Smith & Brooke — People
Smith & Brooke — People

People

Smith and Brooke is a second-generation architectural practice. The studio was founded in 1983 by Simon Smith and Michael Brooke, who began working from an empty shop in Battersea, buying, renovating and transforming homes across London and beyond.

Today the practice is led by a new generation building on this foundation with fresh perspective, energy and new ideas. Our work draws on over forty years of experience, with the same focus on thoughtful, client-centred architecture, shaped by context, craft and collaboration.

The names Smith and Brooke are still above the door, connecting the fresh energy of our next-generation office with the trust, integrity and high-quality work we’ve always been known for.

Smith & Brooke — People

People-People

At its heart, our work is about relationships. We value the trust placed in us by our clients and collaborators, and believe the best buildings grow from open, constructive partnerships.

Smith & Brooke — People

Intergenerational Practice

As a second-generation practice, continuity matters to us. We carry forward the values that shaped the studio – care, integrity and attention to detail – while continually learning and refining how we work. This balance allows the practice to evolve while remaining grounded in its original principles.

Smith & Brooke — People

Rise Up

Supporting emerging designers is an important part our practice. From the outset, new members of the team are involved in the design process, contributing ideas and developing responsibility as projects progress. It is a collaborative environment where experience and new perspectives are equally valued.

Meet the team of architects and designers who shape the practice and bring each project to life.

  • Simon Smith

    Smith & Brooke — Simon Smith

    Simon Smith

    Simon co-founded the architectural partnership with Michael back in 1984 and remained one of the two partners until the practice became a limited company. Today, he continues to share his expertise as a consultant.

    With decades of experience restoring and reimagining homes across London, Simon has developed a deep understanding of Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, and 20th-century buildings—knowledge that helps clients bring their ideas to life. His work isn’t limited to residential projects; Simon has also played a key role in expanding into hotels, offices, and larger-scale developments alongside our long-term partners, Marldon. A long-standing collaboration with a boutique developer and hotelier has been central to this journey.

    For Simon, great architecture is all about balance: listening to clients, creating beautiful design, and making sure every detail—from structure and services to finishes—works together seamlessly. It’s this practical yet creative approach that has shaped so many successful projects.

    Smith & Brooke — Simon Smith

    Simon minds about

    • Drainage
    • Victorian innovation
    • Railways
    • Affogato
    • Country walks
  • Michael Brooke

    Smith & Brooke — Michael Brooke

    Michael Brooke

    Michael has spent his career immersed in architecture, working on more than 2,000 projects and still loving the challenge each new one brings. He has a soft spot for listed buildings and enjoys navigating the twists and turns of getting complex schemes through planning.

    Over the years, he’s worked on everything from large country homes to residential projects across London and the UK, along with a number of standout commercial builds, hotels, restaurants, schools, libraries, art galleries and the Cosmic House museum. With strong family roots in Wales, Michael often finds himself back there for work and played a key role in designing the newly opened Plas Wynedd Hotel. He’s also had a long-running involvement with the Luss Estate in Scotland, helping to regenerate the village, including upgrading the hotel and village amenities adding opportunities for small businesses and a fish smoking plant which is now part of a whiskey distillery.

    Away from the technical side of architecture, Michael is a passionate artist. You’re far more likely to find him sketching at his drawing board than working on a computer – he’s always preferred a more hands-on approach.

    Smith & Brooke — Michael Brooke

    Michael minds about

    • Adrenaline junkie
    • Outwitting planners
    • Extreme travel
    • Jive
    • Bad jokes
  • Lucy Brooke

    Smith & Brooke — Lucy Brooke

    Lucy Brooke

    Lucy loves creating homes that feel effortless and personal. She graduated with distinction from both the University of Edinburgh and the University of Westminster, before building her experience at AECOM and And Architects and qualifying as an architect at Grimshaw, where she worked on the redevelopment of London Bridge Station and its interface with The Shard. She is currently further developing her interiors expertise through studies in Interior Design at Inchbald.

    Lucy rejoined Smith and Brooke in 2015 and became a Director in 2020. She has a particular eye for the details that make a house work beautifully: layouts that flow, kitchens and bathrooms that feel considered and crafted, and joinery that brings character and individuality to a room.

