Who We Are
Dynevor Road

We are architects of the possible: transforming ambitious ideas and complex briefs into beautifully sustainable, buildable realities.

From one-off homes to multi-home developments, our work begins with people: how they live today, and how they want to live tomorrow.

Toynbee Hall
Southwark College interior

Founded in 2006 and recognised early in New Architects 3 and Wallpaper* magazine’s directory of the world’s most talented young practices, twenty years on our work has earned international recognition for its blend of elegance and rigour.

Twenty years of practice have taught us that every site holds hidden potential. Whether shaped by planning, context or complexity, we thrive on unlocking it, creating places that are deeply rooted in their surroundings and enable a stronger connection to the natural world. Our approach blends design ambition with technical excellence.

Our portfolio spans award-winning homes such as Mapledene Road in London and RIBA Award winning Backwater, crafted in a flood zone on the Norfolk Broads, through to complex urban schemes such as the housing-led mixed-use development and NLA Award winning Toynbee Hall.

We work at every scale, but always with the same principle: design that endures – for people, places and the long term.

Having developed our own projects, we understand the process from both sides of the table. Whether you're a private client navigating your first build or a developer tackling a complex site, we guide the way with care, clarity and confidence.

Our architecture is grounded in simplicity of form, shaped by narrative, and refined through detail. Always responsive. Always buildable. Always human.

Explore our private homes
Explore our commercial projects

Our team

  • Patrick Michell

    Patrick Michell

    PARTNER MA Hons, Dip Arch, RIBA, ARB

    Patrick founded Platform 5 Architects twenty years ago, driven by a belief that good architecture can be transformative: shaping how we experience the world, connect with the people around us and relate to nature.

    A maker from an early age, he grew up building model boats, sculptures and woodworking projects, fascinated by turning ideas into reality. Architecture brought that creativity together with technical problem-solving and the opportunity to improve how people live.

    Over the past two decades Patrick has led projects from bespoke homes to larger housing and mixed-use developments, navigating complex planning, design and construction challenges. He is particularly drawn to constrained sites, challenging planning contexts and ambitious briefs, where the most interesting possibilities often emerge.

    Having undertaken his own self-build projects, including award-winning homes for his family, Patrick understands the process from both sides of the table and the excitement, uncertainty and commitment involved in turning an ambitious idea into something real.

  • Marcus Fox

    Marcus Fox

    ASSOCIATE BArch Hons, MArch, DipArch, ARB

    Marcus joined Platform 5 in 2013 and brings a calm, rigorous approach to turning ambitious designs into beautifully resolved buildings. Clients value his patience, accessibility and attention to detail, particularly through the more complex stages of design and construction.

    With a deep interest in how buildings are made and function, Marcus leads the technical development of our designs through construction and handover, with particular expertise in building regulations, fire safety, environmental performance and services coordination. He has delivered award winning new homes, housing, retrofit and commercial projects, working collaboratively with clients, consultants and contractors to find practical solutions to complex technical challenges.

    Marcus studied at the University of Nottingham and The Bartlett, UCL, before completing his Part 3 at the University of Westminster.

    Outside the practice, he designs and builds bespoke joinery. This hands on interest in materials, detailing and making also informs his approach to architecture, where his focus is always on resolving the detail without losing sight of the design as a whole.

Awards

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