Jestico + Whiles

Jestico + Whiles has grown steadily since the formation of the partnership by Tom Jestico and John Whiles in 1977. In recent years the practice has undergone particularly rapid growth, as it diversifies into a range of different sectors and builds on its reputation for design quality and innovative solutions to challenging briefs.

We are proud of the diversity in our portfolio, ranging from schools for disadvantaged children to University departments; hostels for the homeless to five-star hotels and restaurants; master-planning of residential developments to complete regeneration of inner city neighbourhoods; individual office fit outs to corporate headquarters; designer shop interiors to complete retail malls and individual houses to high-rise apartments.

Our design reputation covers both new-build and the sensitive, contemporary, refurbishment of historic buildings. The ambition to bring design excellence to the rejuvenation of existing building stock exemplifies our commitment to sustainability and quality of design in all forms of construction. Our reputation is well established both nationally and internationally, with recent projects in India, China, Australia and throughout Eastern Europe.

Recently, the practice redefined its business plan to build on its strengths by focusing on more sizeable and higher quality commissions. This ambition has been steadily realised over the last decade, with turnover increasing from £2m in 1999 to over £8m in 2009, growing from 35 to nearly 110 staff (including 54 qualified architects). We have expanded our offices in London and Prague, with the latter leading projects throughout Eastern Europe, China and India.

Commitment to quality and design has been the overriding priority of the practice, a consistency underlined by the practice winning over 120 national and international architectural awards since 1979. These industry accolades are underpinned by a more direct recognition of our commitment demonstrated by the high quantity of repeat appointments and our successful expansion into completely new sectors. The practice incorporates a thriving specialist interior design studio, which attracts independent appointments based on its own excellent reputation, whilst also working in collaboration with the architecture studio.