Introduction
About
We design buildings, places and the standards that shape them.
Mæ (Mæ Architects) is a Stirling Prize-winning London architecture and urban design practice specialising in housing and regeneration, masterplanning, health and care, and social infrastructure.
Founded by Alex Ely in 2001, we bring together architects, urban designers, researchers and policymakers to improve both the places we design and the standards that shape them.
Our purpose is simple: to design buildings and places that uplift the human spirit.
We believe social purpose, environmental responsibility and architectural ambition belong together. Sustainable buildings should also be places people value. Affordable housing should be generous and delightful. Social infrastructure should strengthen communities. Good architecture should use fewer resources while giving people more.
Our work is guided by three principles:
Social — we design with people, not simply for them. We work with the residents and communities who use our buildings throughout the design process and after occupation to understand what worked, what did not and what we can learn.
Sustainable — we use less, reuse more and design for a changing climate. We consider carbon, materials, energy, adaptability and longevity together, creating resilient, low-carbon architecture capable of serving people well for generations.
Spatial — we turn constraint into generosity. Through careful planning, proportion, material and light, we create imaginative and affordable spaces that exceed expectations.
Our buildings put these principles to the test.
The John Morden Centre in Blackheath won the 2023 RIBA Stirling Prize, demonstrating how architecture can support healthier, more independent lives and help counter loneliness in later life.
At Agar Grove for Camden Council, one of the UK’s largest Passivhaus developments, ambitious environmental performance sits alongside estate regeneration, generous homes and long-term resident engagement.
At Sands End Arts & Community Centre, circular design, landscape and community use come together to create a civic place rooted in its neighbourhood.
Across housing, regeneration, masterplanning, later living, health, care and community buildings, we ask the same question: how can architecture make everyday life better?
Research, post-occupancy evaluation and public policy are integral to the practice. We authored the Mayor of London’s Housing Design Guide, and our work has contributed to wider thinking on housing quality, sustainable design and the future of cities.
We move between the scale of the room, the neighbourhood and the city. What we learn from buildings informs our research and policy work; what we learn through research changes the next building.
This approach is set out in Towards a Resilient Architecture, our argument for places that can adapt, use resources intelligently and remain valued over time.
For us, resilience is not simply about enduring.
It is about creating places worth keeping.
Mæ is a RIBA Chartered Practice, a Certified B Corporation® (refer to our Impact Report and Code of Ethics), ISO 9001 and 14001 accredited, a Living Wage Employer and a member of the Mayor of London's Good Work Standard.
