Luxury Property Industry Leaders In Conversation with Alex Labridis (OWN LONDON)
Priya Rawal, Founder and CEO of The Luxury Property Forum sits down with Industry Leader:
Alex Labridis, Co-Founder of OWN London
Alex, I am so excited to sit down with you today. So, firstly tell us about OWN London and your amazing team?
OWN LONDON is a multidisciplinary creative studio based in Mayfair, its full proposition spans the fields of architecture, interior design, spatial planning and property development., Manthos Xenos, Vaios Tsigas and myself founded the company in 2008, and together have completed more than 40 projects in the capital, and internationally.
At the core of the business is a focus on both residential and commercial projects, where a client’s lifestyle or specific objective is coupled with the diverse experience of the team to influence the design.
The evolution of the studio has been armoured with a wealth of experience over the years. In 2020, we welcomed our Head of Design Jorge Khawam, formerly of Natalia Miyar Atelier, Studio Ashby, Finchatton and Taylor Howes. In 2022, Sabah Ashiq and Alicia Meireles joined the team to support the delivery of the design projects. Sabah Ashiq, Associate Director of Architecture was formerly of Foster & Partners and Bryan O'Sullivan Studio whilst Alicia Meireles, Associate Director of Interior Design has experience previously at Soho House & Co, HBA and Harrods.
This last year we have welcomed three new key members to our Operations & Commercial team; Oliver Watson, Quantity Surveyor, formerly of Cheevers Poole, Simon Brown, Marble Design and Installations Manager, formerly of The Refined Workshop and Stavrini Mouktari, Head of Procurement, formerly of Soho House & Co.
The expertise of the recent additions to our team have bonded our structure and strengthened the delivery of our projects from start to completion.
What sets you as an industry leader and your company apart from others in the luxury property sector?
Something that we bring to our projects is what we like to call ‘modern eclecticism’, essentially the mixing of genre, materiality and texture, enabling us to blend the ‘timeless’ and ‘today’. Whilst we don’t have a ‘house style’ per se, our design vernacular does feel quite different and often brings a touch of the unexpected which clients seem to love.
This approach gives us the chance to honour the individual personalities and places and means that spaces are infused with a unique character, as we play with spatial expression. A key consideration for us is always about how the homes that we create will enrich the lives of their owners and how our team’s collective experience can create innately functional and inspiring interior schemes.
We have a passion for design, and we’ll challenge the construction team to execute designs that are innovative and completely bespoke. By the same token, the construction team challenges the design team to think beyond the concept to how it will really work in a space.
There can be a tense relationship between design and construction teams but I’m glad to say that we’ve changed that here and work efficiently together to deliver as one.
The success of your projects is definitely a testament to you being able to strike that balance between design and construction. And of course there are always tricky times. What are some of the greatest challenges you have faced in your business so far?
Our Brompton Square project in Knightsbridge had its challenges for sure. It did, however, become a great way to showcase our ability, to completely remodel a client’s home in a challenging space, to obtain listed building and planning consent under a Grade II* listed building and to execute the construction within a restricted site. We managed to deliver a home with great spaces full of natural light with a bespoke finish to a very high standard.
And what are some of the highlights for you?
We have been extremely fortunate to work on some very interesting and challenging projects. A big turning point for the company is when we were awarded a large house on the Phillimore Estate, which was the first project we undertook as a designer and a contractor. This was a big challenge for the team who had to respond to a project of this calibre and managed to perform extremely well.
Another key project we undertook was the redevelopment of a Mews House in Belgravia. It was a challenging project for which we delivered planning consents, listed building consents, constructed a basement and added an additional storey to the house. This project provided the basis for providing an integrated service to our private clients.
A major milestone for the company was the decision to assemble an in-house design team in 2020 during Covid times, which we successfully did and know have a strong in-house design team of 13. It was a challenging and uncertain time to recruit and put together a design team during that time, however, it has been very successful for our company.
It is amazing what comes out of adversity. And Alex, who inspires you personally?
I look to entrepreneurs, pioneers and market leaders for inspiration. I spend a lot of time researching and thinking about the evolution of our business. Travelling and working abroad has also provided exposure to very influential and inspirational people and places.
What advice do you have for people looking to become an industry leader in the luxury property?
This is not necessarily advice I have been given, but a stance I agree on is that “Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and working together is success." – Henry Ford
Very good advice! In an ideal world, what does the future hold for you and your business?
We are a young, ambitious and very capable team, always eager to explore new sectors and locations. We would love to do more work in the English countryside, as well as further afield in Europe and the Americas. We would love to do more work on boutique hotels and hospitality projects across the world. We are also exploring designing our own furniture to complement the exemplary & unique delivery of our projects.
The other area of our business which we will be focusing on is the aftercare and property management service that we offer to private clients. We are working on delivering a very tailored and attentive service that will meet client expectations and beyond. We really enjoy this part of the business as it brings us closer to our clients and originates special friendships.
And finally what does “Luxury” mean to you?
Simply, quality, refined & functional.
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