Metropolitan Workshop was established in 2005 by David Prichard and Neil Deely, both former directors of MacCormac Jamieson Prichard. David Prichard was a founding member of MacCormac Jamieson Prichard in 1972, a partner from 1980 to 2001 and a director after incorporation. His particular interests are in master planning, urban design, housing and regeneration commissions as well as a range of civic and education building projects. He led the multi-disciplinary team on the Ballymun Regeneration Project in Dublin which won the Irish Planning Instituteís Planning Achievement Award. That project has lead to other planning studies for residential, retail and business commissions in Ireland.

David was in charge of the recently completed Durham Millennium Quarter for the City Council, comprising a theatre, visitor centre, library and civic space in this World Heritage city. He was responsible for Cable and Wireless College campus in Coventry, outright winner of the RFAC Building of the Year Award. He also designed the new Archive for the States of Jersey which has been well received and won several awards; it is the largest new build passively controlled archive in the world.

David enjoys studio teaching, giving lectures and publishing articles. He was a trustee of the Civic Trust from 2004 until 2008. He chairs the national panel for the Civic Trust Awards, having been an assessor for over ten years.

Metropolitan Workshop was established in 2005 by Neil Deely and David Prichard who are both former directors of MacCormac Jamieson Prichard.

Neil has led the design of several major projects and successful competition submissions including the concept design stages of the redevelopment of Broadcasting House for the BBC at Portland Place. Neil was the project architect for Jersey Archive, completed in June 2000, one of the largest passively conditioned archive buildings in the world. In addition to this he has also led the design of several high density mixed use developments in locations including Cambridge, Dublin and S’Hertogenbosch. Neil has experience of designing in sensitive contexts, conservation or heritage areas such as the facade for the Royal Dublin Hotel on O’Connell Street, Dublin.

In addition to leading several urban design commissions for Oslo and Dublin City Councils, Neil has led the design of two major District centres for new towns in southern Ireland. His experience as an architect also encompasses the dicsiplines of town planning/residential masterplanning (Ballymun Masterplan) and Academic masterplanning (West Cambridge Masterplan for Cambridge University).

Tom has worked with David Prichard since 1999, where he had been Project Architect for Coultry 1B in Ballymun 2002 - 2005, seeing the project through to completion.  He has significant experience of construction and contract practices in Eire and in 2003 designed one of the residential city blocks on the Fatima Mansions regeneration scheme in Dublin city centre.

Transferring to Metropolitan Workshop in 2005, Tom worked as Project Architect on a social housing scheme for Dublin City Council, and managed a team of seven to submit a planning application for two courtyard blocks and a new square in Belmayne.

Tom gained his Degree and Diploma at the Brighton School of Architecture (1996 & 1999), where he won a placing in the ‘top UK students’ competition run by Building Design magazine.

He also enjoys writing and has published an article on space standards in housing for the Architect’s Journal (See AJ 13^th March 2008 Issue, article entitled ‘How to make Room for Housing’)

Edward Rhodes
BA(Hons) DipArch RIBA
Associate

Edward joined Metropolitan Workshop in the summer of 2006 having previously worked at MJP since 2001.

Whilst at MJP Edward was project architect on a number projects including, Phase 2 of the Redevelopment of Broadcasting House for the BBC, and Jowett Walk, post-graduate residential accommodation for Balliol College Oxofrd. He also led several university residential projects in Cambridge and Oxford. Prior to working for MJP he worked for Koetter Kim & Assocs at their London office and was project architect for urban design and architectural projects for the Canary Wharf Group; including Canary Riverside a 400 unit residential and mixed used scheme at Westferry Circus; Nash Court the new approach, building and entrances into One Canada Square from the JLE tube station.

Edward qualified in 1994 having studied at Kingston University, De Monfort University and the Technical University in Delft, in the Netherlands. As an undergraduate Edward won the British Gas sponsored ‘Design ‘89’ Award for energy efficient housing design.

He is currently leading several projects including, two new residential blocks, in Balgriffin, Dublin and an office refurbishment in London.

Edward is also interested in architectural photography and has had several photographs published in journals and periodicals in the UK .

Jonny Mc Kenna
BSc (arc) B.Arch MAUD RIBA
Associate

Jonny Mc Kenna joined Metropolitan Workshop in 2006 having previously worked in Ireland and France for Kelly and Cogan Architects and Sud Architects respectively. In Dublin he worked primarily on housing and regeneration based projects for local authorities and private clients alike and was involved in the masterplanning of O’Devaney gardens for Dublin City Council. In France he focused mainly on the design of the Prado foundation, a technical secondary school in Lyon, as well as a number of high profile architectural competitions.

Since joining Metropolitan Workshop he has been involved in a number of masterplanning projects including the urban expansion of Swords, Dublin and the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. He is currently working on the redevelopment of Lourdes House, Dublin and the design of a transport interchange at Swords.

Nick Phillips
BA (Hons) BArch RIBA
Associate

Nick graduated from the Manchester School of Architecture in 2000 and gained his RIBA Part 3 in 2002. He joined Metropolitan Workshop in 2006 after working with practices including Squire & Partners and Pringle Richards Sharratt Architects. Whilst at PRS Architects, he was project architect on a PFI cultural project ; a Library and Lifelong Learning Centre in Oldham, Greater Manchester, which was completed in 2006. Previous other work includes a wide range of projects from residential developments to cultural and commercial projects and urban masterplanning. 

Currently, he is project architect for two large residential and mixed use buildings within the Herberton regeneration project in Dublin, as well as being involved with the Belmayne Neighbourhood Square project, also in Dublin, and a small rooftop extension to an office building in London.

Duncan Thomas
BA(Hons) Dip Arch.
Architect

When pursuing a professional basketball career looked to be unadvisable, Duncan decided to follow the path architecture. After attaining his degree at the University of Sheffield, he ventured south to see if the streets of London really were paved with gold. Once the conclusion was reached that this was not so, Duncan spent his year out placement working for Penoyre & Prasad on a variety of school, residential and community buildings.

Duncan then went on to study for his diploma in architecture at the Bartlett, UCL. During this time he was able to develop a more experimental approach to architectural design. The course encouraged the consideration of various approaches to design from outside conventional architectural practice. Duncan became interested in a wide range of sources from the surrealists to the writings of J G Ballard.

Duncan joined Metropolitan Workshop in September 2007 and has contributed to projects in Dublin and the Dead Sea.

Lilli Hoikka
BA in Hospitality Management, Assoc CIPD
Administrator

Lilli joined Metropolitan Workshop in May 2005 having previously worked in the travel & tourism sector in London for 15 years, first as tour guide, then at various London hotels and as a conference organiser. Lilli comes from the garden city of Tapiola in Finland. She studied Hospitality Management and Tourism at Haaga-Helia, with 6 months exchange at London College of Tourism.

Her parents were married in an Alvar Aalto church and the keen interest in architecture and design lead to the decision to change careers. Lilli’s administrative role at Metropolitan Workshop includes among other things Accounts and HR. Metropolitan Workshop sponsored her recent studies for CIPD accredited Certificate in Personnel Practice. Lilli is a passionate cyclist and loves Metropolitan Workshop’s bike fund and secure cycle parking and has even managed to introduce a couple of her colleagues to Critical Mass! Latin America and India are her favourite holiday destinations and she also hopes to make it to Antarctica one day!