[Y/N] Studio is a creative platform established to ask questions of the built environment

The complexity associated with designing and constructing our cities is astounding and a great deal of architecture serves only to add complexity. We think the role of the designer is to question these established but convoluted processes and reduce complexity.

We work with the various inputs, histories, technologies and constraints with which we are presented to formulate a response rather than imposing an abstract theology, manifesto or style. We, as architects, are editors of the process. The questions, and the problems, can be incredibly complex, but a successful answer should be as simple as Yes or No.

While disparate in nature, scale, form and material, our projects are all characterised by a combination of pragmatic problem solving and idealistic ingenuity. We call this approach Pragmatic Idealism.

Since forming as a company in 2017, we have been working on a diverse range of commissions, including carefully detailed residential extensions, 100+ multi-unit housing schemes, a large workspace in Dalston, A masterplan in Portugal, a mixed-use tower in South London and a footbridge for Network Rail.

In 2019 we completed our first project, a carefully detailed prefabricated timber and glass house. Notable other projects include a competition winning scheme for 4 coastal holiday homes in Kent, which are designed as a continuous spiral of floorplates to maximise sea views and reduce circulation space. More recently we gained planning permission for our largest scheme to date, a 49 home mixed use project in Strood which combines traditional vernacular roof forms with a traditional courtyard housing project.

In 2022 we completed the extension and refurbishment of the Bradbury Street Workspaces which face onto Gillett Square in Hackney. Bradbury Works includes around 1500m2 of new and refurbished affordable workspaces, and start-up retail units which will help to ensure continuity of the unique and diverse community that has emerged since the square was constructed nearly 20 years ago.

The people who work with us are talented and ambitious with backgrounds working in across Europe for internationally recognized practices. As a studio we are active in teaching and academia and appreciate the importance of architectural education. Director Alex Smith currently teaches at Oxford Brookes University, University of Westminster, Canterbury School of Architecture and London Metropolitan University.

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People ︎

Alex Smith
Founding Director

Alex is a qualified architect who has previous experience of working in Copenhagen for Julien De Smedt and in London for Hawkins/Brown where he completed a series of innovative award winning buildings including The Cube Building in Hackney and Hilden Grange Prep School in Kent.

Alex founded [Y/N] Studio in January 2017 and has led every project they have undertaken with support from a talented team. Since it’s inception the studio have been working on a diverse range of commissions, including carefully detailed residential extensions, 100+ multi-unit housing schemes, a large workspace in Dalston, a masterplan in Portugal, a mixed-use tower in South London, a footbridge for Network Rail and a temporary tree house for Kew Gardens.

[Y/N] Studio completed the extension and refurbishment of the Bradbury Street Workspaces which face onto Gillett Square in Hackney. Bradbury Works includes around 1500m2 of new and refurbished affordable workspaces, and start-up retail units which will help to ensure continuity of the unique and diverse community that has emerged since the square was constructed nearly 20 years ago. The project has been shortlisted for the AJ Architecture Awards 2023 refurb category and highly commended for the workplace up to £20m category. In 2023 [Y/N] Studio were shortlisted for the Young Architect of the Year Awards.

Alex and his team are active in teaching and academia and appreciate the importance of architectural education. Alex currently teaches at Canterbury School of Architecture and Oxford Brookes University and examines at University of Westminster and London Metropolitan University.

Team (past and present) ︎
Elena Gruber
Maegan Icke
Stanley Chick
Nathalie Huber
Edward Crooks
Michael Waters
Raffaela Swoboda
Ayse Cagin Bailey
David Lomax
Margherita Zompa
Carolina Borgatti
Daniel Ford
Ainhoa Valle
Ezmira Peraj
Luna Ozbek
Roxani Tseranidou

Jobs ︎
We are always interested to hear from talented people as we look to expand our team. We believe that a competitive meritocracy leads to the best projects. All team members of [Y/N] Studio are expected to contribute design ideas and criticism and as a result our projects evolve without single ownership.

To be considered, please email your CV/short portfolio to us at: mail@ynstudio.eu

We will review every CV and keep them on file, if you do not hear from us you have not been considered for a position at this time.

Services / Clients ︎

Services ︎
Architecture
Interior Design
Urban Design / Masterplanning
Landscape Design
Principle Designer
Computer Generated Images
Model Making

Selected Clients ︎
ArtForm
University for the Creative Arts
Tech City Ventures
Pocket Living
Gung Ho Communications.
Hackney Co-operative Developments CIC
The Greater London Authority
L&Q Housing Association
TRADAS Bank
Kurapatwa Ltd
Setha Group
Shetson Properties
Folkestone and Hythe District Council
New Horizon Youth Centre
Oslo Architecture Trienale
Broads Authrority Norfolk
St Martins Church Brighton
Cabildo de Lanzarote (Lanzarote Council)
The Landscape Institute
Guimaraes Capital of Culture 2012, Portugal

Press / Awards ︎

Selected Press ︎
Architects Journal
Dezeen
RIBA Journal
The Guardian
ArchDaily
Building Design
Divisare
Afasia

Awards / Nominations ︎
Civic Trust Awards Winner, 2024
RIBA Awards, Shortlist, 2024
Dezeen Awards, Shortlist, 2023
BD Young Architect of the Year, Finalist, 2023
AJ Awards, Workplace up to £20m, Highly Commended, 2023
AJ Awards, Refurb, Shortlist, 2023
Housing Design Awards, Shortlist, 2023
Don’t Move Improve, Longlist, 2023
GAGA Sustainability Award, Highly Commended, 2023

Contact ︎

Contact ︎
[Y/N] Studio
301 Bradbury Works,
3 Brandbury Street,
N16 8JN,
T: 020 8050 3736

General Enquiries
mail@ynstudio.eu

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