Alex Ely is the director of Mae Architects, a Stirling Prize-winning London-based practice known for their approach to sustainable, resilient, and socially conscious architecture and urbanism.

In this episode, Alex and Dave discussed:

• The significance of winning the Stirling Prize in 2023 and how its impact on the practice has gone far beyond the architecture industry.
• Why having a clear mission statement and a set of values that employees can identify with makes it much easier to consistently communicate those values to the outside world.
• The importance of undertaking post-occupancy studies of completed projects, and why these insights can be so valuable to future clients and projects.
• How collaborating with larger practices in the early days of the STUDIO gave them the experience needed to undertake much larger projects and provide their clients with a better mix of ideas and design outcomes.
• How to find the right balance between photography that highlights the architectural and spatial qualities of a building versus the experiences and enjoyment of end users occupying and using the building.

If you'd like to learn more about their studio, you can visit mae.co.uk or follow them on Instagram at @maearchitects.

Office Talk is hosted by Dave Sharp of Office D.SHARP, a strategic marketing and brand definition practice for architecture. Our practice works collaboratively with clients across the globe. To learn more about our process and book a consultation to discuss your practice, simply visit officedavesharp.com.

Today's episode of Office Talk was edited by Anthony Richardson of Simple Dwelling Studio, and engineered by James Ede of Be Heard Podcast Production.