Reflections by Iain Johnson, CEO

I sit here this Bank Holiday on a flight back from Asia, for the eighth time this year, reflecting on why.

I never really write publicly, but I was inspired by George Wolstenholme’s recent piece and thought, as I regularly tell our team, there’s never anything to lose!

There are so many negative thoughts around our industry at the moment, especially around our glorious capital, London. Safety, for sure, is the majority of our clients’ concern, alongside planning delays, tax and duties, rising construction and procurement costs, a new political landscape and UHNW clients exiting.

The housing market is stagnant and only just showing glimmers of activity, according to recent publications from LonRes, Knight Frank and Savills, possibly all still masked by hope value.

It wasn’t by design that we started working more internationally, especially in Asia. Our existing clients took us there.

We did such a good job on home soil that, slowly, we were asked to represent them in other jurisdictions. We have now operated, or are operating, in 22 countries. A statistic to be proud of. Anything abroad brings another layer of complexity.

Take Japan as an example.

I love Japan. It’s a pleasure; polite, accurate and refined. Yes, it takes time and patience to draw, detail, plan, plan and plan some more, but once you are there, the delivery journey is wonderful.

So accurate and tidy.

They are engineers at heart and true craftsmen who care.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with Kengo Kuma Architects on two projects, one in Niseko and one in Tokyo, both super ultra-luxury projects. The Tokyo property is probably one of the best houses in the region; delivered on time, to budget and with very little snagging at handover.

An accomplishment.

There are complexities. The time zone from the UK - it’s the other end of the day, so an 8am meeting in the UK is 4pm in Japan; the language, especially technical language; and the cultural differences. I now even run dual-sided business cards in Japanese and English for the ceremonial exchange.

Without the opportunity to have worked there for nine years, I would never have developed an appreciation for a highball (Japanese whisky and soda) or whisky at all, audio quality, ramen, or indeed met my friend and colleague Joey Lam.

Joey, a Hong Kong national, relocated to Niseko, the famous ski resort, to work in project management. He joined our studio three years ago and set up our Tokyo office - something not many of our clients realise.

I’m incredibly grateful for his friendship and reliability and look forward to catching up with him this October as we enter contractor negotiations for another project in the heart of Tokyo.

This most recent trip was the conclusion of a five-year journey, with Covid in the middle of it, which I haven’t forgotten!

It was complex.

We pushed in Thailand to deliver the same level of expectation we have on home soil, with our own delivery team. A world first for us in the UK, deploying internationally whilst educating and working alongside a local construction team to the best of our capability.

From the air purification system and Lutron true blackout blinds to the many layers of specialist finishing that we helped detail and refine.

WOW. What an expedition.

Highs and lows. A Herculean task. And it wasn’t small either at 65,000 sq.ft for a single private residence.

A wonderful team of beautiful, smiley local people with hearts of gold.

Khun Arjun, our construction project manager, deserves some gratitude here. A standout gentleman of fine moral standards. He stayed with it, understood it and invested the time. We both learnt a lot from each other.

The outcome?

“The best house in Bangkok?”

Could be.

Somebody asked me what it was like out there for our type of work. My response: a wonderful journey.

But don’t underestimate this. It was hard. We pushed, stayed honest, ground out the hours and remained polite, yet we were let down too many times to count.

Many others would have walked away.

It’s not in our DNA.

We are there to represent the client to the highest standards of excellence. It takes patience. We don’t leave until it’s done. The first and last 5% are what really get seen, so make every effort you can.

The whole R&R team contributed; DM, Architecture, ID, Procurement and Creative. One of our construction team even came out during his holiday to cast a fine eye over the finishing details for a day.

Leroy Smith’s comment:

“It’s good, isn’t it? Fair play, team. You’ve done it again.”

Another standout highlight for me was my colleague Tania Blanco.

Unbelievable work ethic. Accurate, detailed and so motivated to go beyond what was expected to reach excellence. She worked with many of the R&R team across ID and Procurement, but she deserves a medal.

I’ve told her I don’t wish to see her this week after the Bank Holiday. Take some time and reflect on what you have achieved.

We don’t see many of these typologies of houses delivered in our lifetime. I would say I’m incredibly privileged to have seen six already, and there is still some energy in the tank!

It’s motivating being around a team who push each other to be better. Our community is really special.

I think this is the reflection of why.

What did we achieve?

“Best in class” is an overused term for me, much like “luxury”.

But genuinely, we are creating it.

Values, reflection and compliments from peers are proving it. We saw a happy client, who quietly acknowledged the effort that went into it.

We didn’t shout about the years of 1am or 5am WhatsApp responses. Being available anytime, whether that's weekends or holidays. We prioritise. This doesn’t need to be thanked or explained.

Creative. Accurate. Consistent. Constant. Reliable. Honest. Hard-working.

Is that the difference between good and excellent... or even world-class?

Maybe it is.

The relationships are what remain. Clients, family, friends, contractors and our team.

There were tears on the last night from all.

Are we coming back? Totally.

But first, a little break. I’m looking forward to some time at home, walking the dog and taking a drive. Hopefully I haven’t missed all the summer weather!

I have a personal project running at home at the moment. It turns out I’m not particularly good at doing my own projects remotely! I’m looking forward to seeing it.

Last year, we were shortlisted for Best Future Project at WAF. We didn’t win, but it was an honour to be there. Our team thought it was close.

The good news is that the scheme, led by our Global Architecture team and Charlie Kentish, looks even better in real life than it did in CGI.

So, for sure, it’s a special one.

On the edge of the natural park in Khao Yai, Thailand, is a safari playground nestled into nature.

It completes in phases, with the first handover in six months and the remainder in 16 months. 75,000 sq.ft of private residential.

We are managing everything. From cash payments, cashflow and contractor, to programming and local consultants. A full-service wrap from our ecosystem.

With trust and empowerment, we are achieving what would normally be unobtainable in very reasonable timeframes, complemented by unfathomable quality.

One to watch.

And now, the next new geography unlocked: Australia.

A scheme on Perth’s west coast (another hero moment) alongside two consented permits approved yesterday on the islands.

And how are we doing in the UK?

Good, but that is because we have an excellent team.

Too many good businesses have gone into administration recently.

What would I personally change?

Pretty simple.

All planning applications consented or declined within eight weeks. Reduce the level of consultant input required upfront, prior to detailed design, and you immediately start to create some of the stimulus everyone is looking for.

AI workflow could easily help overhaul the system entirely, but the reality is that it will probably be implemented too slowly, and I don’t think we will see meaningful progress on this front over the next two years.

The new NPPF I’ve yet to read. That will be my Sunday in the armchair, as there is no F1 race!

Overall, exciting years ahead.

If you’re interested to know more about our studio, Rigby & Rigby, sincerely, please reach out.

I hope everyone enjoys the Bank Holiday weekend.

‍

Written by Iain Johnson