpose-driven homeowners and property entrepreneurs.
We specialise in crafting creative design and planning strategies to unlock the hidden potential of developments, secure planning permission and deliver imaginative projects on tricky sites
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