Named one of Architects’ Journal’s 40 under 40, alma-nac are a practice of thoughtful designers primarily based
in Lambeth, London
Meet the alma-nac team
We have an open studio culture where dialogue is encouraged and team members can take a true role in shaping the practice. We strongly believe in the importance of a good work / life balance. We are an inclusive and nurturing practice.
Architecture is a social act.
Proud to be B Corp Certified®
The B Corp movement looks to put people, the planet and profit on a more equal footing. Achieving B Corp status means we have been verified as meeting B Lab's high standards for social and environmental impact.
In 2024 we became B Corp certified. Having been certified for one year, we are now proud to have published our first Impact Report.
Click here to read the report and find out what we have been up to this last year.
Passive House
Founder Chris Bryant is now a Certified Passive House Designer. Passive House is a building standard to make buildings energy efficient, comfortable and affordable.
Chris will be overseeing the projects within the practice and ensuring Passive House principles are fully embedded into designs.
Proudly part of the 'Design for all' support programme
'Design for all' provides small charities and community organisations with professional expertise to get their building projects off the ground.
We see the value in genuine architectural exploration
As such, we don’t just build buildings – we build ideas.
We work for a wide range of client types, from those with highly commercial objectives to those with entirely creative ambitions. From individuals to organisations, public and private.
While our working methods broadly follow a simple structure; research, design, review, repeat,the focus of our approach differs according to client type and brief.
Underpinning any project we deliver are our Practice Values. These are a set of statements that predicate both our methods and our output across any project size or sector.
Conscious
Sustainability is non-negotiable.
We are committed to positively enhancing the context, community and environment in which we work.
- We have a structured system of pro-bono work for charitable/community groups
- We commit to learn of the environmental impact of our design decisions and build on these over time
- We undertake self-initiated work for as a route to explore ideas or projects closest to our values
- We set up and follow processes to ensure our work is responsive to a project brief
- We define the key concepts/narratives of our work throughout it's lifespan and re-assess whether those core concepts are being addressed as the project develops
- We strive to be conscious of the effects of our work and our working processes, and are deliberate with our subsequent choices
Innovating
We always ask 'what if?'
We explore, test and question to create innovative solutions.
- All projects involve some area of exploring/testing and lead toward progressively developing our understanding/knowledge/technical approach
- All projects are allocated a period of time to research. This research is documented
- We implement strategies for internally sharing this information in a manner that allows subsequent projects to further develop our knowledge and approach
- We encourage precedent/inspiration from beyond the realms of architecture
- We undertake internal crit processes and project reviews to ensure the project is sufficiently ambitious
Joyful
Our projects are playful.
We hold our projects lightly, seeking out joy to deliver projects that delight.
- We play to create better work
- We commit to the production and delivery of ideas
- We think design workshops are fun and/or involve healthy debate. They are not boring
- We celebrate brave conceptual failures
- We set and maintain a social culture diary in the office
Nurturing
No one has all the answers.
We create an inclusive and nurturing environment which supports continuous learning.
- We commit to ongoing practice development
- We commit to the ongoing education and development of our team
- We build strong team communication and support
- We encourage a culture of learning and research within the practice
- We collectively provide a varied calendar of professional development events
Participation
Architecture is a social act.
Participatory design is key to our work. We learn, educate and collaborate all the way through.
- We ensure that participation is integral to the design process and not an 'add-on'
- We seek expertise and passion to create the best possible project team
- We follow strategies to ensure the underrepresented have an equal voice in the design process
- We share the knowledge and findings of the practice
- We create and maintain a culture of free sharing of ideas within the office
- We create a structure of formal and informal design reviews
- We implement clear systems in order to function as a team, not a set of individuals
- We follow strategies that enable strong internal communication