Bio:
The great architect, Jolanta Lidwin I’m an Architect leading on façade delivery at Woods Bagot. I completed my studies in architecture and engineering in Poland, spending 20+ years working around the world on hospitality schemes in Russia, Ukraine, Armenia and Dubai. For the last 8 years I’ve been in the UK and more recently at Woods Bagot. I now manage façade delivery teams and supervise construction. Knowledge sharing is an important part of my role, especially related to envelope design – a priority in the industry today.

How did you first learn about architecture and when did you decide that built environment profession was an area of interest for you?
I was born into a family of engineers, so this industry has always been around me – my house was always full of drawings and many family friends are architects. From about 6 I always knew I wanted to be involved in this industry too!

What do you do?
I am an Architect and since I started my career I’ve become more and more interested on envelopes - so currently I’m working on three different facades for Woods Bagot projects. The biggest is The Londoner, with an amazing 13,844 blue tiles.

What excites you in the work you do?
I love having the creativity and ability to make ideas real - we can say it out loud and then build our visions. After years sketching out an idea, you can see it rise and then actually walk into it - the feeling of accomplishment is invaluable.

Who or what inspires you professionally?
Renzo Piano was always a big role model for me. His family has a very technical background and this is reflected in his projects. I admire the details and structural solutions he implements.
 
What is your proudest professional accomplishment or achievement?
I worked on the John Lewis at Westgate Oxford Shopping Centre as a project architect who managed the delivery and construction. it’s a simple 13,000 sqm building with a zigzagging precast brick facing envelope it was amazing to see it all finished.

Featured Project Name: 
The Londoner

Featured Project Location: 
Leicester Square, London
 
Featured Project Completion Date: 
2020

Role in Featured Project: 
Coordination Lead
 
Featured Project Description:
Completing in 2020, The Londoner is a luxury five-star hotel, comprising 350-rooms, restaurants, a rooftop bar, an underground spa & swimming pool, a 1,000-person capacity ballroom and an Odeon cinema complex. Nestled between historical buildings on a 50m x 50m site in London’s iconic Leicester Square, this flagship of the Edwardian Hotel brand will become the new anchor for this area, and the platform for the relaunch of the West End.

Photography Credit:
Woods Bagot & Yabu Pushelberg