Orbit Architects

Orbit Architects London based firm offering big practice expertise with highly personalised service.

07/05/2026

A Day in the Life at Orbit with Philip Atkinson, Managing Director 🎬

Join Philip as he takes us through a day in his life, leading an architecture studio in London.

His day begins before sunrise.

Followed by a Thames Clipper commute with views that never get old, to early client calls, interviews with potential interns, and site visits across the city, no two hours look the same.

At the studio, the team comes together to test and push ideas, the kind of conversations that shape what Orbit puts out into the world.

The day winds down on the river, a slower pace home and a proper switch off, dinner, and some much needed time with Biru, the cat who has absolutely no interest in architecture. We respect that.

This is what a typical day in Philip’s life looks like at Orbit. It’s rarely predictable. That’s exactly how we like it.

Meet Philip and our team: link in bio.

Orbit visits the new public realm sites along the ThamesOrbit recently visited our Thames Tideway Tunnel Central project...
31/03/2026

Orbit visits the new public realm sites along the Thames

Orbit recently visited our Thames Tideway Tunnel Central project for , led by Meghna Patel. It was an insightful afternoon on site learning about the design, delivery, and impact of the scheme, and a great opportunity to experience the project firsthand and see how it is being used.

We visited the kiosks that Orbit delivered across the new quays, including Blackfriars Embankment (Bazalgette Embankment), where the key architectural features include the undercroft with its etched Inox screen, the circular amenity kiosk with its green roof and integrated lighting, and the Meica kiosk with engraved granite cladding and carefully detailed plant doors.

From there, we moved to Victoria Embankment (Tyburn Quay), home to three kiosks- including the public café and accessible WC- where the thermally sprayed metal cladding, cruciform column junctions and embossed façade treatments define the architectural character, particularly when sunlight filters through the perforated canopy.

At Albert Embankment (Effra Quay), we viewed the shaft‑site kiosk designed to echo a beach hut, with zinc cladding and high‑performance doors integrated seamlessly into the roof and façade.
Orbit’s role centred on ensuring high design quality through close collaboration with the wider consultant team- including HED as landscape architects, FLO as design managers and site engineers, and contractors Maylim and Lorclon.This collective effort was essential in navigating complex site conditions.

Seeing the project in situ highlighted how these kiosks now enhance the public realm, housing cafés and essential mechanical equipment that services the super sewer project.

The new public realm sites are part of a transformative piece of infrastructure that creates calmer, more accessible spaces along the river Thames - giving Londoners places to walk, pause, and spend time by the water.

infrastructure ThamesWater SuperSewer

New year. Fresh perspective. Bold intent.As we step into 2026, we’re excited for the ideas yet to be drawn, the places y...
07/01/2026

New year. Fresh perspective. Bold intent.

As we step into 2026, we’re excited for the ideas yet to be drawn, the places yet to be shaped, and the collaborations that push architecture forward.

Here’s to designing with purpose, curiosity, and optimism - and to making the built environment work harder (and smarter) for people and planet.

Happy New Year from all of us at Orbit Architects ✨

#2026

Orbit swaps screens for festive sparkle 🎄Throwback to our festive team day out in London to wrap up the year.We kicked t...
18/12/2025

Orbit swaps screens for festive sparkle 🎄

Throwback to our festive team day out in London to wrap up the year.We kicked things off with pre-theatre drinks enjoying the luxurious interiors of our project, The BoTree Bar, then headed to the Palladium for a bunch of laughs at the Sleeping Beauty pantomime show, before ending the day on a high with a decadent meal at Corrigan’s in Mayfair.

A great way to step back, catch up, and celebrate what we’ve built together this year.

A heartfelt thank you to our team for all their hard work and collaboration this year!

12/12/2025

Projects that shaped us 🟠
Our team reflects on a couple of highlight projects that shaped how we design and collaborate. From our own very own studio fit out to heritage refurbishments, from the London Business School to prestigious hospitality projects, each one brought new lessons and a fresh sense of design possibility.

Watch the video to hear from Natalie, Ben, Haryjot and KiYung on the projects that shaped them this year.

If you worked with us this year, we would love to know which Orbit project stood out most for you.
Share it in the comments.

📹: London Business School -
📹: CAVU Escape Lounges -

10/12/2025

Looking back at 2025 🟠

As 2025 draws to a close, Natalie, Ben, Haryjot and KiYung have taken a moment to reflect on what this year has meant for them personally at Orbit.

From nurturing a close knit, international team where everyone feels supported and encouraged to ask questions, to taking the lead on live projects, coordinating with consultants on site, and collaborating proactively with contractors to keep projects moving, it has been a year of personal and collective growth.

