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Gary Alston
Founding Director
Gary Alston is Founding Director of AHD Studios, an architectural practice founded on the belief that visionary design and environmental responsibility are inseparable.
He specialises in sustainable, low embodied carbon, energy-efficient and Passivhaus-certified projects across residential, retrofit & reuse, retail and education sectors, Leading multidisciplinary teams, he balances design ambition with technical precision, and has delivered award-winning schemes throughout the UK.
Gary's approach is grounded in listening, close collaboration and the considered use of materials, creating low carbon buildings and great places where people and communities thrive.
Gary sits on the Industry Advisers Board for the School of Computing, Engineering & the Built Environment at Edinburgh Napier University
Simon Chadwick
Technical Lead
Simon is a Senior Chartered Architectural Technologist (MCIAT) with an exceptional depth of technical knowledge and a proven ability to turn ambitious architectural concepts into robust, compliant and buildable solutions.
Previously Head of Technical at ECD Architects, he has worked with Gary and many of the AHD Studios team for many years, leading the practice through a rapidly changing regulatory landscape and mentoring technical staff along the way. He is proficient in Revit, AutoCAD, Excel and NBS Chorus, and his project experience spans new-build housing, schools, offices, retail and community buildings, alongside SHDF, PAS 2035 retrofit and cladding fire remediation work. As an ABBE Level 3 qualified Retrofit Designer, Simon brings rare technical expertise and a strong commitment to quality.
Simon also assists the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists as a Member Panel assessor.
Jamie Ho
Senior Architect
Experienced Architect (6 years Post-Part 3, 14 years overall industry experience) with strong foundations in direct client-facing, leading project teams, creating company workflow protocols and new-build passivhaus schemes.
Jamie has worked and built a design synergy with Gary spanning over 12years; Together, they have worked on schemes across multiple sectors and RIBA Workstages, including the retrofit of a 1960s 23-storey tower to Ennerphit standards, new-build Community Centre as part of the Carpenters Masterplan in Stratford, London, large scale council SHDF retrofit residentials and new-build residential schemes with Epping Forest District Council.
He also has experience in commercial, private residential and healthcare sectors, such as working with Wates, Willmott Dixon, McCarthy & Stone and DeTrafford.
Federica Ranalli
Architect & Sustainability Consultant
Federica is a registered Architect and Sustainability Consultant with extensive cross-sector experience bridging architectural design and environmental performance.
She has worked with Gary and rest the AHD Studios Team throughout her career to date from Part 1 to achieving Registration as an Architect.
She holds credentials as a LEED Green Associate and advanced training in PHPP expert modelling, she specialises in low-carbon, fabric-first design and whole-life carbon assessments, safeguarding design quality through technical detailing.
Her track record spans leading Passivhaus projects through technical delivery to conducting deep retrofit and EnerPHit feasibilities. Federica consistently balances architectural rigour with exceptional occupant comfort and verifiable environmental targets.
Logan
Director of Happiness
Our four-legged Director of Happiness Logan is responsible for keeping spirits high and making sure there's always a friendly face around the office.
When not busy boosting morale, Logan can usually be found supervising meetings, campaigning for treats, or enjoying a well-earned nap.
Outside working hours, Logan can usually be found at the park, enthusiastically chasing his ball and firmly believing it’s his most important job of the day.
Flanny
Associate Director of Happiness
Working alongside our Director of Happiness, Logan, Flanny monitors health & wellbeing at AHD Studios.
Flanny makes sure everyone takes the right time off to go for walks to the park and the beach, which is where you usually find her.
At AHD Studios, we believe architecture must be both visionary and responsible. Our practice is built on a commitment to sustainability, technical excellence, and design that serves both people and the planet.
Our approach begins with listening and observation. We collaborate closely with clients, communities, and consultants to understand the unique social, environmental, and cultural context of every project. From the earliest sketches to technical delivery, we seek to create architecture that is not only functional and beautiful, but also resilient, low-carbon, and regenerative.
We are driven by a belief that great design and environmental performance are inseparable. That’s why we embed sustainable strategies, such as Passivhaus principles, bioclimatic design, and circularity from the outset, rather than treating them as add-ons. Whether designing a new school, community housing, or repurposing an existing building, we focus on long-term performance, wellbeing, and positive impact.
With experience of delivering award-winning projects across the UK, the studio’s leadership combines creativity and rigour, grounded in a track record of delivering technically complex buildings with clarity and purpose. The portfolio includes transformative work in education, residential and commercial architecture, all underpinned by a strong social and environmental ethics.
At AHD Studios, we don't just design buildings. We design with intention, empathy, and with a clear responsibility to the future.
Our aim is simple: to shape places that inspire, endure, and make a meaningful contribution to a more sustainable built environment.