Allan joined Orms in 2023, bringing extensive experience from his previous role at Grimshaw where he delivered projects across commercial, arts, education, master planning, sports and industrial sectors. As project architect for the conversion of the 1976 Herman Miller factory into the Bath Schools of Art and Design, he demonstrated expertise in adaptive reuse of significant modernist buildings. He also led a major extension to the ExCeL exhibition centre in London, showcasing his ability to manage design teams on complex large-scale projects. Since joining Orms, Allan has headed up a mixed-use reuse project in Shoreditch and significant retrofit and extension of a 1980s commercial building in Southwark.
What does ultrapractical mean to you? Ultrapractical architecture means creating spaces that respond to both environmental imperatives and diverse human needs. My deep interest in sustainability and regenerative design informs all aspects of my work, from material selection to operational efficiency. As a member of Orms Sustainability Group, I contribute to practice-wide initiatives that enhance our environmental approach. Through exploring design for neurodiversity I pursue a deeper understanding for how architecture can better serve the full spectrum of human experience—creating spaces that are not only sustainable in environmental terms but also in how they support and nurture their occupants across different modes of perception and interaction.