ABOUT
PHILIPPA SPURWAY
INTERIOR ARCHITECT & PROPERTY DEVELOPER
At Macalov Brijeg Café looking at Skadar Lake
(October 2022)
I started my career by completing a Diploma, followed by a BA course in interior design at Chelsea School of Art, which has since become part of the University of the Arts London.
My tutors at Chelsea frequently told me, based on the work I was producing, that I should consider becoming an architect rather than an interior designer. For that reason, after finishing my BA, I went to work at an architectural practice in central London called Autarkic Potentials Ltd, as an architectural assistant.
This practice, run by Donald Forrest, focussed on passive housing, which was an unusual and emerging field in 1981. It was also an extremely interesting area in which to work.
We won several awards for our environmental designs. My favourite project was a proposal to convert Battersea Power Station into passive housing. This project was exhibited at the Pompidou Centre in Paris, a very exciting venue, having opened recently in 1977.
Unfortunately, many of these conceptual projects were never realised, as they were ahead of their time, too early for mainstream acceptance of full-scale environmental change.
After nearly four years working closely with Donald Forrest and his happy team at Autarkic Potentials Ltd, I had the opportunity to start my own business. I began working as a property developer, identifying properties with potential; an architect responsible for designing the overall structure of the building, and an interior architect, focusing on the functionality and aesthetics of interior spaces.
Since 1984, I have primarily worked in London, identifying suitable properties and completely redesigning them, acting as the architect liaising with council planning departments, managing the reconstruction as project manager, and ultimately returning the properties to the market for sale.
Another important part of my work has been redesigning homes for visionary clients, transforming them into more functional and attractive spaces. It has been a pleasure getting to know my clients and using that understanding to bring their visions to life.
I have never needed a website due to the nature of my work, but I thought it would be good to share what I'm doing in Montenegro with others who may be considering buying and renovating property in another country.
My tutors at Chelsea frequently told me, based on the work I was producing, that I should consider becoming an architect rather than an interior designer. For that reason, after finishing my BA, I went to work at an architectural practice in central London called Autarkic Potentials Ltd, as an architectural assistant.
This practice, run by Donald Forrest, focussed on passive housing, which was an unusual and emerging field in 1981. It was also an extremely interesting area in which to work.
We won several awards for our environmental designs. My favourite project was a proposal to convert Battersea Power Station into passive housing. This project was exhibited at the Pompidou Centre in Paris, a very exciting venue, having opened recently in 1977.
Unfortunately, many of these conceptual projects were never realised, as they were ahead of their time, too early for mainstream acceptance of full-scale environmental change.
After nearly four years working closely with Donald Forrest and his happy team at Autarkic Potentials Ltd, I had the opportunity to start my own business. I began working as a property developer, identifying properties with potential; an architect responsible for designing the overall structure of the building, and an interior architect, focusing on the functionality and aesthetics of interior spaces.
Since 1984, I have primarily worked in London, identifying suitable properties and completely redesigning them, acting as the architect liaising with council planning departments, managing the reconstruction as project manager, and ultimately returning the properties to the market for sale.
Another important part of my work has been redesigning homes for visionary clients, transforming them into more functional and attractive spaces. It has been a pleasure getting to know my clients and using that understanding to bring their visions to life.
I have never needed a website due to the nature of my work, but I thought it would be good to share what I'm doing in Montenegro with others who may be considering buying and renovating property in another country.
Macalov Brijeg Café is in the Rijeka Crnojevića town area
(Credits to @morlandoaround instagram)