Alisha joined Orms in 2017 and currently serves as a Trustee of the practice. Her experience includes working on the former Central Saint Martin's site across RIBA Stages 3 and 4, developing façade packages for a 420-bed hotel and mixed-use masterplan. While undertaking her Part 3 studies at the University of Westminster, she simultaneously worked on 20 Air Street, leading the delivery of an internal retrofit project with a strong focus on material reuse potential. After qualifying as an Architect in 2023, she joined The Ribbon, a commercial-led mixed-use project on Oxford Street, where she led the facade delivery on site. Alisha is currently Project Architect on an early-stage project on Oxford Street.
Beyond project delivery, Alisha is committed to practice development and widening access to the profession. In addition to her role on the Employee Ownership, she previously led Orms' involvement in Open City's Architecture in Schools volunteer programme and has been involved in both Orms' internal mentoring scheme and the RIBA Future Architects Mentoring Programme, supporting the next generation of architects through their qualification journey.
What does ultrapractical mean to you? Ultrapractical architecture combines thoughtful design with material intelligence. Working on projects like 20 Air Street has shown me how innovative reuse strategies can transform existing buildings while reducing environmental impact. At Orms, I value our approach to finding practical solutions that respond to complex briefs through collaborative processes and careful consideration of context. By drawing on collective experience and embracing adaptive design principles, we create architecture that is both resilient and responsive to changing needs, balancing aesthetic aspirations with tangible sustainability.