Jess joined Orms in 2019, bringing valuable experience from previous roles at BGY, Caroe & Partners, and Ben Adams Architects. Her diverse portfolio spans commercial, retail, education and heritage sectors, with notable achievements including a collaboration with Orms sustainability consultancy on a Sustainable Masterplan in support of the development and decarbonisation of a public school in Derbyshire. She led the team that secured planning for a new build timber building in the heart of Soho and worked on Mercury, a large office refurbishment in Holborn that prioritised stone reuse. She is currently working on St Thomas Yard, another large office refurbishment in Southwark.
What does ultrapractical mean to you? Ultrapractical architecture means creating responsive solutions that balance technical rigour with human experience. My experience with heritage buildings has taught me to respect existing contexts while finding innovative solutions to contemporary challenges. My design approach blends skill and sensitivity, pragmatism and creativity. As part of the Wellbeing Group at Orms, and as the elected Employee Representative on the Board of Trustees between 2021 and 2023, my contribution is informed by the principles of The Garden in order to help ensure our practice values translate into meaningful action.