Across the studio people have stepped into new responsibilities, worked across multiple project stages, and sharpened the art of listening and doing the right thing for clients, collaborators and communities.

If you have been part of this journey as a client, collaborator or friend we would love to hear from you.

What has been your standout moment working with us in 2025?
Share it in the comments.

Celebrating hospitality design at The Brit List Awards 2025 🏆This week, Orbit attended The Brit List Awards 2025, an eve...
07/11/2025

Celebrating hospitality design at The Brit List Awards 2025 🏆

This week, Orbit attended The Brit List Awards 2025, an evening celebrating creativity and innovation across interior design, architecture, and hospitality.

Hosted by at the iconic , the event brought together the industry’s most inspiring designers, architects, and hoteliers. A huge thank you to the organisers and hosts for a brilliantly curated celebration of talent and collaboration in the built environment.

We may not have taken home an award this year, but seeing Orbit’s Philip Atkinson (Architect of the Year) and our project (Hotel of the Year) shortlisted in The Brit List 2025 is a proud moment, recognising the continued design innovation within our studio.

Congratulations to all of this year’s category winners and shortlisted finalists, an inspiring showcase of excellence and originality across the UK and beyond.

It was a pleasure to connect with so many familiar faces and meet new ones across the evening.

Celebrating emerging talent 🏭Orbit is proud to celebrate our very own Babin, who has been awarded the  South East London...
23/10/2025

Celebrating emerging talent 🏭

Orbit is proud to celebrate our very own Babin, who has been awarded the South East London MArch First Prize 2025 for his Part 2 Design Project, ‘Noohuru - The restoration of life and healing of the ocean’.

Developed at the University of Greenwich, Noohuru reimagines the future of the Maldives in the face of rising sea levels. Positioned between climate adaptation and cultural continuity, the project proposes regenerative habitats inspired by the logic of coral systems.

As part of this recognition, Babin has also been invited to present his work at the RIBA London Student Awards Ceremony on 28 October at the Royal Academy of Dance, alongside other talented student winners from across the city.

Congratulations Babin on this well-deserved achievement!

Let’s Talk About DesignOrbit’s Llinos Hughes recently visited  in Copenhagen, Denmark’s leading annual design festival, ...
26/06/2025

Let’s Talk About Design

Orbit’s Llinos Hughes recently visited in Copenhagen, Denmark’s leading annual design festival, bringing together global brands, designers, and thinkers across the city. This year’s theme ‘KEEP IT REAL’ encouraged individual expression, inclusivity, and conscious design.

It was an inspiring few days filled with thoughtful exhibitions, great conversations, and plenty of ideas that connect to how we approach design at Orbit.

Thank you to for having us, and to the team Dwyn Kelly, Helen Bryant, Sadie Andrews and Lynn Lodge for the warm welcome and insightful discussions.

The future of workplace design in Milan 🇮🇹From walking tours through Milan’s layered architectural history to networking...
06/06/2025

The future of workplace design in Milan 🇮🇹

From walking tours through Milan’s layered architectural history to networking events with peers (including a brilliant dinner hosted by ), the team soaked up the energy and insights from the conference at every opportunity.

But beyond the beauty and aperitivos, the sessions themselves were the real highlight.

Day one kicked off with the ‘Welcome to Milan’ keynote by Carlo Alberto Carnevale-Maffè, providing a sharp historical lens on how the city has transformed through visionary planning. This was followed by ‘Delivering Milan’, a compelling conversation between CBRE’s Chris Brett and COIMA’s Manfredi Catella on driving large-scale urban change.

On Day 2 the focus shifted to fit-out, futures and field trips. ‘Changing Face of the Workplace’ argued that tomorrow’s offices must be human-centred, data-driven and inclusive, while ‘BCO in 2030’ mapped the guidance that will steer the next decade. Technical tours brought theory to life: Covivio’s Symbiosis campus, reborn from a railway yard into mixed-use retail, office and education spaces beside Fondazione Prada, and The Sign, a 40,000 sqm business hub whose LEED Platinum L’Oréal office and CMR studio illustrate other sustainable accreditations.

Day 3 turned the spotlight on delivery and brand. Contractors shared collaboration lessons straight from site, a design-and-brand panel explored how identity shapes tenant experience, and the closing session revealed next year’s host city.

Across every seminar and site visit, hospitality thinking, service, amenities, community, kept surfacing as the hallmark of tomorrow’s workplace, and open knowledge-sharing between designers and contractors emerged as a clear differentiator.

Grazie, to the team for hosting a dynamic, thought-provoking few days.

See you next year!

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