    Her work also extends beyond the UK. Lucy helped deliver a school in Ethiopia for the NAEF charity, a project that continues to grow and support its local community. Today, she guides clients through every stage of a project, combining an understanding of historic buildings with contemporary ideas to create homes that feel timeless, practical and entirely personal.

    Smith & Brooke — Lucy Brooke

    Lucy minds about

    • Strong plans
    • Beautiful kitchens
    • Skilled craftspeople
    • Renovating a Welsh ruin
    • Outdoor adventures
  • Will Smith

    Smith & Brooke — Will Smith

    Will Smith

    Will’s journey with the practice began in 2006 as a Part 1 Assistant. He returned full-time in 2018 after six years at Assael Architecture, where he advanced to Senior Architect. In that role, he led teams on diverse projects, including the flagship Legal & General build-to-rent development in Walthamstow.
     
    His architectural philosophy is rooted in a deep understanding of making and construction—a passion developed through the extensive workshops at Kingston University, following his studies at Oxford Brookes University. This hands-on approach remains central to his work.
     
    Since becoming a Director in 2020, Will has successfully led the teams for our Herondale Road and Alleyn Park projects. His portfolio also spans multiple sectors, having delivered projects for Northwood Schools and Cavendish Lodge Nursery. He is currently leading an exciting hotel project in Scotland.

    Smith & Brooke — Will Smith

    Will minds about

    • Material selection
    • Woodworking joints
    • Fair weather cycling
    • Black coffee
    • Long lunches
  • Kate Laidlaw

    Smith & Brooke — Kate Laidlaw

    Kate Laidlaw

    Kate joined Smith and Brooke in 2020 and is the go-to person for everything beyond architecture, including finance, marketing, HR, and operations. With over 15 years of experience in the contemporary art world, her career took her across the globe, including three years in Sydney. After earning a History of Art degree, Kate specialised in Sales and Operations with a passion for organisation that now serves her well in the family business. As part of the management team, she ensures the office runs smoothly and the team has everything they need to thrive.

    Smith & Brooke — Kate Laidlaw

    Kate minds about

    • Team meetings
    • Well-stocked office snacks
    • Tidy desks
    • Muddy bootcamps
    • Sleep
  • Alexandra Brooke Yazdi

    Smith & Brooke — Alexandra Brooke Yazdi

    Alexandra Brooke Yazdi

    Alexandra combines a client-centred design approach with a deep appreciation for materiality, shaped by her early training in Silversmithing and Metalwork at UAL. After completing her architectural studies at Cardiff University and UCL, she joined Hawkins\Brown, contributing to the design and delivery of a RIBA award-winning research building for the University of Exeter, alongside other education sector projects. She later moved into residential architecture as Project Architect for the redevelopment of the Peabody Estate at St John’s Hill, Clapham.

    Prior to joining Smith and Brooke, Alexandra honed her skills and expertise in bespoke, high-end residential architecture at the design-led firm Fraher Architects, completing a number of beautiful homes across London. Passionate about both contemporary and classical architecture, she brings craft, clarity, and collaboration to every project.

    Smith & Brooke — Alexandra Brooke Yazdi

    Alexandra minds about

    • Cultural relics on holiday
    • Long distance running
    • Brick detailing
    • Sunday roasts
    • Kitchen disco
  • Annette Schmidt

    Smith & Brooke — Annette Schmidt

    Annette Schmidt

    Annette graduated from the Mackintosh School of Architecture in Glasgow in 1995 and spent four years working in Singapore and Berlin before joining Smith & Brooke in 1999. Over 25 years later, she’s still here – drawn by the practice’s mix of high standards and a genuinely supportive, inclusive culture.
     
    Her passion lies in space planning, but what really drives her is collaboration. Annette believes the best projects happen when clients, contractors, and architects work as a team, blending creativity with practicality to create homes that feel effortless and truly personal.

    Smith & Brooke — Annette Schmidt

    Annette minds about

    • Happy clients
    • Practicality
    • Cold water swimming
    • Cocktail creations
    • Long weekends
  • Khalim Maudarbocus

    Smith & Brooke — Khalim Maudarbocus

    Khalim Maudarbocus

    Khalim has been part of Smith and Brooke since 2007, starting out while studying architecture and qualifying as an architect in 2011. Over the years, he’s worked on a wide mix of projects, from large commercial spaces to residential developments, always bringing a thoughtful, design-led approach.
     
