AHMM: Constructing a Practice

AHMM is a premier international architectural practice. Established over 30 years ago, it has won numerous awards including the Stirling Prize. Through the contributions of journalists, clients, fellow professionals and academics, this AD issue celebrates the practice’s achievements in all areas of architectural production, featuring archive material, new works and unparalleled access to the AHMM organisation, revealing new insights into their work and urban philosophies.

To get to this eminent position, the office has consistently responded in innovative and imaginative ways to the changing imperatives of art, science and economics that influence our built environment. These parameters have metamorphosed considerably since AHMM was founded, in terms of advances in digitisation, material science and changes to contract management, what constitutes sustainability, procurement routes, construction methods, collaboration and architectural education.

Above all this AD will explore AHMM’s practice as a holistic design project in itself, in terms of building buildings, but also in using a design ethos to cope with shifts in workload and the firm’s varying business activities and its administration over the years, thus providing insight for a future generation of potentially successful architectural professionals.

Neil Spiller is Editor-in-Chief of AD. Previously he was Hawksmoor Chair of Architecture and Landscape, and Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Greenwich, London. Prior to this he was Dean of the School of Architecture, Design and Construction and Professor of Architecture and Digital Theory. Spiller is also known as the founding director of the Advanced Virtual and Technological Architectural Research Group based at the University of Greenwich. This group had its own PhD and Masters programmes and conducted research into advanced technologies in architectural representation and into the impact of advanced technologies on 21st century design.