Ben Nicholas joins Carr as an Associate Director, bringing dual discipline expertise as both an architect and a qualified interior designer. This balanced perspective informs each of his projects, ensuring a considered and cohesive outcome. With a rigorous and thoughtful approach, Ben specialises in high-end residential, multi-residential, and hospitality design. His philosophy aligns with Carr’s values: contemporary and restrained, with an emphasis on providing high-quality service.
In this piece, we explore Ben’s expertise in bespoke residential design and his process for creating a sense of place for clients.
“Bespoke residential projects often carry a personal nature that requires architects and designers to connect with their clients,” Ben explains. “I enjoy client engagement and interaction throughout the process of delivering a home, as well as the involvement of other professionals working together to achieve a shared goal.”
Personality through personability
While many of the functional requirements remain relatively consistent across residential projects, other elements, such as context and the client, help shape the design direction and create a unique outcome.
Ben begins by getting to know his clients and understanding their brief. To uncover this, he engages in open conversations that encourage honest feedback and personal insight. By asking thoughtful questions about lifestyle and future needs, Ben helps clients clarify how their home should support and enhance their well-being.
Ben adds, “Managing client expectations and their understanding of the design process, timeframes, budget, and design goals is an important aspect of the service we provide, and this involves clear communication from the outset.”
Harmonious design
With nearly two decades of experience in both architecture and interior design, Ben offers a harmonised and coordinated approach.
“Having experience in both disciplines helps me to design projects from each perspective, with an understanding of how one can affect or influence the other. Ultimately, the aim is to find a synergy between the two.”
From a client’s perspective, working with an architect and designer like Ben can provide clarity and structure. He helps define priorities, shape the project vision, and apply best design practices. “We are here to guide through both the design and construction phases, with the intent to make the process of building a home more collaborative and enjoyable for our clients.”
Achieving resonance
Carr has a longstanding reputation for creating high-quality, tailored residences. “We bring a deep history of expertise in the bespoke residential sector and continue to push for design excellence as a team,” Ben says.
Beyond technical proficiency and problem-solving, success lies in creating a sense of place. This might be expressed through a feeling of comfort, identity, belonging, nostalgia, or attachment. Ben notes that a sense of place can take time to develop. So, while a client may be satisfied with their home on completion, a deeper connection may grow over time. “For me, it reinforces the importance of longevity, and of taking a restrained approach to both form and materiality.”
He also reminds us that design is fundamentally a service profession. Architects and interior designers are responsible for delivering outcomes that meet and exceed client expectations.
“There’s a physical element to that, but also an emotional one,” he says. “A successful architectural and interior response should have contextual awareness and show careful consideration of form, space, texture, light, sustainability, and, most importantly, the human experience. It’s the balance and synergy of these elements that allows a home to truly resonate with its inhabitants.”
Explore how to balance form with feel on multi-residential projects with David Brooks.