    He collaborates closely with one of Smith and Brooke’s long-standing clients, Marldon, and has contributed to some major London schemes. Highlights include the Rockwell East Aparthotel—a striking collection of 95 serviced apartments across Prescot Street and Chamber Street, creating a bold corner near Tower Bridge and helping to breathe new life into the area. Right now, Khalim is working on transforming an unused office building into a 50-room hotel in the City of London, turning it into a vibrant, functional space.

    Smith & Brooke — Khalim Maudarbocus

    Khalim minds about

    • Design meetings
    • Mixing clever design with everyday practicality
    • Line weights
    • Summer holidays
    • Mauritus
  • Hazel Cozens

    Smith & Brooke — Hazel Cozens

    Hazel Cozens

    Hazel joined Smith and Brooke in 2023 after completing her Masters in Architecture at the University of Bath. She brought a strong foundation in residential design to her role, formed by her prior experience delivering domestic projects across the Home Counties with ES Architecture, as well as contributing to major residential schemes at The Manser Practice, including the London Dock redevelopment.
     
    Hazel has a keen interest in thoughtful, detail-driven design and a hands-on, problem-solving approach. She enjoys working closely with clients to help them realise their project ambitions through thoughtful architectural design. Since joining Smith and Brooke, Hazel has helped successfully deliver some of our bespoke residential projects in Fulham, Wandsworth, Brixton, and Dulwich.
     
    Hazel has recently qualified as an Architect from Kingston University and continues to build on her expertise and commitment to high-quality residential architecture.

    Smith & Brooke — Hazel Cozens

    Hazel minds about

    • Technical details
    • Thoughtful floor plans
    • Natural light
    • Boat trips
    • Pub lunches
  • Dilan Torbator

    Smith & Brooke — Dilan Torbator

    Dilan Torbator

    Dilan recently completed her Part 2 Master of Architecture and has worked at Smith Brooke for the past three years alongside her studies. Prior to joining the practice, she gained experience on large-scale mixed-use residential developments, building a strong understanding of design stages, coordination, and detailing. She also completed an Erasmus placement in Spain, broadening her design perspective and experience.

    With a particular interest in heritage buildings, she enjoys the care and attention required to preserve and celebrate their historic character through renovation. Since joining Smith Brooke, she has contributed to a range of projects, bringing a thoughtful detail led approach particularly across residential work. She is now focused on progressing towards Part 3 qualification and is motivated by architectures constant opportunities for learning, growth, and discovery.

    Smith & Brooke — Dilan Torbator

    Dilan minds about

    • Heritage buildings
    • Detailed drawings
    • Photography
    • Travelling
    • Good coffee
  • Krystian Krupa

    Smith & Brooke — Krystian Krupa

    Krystian Krupa

    Krystian completed his Part I at the University of Cambridge, where he specialised in adaptive reuse and sensitive design in historic contexts. In his final year, he worked on revitalising a disjointed site of local significance to create a new, accessible academic community for the university which negotiated its ancient traditions and typologies.

    Krystian is keen to develop his interest in historic buildings and design at Smith and Brooke through London’s fascinating housing stock. When not in the office, he can be found with his fiddle in one of the city’s many pubs.

    Smith & Brooke — Krystian Krupa

    Krystian minds about

    • Brick bonds
    • Perspective sections
    • The St Paul's isometric
    • Trinkets
    • Jim Croce
  • Jules Rzaca

    Smith & Brooke — Jules Rzaca

    Jules Rzaca

    Jules graduated from the Bartlett School of Architecture in 2024 and they have since deepened their practical skills in public, commercial , and master planning projects in London. Their professional interest lies in exploring the impact of architectural language on culture and human experiences. Through academia they experimented with physical and digital image- and model-making; hand-sketching is their go-to design tool.

    At Smith and Brooke, Jules continues their interest in innovative and sustainable materials with focus on neatness and visual interest both at early design stages and on site.

    In their free time Jules teaches design and making on a variety of programmes, helping young people get into the field of design and architecture.

    Smith & Brooke — Jules Rzaca

    Jules minds about

    • Spaceships and Art Nouveau
    • Modern-day stone constructions
    • Mechanical junctions
    • Classical music
    • Drafting and making garments