Hand-drawn, future-focused with Tom Robinson

“For me, sketching by hand is the most immediate way of conveying an idea visually. There’s an ambiguity with sketching that more worked-up drawings or CGI images don’t have, which is great for presenting early concept work to clients and colleagues.”

After finishing my Master’s in Architecture at the University of Nottingham, I went to work for Building Design Partnership, or BDP. I was an Associate there for 10 years, working principally on new retail and regeneration developments. I cut my teeth on a city centre retail-led regeneration scheme in the heart of Liverpool, called Liverpool One. I also worked on Westgate Oxford, a joint venture between the Crown Estate and Land Securities, and a retail development called The Lexicon, which involved a major redesign of Bracknell town centre.

In 2008, as the global recession hit and UK retail began to struggle, my focus turned to the design of conjoined multistorey shopping malls and large format IKEA stores in cities such as Beijing and Shanghai. Then in 2013 I took a job with 3DReid, where I focused primarily on refurbishments and renovations of out-of-town shopping centres for British Land and extensions of large in-town retail assets with intu and Lendlease.

For the next few years – as Head of Concept Design – I became increasingly involved in mixed-use, which was emerging as a new architectural trend, with residential beginning to appear above shopping centres and retail podiums. This work took me to the Middle East, where the more relaxed regulatory environment made it easier to develop large, innovative mixed-use schemes. It was during this period that Neil Serridge – Benoy’s Design Director located in Dubai – saw a promising alignment of interests and introduced me to Benoy. 

I’ve always liked Benoy’s future focus. The company seems to have an eye on the next exciting place or region, the next big market opportunity. Whereas a lot of firms arrive late, once a certain market is saturated and provision well established, Benoy have always been ahead of the curve. 

I was excited to become part of a company that’s constantly evolving and expanding – for example, right now we’re setting up a new office in Miami, while looking at opportunities in South America and Central Asia. The energy and appetite to keep pushing and exploring was something I found very attractive. And these new destinations (like Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan) where populations are growing, where there’s increased investment, are a compelling proposition. 

“I’ve always liked Benoy’s future focus. The company seems to have an eye on the next exciting place or region, the next big market opportunity.”

I love working on mixed-use schemes. For me, they’re the most exciting projects to be involved in, as you experience so many different elements coming together. You really have to understand a place and a people to get that combination of elements right. This means there’s an immersive focus on context, which I really enjoy. I love the process of getting under the skin of a particular culture and understanding the specifics of climate and geography. A mixed-use scheme in Singapore, for example, will ultimately be very different to a project in Poland or Romania, and those differences are endlessly fascinating. 

I also enjoy the fact that my work involves looking into the future. At Benoy, we’re constantly having discussions about the future of key sectors – retail, entertainment, workplace, hospitality. And we’re not just thinking about what will be happening in two- or three-years’ time; we’re looking far ahead, at what the future holds for the next generation. How will Generation Beta live, shop, socialise? What will they be looking for from their urban environments? And how do we ensure the big schemes we’re building now will be relevant in 20 or 30 years? 

For me, sketching by hand is the most immediate way of conveying an idea visually. There’s an ambiguity with sketching that more worked-up drawings or CGI images don’t have, which is great for presenting early concept work to clients and colleagues. With a sketch, you’re not saying, ​‘this is exactly how it is’; you’re giving the viewer a glimpse of what something could be, showing its potential. And this ambiguity allows for ideas to evolve. 

I’ve always loved sketching and drawing by hand, preferably using pen and paper. These days, the majority of younger designers work straight onto iPads and tablets, and AI is obviously revolutionising things. At Benoy, we’re using software now that can convert sketches into 3D images, or even reverse a finished image back into a sketch. Some say sketching is a dying art, but I’m not worried; even given the rapid tech advancements we’re seeing, I think hand-drawn disciplines will endure. We design through sketching. And AI, like sketching, is just another tool in the design process, just another pencil in the pencil case. AI will enhance, not replace, these specialisms. 

I learned that these schemes are very fast paced in the Middle East, with long overlaps in project stages. For example, as you’re designing a building, the developer might already be digging the basement carpark below. So, coordination is vital, and in a very short space of time you need to know exactly where your columns and foundations are going to be fixed. Local design codes also make things really interesting. In Riyadh, for instance, you often have to observe Salmani design principles, which are based on vernacular Saudi architecture. As a designer, you have to respond to these heritage principles, respecting certain geometric patterns or aspects of materiality and building composition. But you often have to apply a modern twist. It’s about creating designs that are of a place, aligned with a country’s past, while expressing its future ambition. 

In the UK, retrofit is huge and will continue to be so for some time. In fact, the adaptation, reuse and repurposing of buildings is gaining traction around the world, as developers fall in line with sustainable building criteria and the space for newbuild becomes constrained. Across Europe and Asia, the demolish-and-rebuild model seems to have had its day, which is great news for carbon emissions reduction. 

Likewise, the increase in ​‘blue and green’ infrastructure, whereby designers bring water and vegetation into urban buildings and spaces, looks set to continue. The positive impact of biophilic design and water features on people’s mental wellbeing, not to mention their cooling and transpiratory benefits, are well established. And of course, plants and trees also help with carbon absorption. So, I think these design trends will continue to accelerate and evolve. 

And finally, tech and AI will remain at the heart of innovation in urban design and architecture. The digital fluency of the younger and coming generations means AI will be central to their everyday lives. In retail, education, entertainment, leisure and health, personalisation and AI interactivity will be the norm and expectation. For designers, it’s about ensuring we have the breadth of capabilities and skills at our disposal to respond to these exciting changes. And this is where Benoy, with its multidisciplinary approach and mindset, is ready to meet this brave new world. 

“For designers, it’s about ensuring we have the breadth of capabilities and skills at our disposal to respond to these exciting changes. And this is where Benoy, with its multidisciplinary approach and mindset, is ready to meet this brave new world.”