MSA is an award-winning, design-based architectural practice with extensive experience across the full spectrum of domestic, commercial and public projects of a wide range of project sizes, types and values. We have a particular interest in educational design and consultancy. Dynamic and design-led, we pride ourselves on our flexibility and ability to respond to the individual circumstances of our clients and the end-users of our buildings. We are skilled at facilitating discussion, and at internalising and incorporating the opinions of all stakeholders. Our role is to craft fine, innovative buildings which meet and exceed the needs of their owners and end-users, with exemplary professionalism and quality.

Whilst remaining committed to this continual engagement with all stakeholders, we remain pragmatic, intelligent designers who recognise the reality of operating to tight schedules and the necessity for fast-paced work in today’s competitive, commercial environment. Working with large commercial clients and in government-led Building Schools for the Future and Primary Capital Programmes, we have experienced the realities of closely budgeted projects working to restricted deadlines. Throughout this, we remain passionate about improving people’s quality of life – how they live, where they work, socialise and study – through improvement of their built environment.

We see our work as drawing on three interdependent strands: understanding, innovating and making.

Understanding
Our consultancy business is built on an ability to tease out the essence of a problem very quickly. Working as a team with major clients and their advisors at the inception of a project we are able to express alternatives and clarify thought processes. This results in a clear and informed brief for future activity. For us, the start of the creative process is the formulation of the brief.

Innovating
Having understood the realistic requirements of a brief, we set about the challenge of addressing them whilst adding value through our innovative approach, creating a difference by looking at the brief with fresh eyes. As designers we feel it is our responsibility to introduce our clients to new thinking that is socially, aesthetically and commercially acceptable to their needs, both to introduce difference and prove its relevance and affordability, while working within the parameters of our clients’ requirements.

Making
We take advantage of any new technology that might aid communication, but still place great emphasis on the skills of model-making and drawing. We have a reputation for the informative and creative use of models in projects; not necessarily as maquettes - miniatures of the final object - but as alternative expressions of possibility that explore the potential use of a space.

"For me, what makes it so impressive is its air of calm assurance and restraint. Everything is handled confidently; it is luxurious without being opulent, and the result is a very sophisticated new home. (Sir Nicholas) Grimshaw, a shrewd judge, reckons that (this) is a name to watch in architecture. On the evidence of this, I can only agree."
Hugh Pearman, The Sunday Times..
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“...a new type of architectural practice that is a kind of laboratory for design research... anyone working with buildings would benefit from MSA’s approach... lots of architects make models, but to build something on this scale is quite rare.”
Vicky Richardson, Blueprint..