McLaren Excell

McLaren Excell are an award winning design-led architecture and interiors practice based in Central London. The practice is co-directed by Luke McLaren and Robert Excell, working primarily on private residential and commercial projects. We love what we do and invest great energy in delivering projects which are beautifully conceived and finely crafted. We respond to our clients’ needs by designing projects in a very intimate and hands-on way, collaborating with people that we know and trust.

Established in 2011, the practice has taken on a diverse range of work in a short time, steadily building a reputation for producing buildings which have a calm authority and finely nuanced sense of place. Our studio has become a place of continual investigation into how we can develop our original ideas into a built reality and this process is driven by our genuine passion for good design.

Luke McLaren
Luke studied at Cambridge University, the Royal College of Art and London Metropolitan University. In 2005 he joined the award winning practice Jamie Fobert Architects, where he worked on the new Tate Gallery in St Ives in addition to several private residential commissions both in the UK and abroad. In 2007, he subsequently established his own practice working on residential projects ranging from town house refurbishments and extensions to rural conversions and adaptations.

Luke’s particular expertise is in construction detailing and understanding how a design can be built and fully resolved – borne out of a long standing interest in how things are made and honed over time by constructing objects, joinery and buildings himself to develop a profound understanding of how to build.

Robert Excell
Robert studied at Kingston University and specialises in the re-modelling and re-use of existing buildings and spaces. After leaving Kingston he joined Powell-Tuck Associates, working on a number of highly bespoke residential projects in London, dealing with both new build and refurbishment schemes. In 2007 Rob moved to D_Raw Associates, experiencing a more specialist approach to commercial work in the retail and entertainment sectors.

He delivered various retail projects for the Reiss clothing franchise in addition to restaurant schemes for Bond & Brook and Zizzi. During this time he also worked on several private residential projects in and around London. Rob has an instinctive ability to see potential in an existing structure and, through his typically lateral approach, often produces innovative and unexpected designs that challenge preconceptions.

Successful buildings are not solely the result of good architects; a good client relationship is central to both the philosophy and success of our practice. We believe that an enjoyable working relationship is critical for any project to achieve its potential. We approach every project on its own terms and treat every commission as an on-going conversation with our client - to which we bring our experience, not our preconceptions.

We are realistic from the outset and make sure that the brief and project budget are continually managed in tandem. We realise that for most people, the development of a building is one of the biggest investments they will make in their lifetime; we are mindful of this, and for us it is important that our clients feel fully involved throughout the process.

As a practice, we strive to deliver well-crafted and conceptually clear buildings and interiors. Every project we encounter is unique and our way of working begins with close observation of the existing condition - searching for the undeveloped qualities and opportunities in every site. These observations prompt a response that is appropriate to the social, cultural and historic context of a given location.

We are interested in creating a distinctive aesthetic that is contemporary in its proportions and detail while drawing on a language of craftsmanship, and understanding of materials. These preoccupations are central to how we understand design and the way we develop our ideas. Our work evolves through a careful process, in which – each decision is the result of rigorous research into the treatment of light, space, surface and material. Together these qualities will determine the building as a whole.

Of course, buildings have to be lived in too and a central concern through all our work is to create environments that are enjoyable to inhabit, that continue to delight and stimulate. People spend most of their lives in the buildings where they live and work, and we are continually aware throughout the design process of the impact of environment on wellbeing.