Inside HLW Architects: Studio Culture, Workplace Design and Careers

In this Architecture Social CPD (approximately 45 minutes), Stephen Drew sits down with Bronte Turner, Managing Director of HLW's London studio, for an inside look at one of the world's oldest design firms. They explore how HLW is structured, the culture that holds its London team together, its sustainability commitments, and the realities of building a career in architecture and interior design.

Who this is for

Architecture and interior design students, Part 1 and Part 2 assistants, and early-career designers weighing up large multidisciplinary or workplace-focused studios. It is also useful for designers relocating to the UK, and anyone interested in studio culture, sustainability and practice leadership.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this CPD you will be able to:

1. Describe how a large, multidisciplinary design firm organises architecture, interiors and speciality studios under one roof.
2. Explain how studio culture and team rituals support collaboration, learning and staff retention in a busy practice.
3. Identify practical ways a studio can embed sustainability into design, from embodied carbon to materials specification.
4. Summarise a balanced view of AI and automation in design, and where human creativity still leads.
5. Apply early-career advice on internships, networking and standing out when applying to design practices.
6. Recognise the financial and practical realities of entering and moving within the architecture profession.

One firm, many disciplines

HLW is a multidisciplinary design firm founded in New York in 1885, making it one of the oldest design practices in the United States. Its London studio has been established for around 30 years and works across the UK and the wider EMEA region. Bronte describes a firm that has deliberately stayed relevant and evolved with its clients while remaining proud of a long legacy.

Speciality studios under one roof

Alongside its core architecture and interior design teams, HLW runs a set of in-house speciality studios: a workplace strategy and discovery team, a research and insights team, a branding and graphics team, a lighting design studio and a sustainability and wellness team. Because much of this expertise sits in-house, project teams can deliver accreditations such as LEED, BREEAM and WELL, and bring specialist thinking into a scheme from the start.

A culture built on rituals and relationships

Bronte explains how the London studio protects its culture through regular rituals, from town halls and supplier sessions to knowledge-sharing and studio trips, as well as a long-running annual party for clients and collaborators. The aim is a global firm that still feels close-knit, with transparency, communication and inter-office exchange keeping teams connected across locations.

Workplace design for technology and financial clients

The London team's portfolio is weighted towards workplace and commercial interiors, alongside base-build and repositioning work for landlords and developers. Clients span the technology and financial sectors, and projects reach across Europe. Bronte talks through how the studio balances large, complex schemes with the agility of a smaller team.

Sustainability, from embodied carbon to materials

Sustainability is treated as core rather than optional. The conversation covers reducing embodied carbon on completed schemes and a materials policy that screens harmful products out of specification. Bronte makes the point that what is specified today will still be in buildings in 2030, so meeting future targets means designing to them now.

A measured take on AI in design

On AI, Bronte sets out a balanced view: some tasks can be made more efficient and automated, but human creativity, problem solving and judgement remain central. HLW has a dedicated technology team looking at both how the practice uses tools today and how it might shape their use in future. Her advice to designers is not to lose the craft of sketching and thinking away from the screen.

Breaking in: internships, networking and standing out

For students and graduates, Bronte recommends taking up internships to build a platform and stand out, researching the firms you want to join, and putting yourself out there at industry events. She frames architecture and design as a connections-driven, team-based industry, where building a network early pays off throughout a career.

The realities of entering and moving within the profession

The discussion is honest about the cost of entering architecture, from tuition and the cost of living to the length of training, and the value of apprenticeships and shorter routes into the profession. Bronte and Stephen also discuss professional self-worth and fees, and, drawing on Bronte's own move from Australia to London, the practical and personal sides of relocating to work in design.

Key terms

• Base-build and repositioning: shell-and-core or landlord works that prepare or upgrade a building, often before fit-out, including refurbishing existing stock.
• Embodied carbon: the carbon emissions associated with the materials and construction of a building, as distinct from its operational energy use.
• LEED, BREEAM and WELL: widely used certification schemes for environmental performance (LEED, BREEAM) and occupant health and wellbeing (WELL).
• Workplace strategy: research and planning that defines how an organisation should work and use space, ahead of detailed design.
• Speciality studio: a dedicated in-house team, such as lighting, branding or sustainability, that supports projects with specialist expertise.

Reflective prompts for your CPD record

1. How does your current or target studio organise specialist skills, and where could you add value across disciplines?
2. Which of HLW's culture rituals, such as town halls, exchanges or social events, could strengthen collaboration in your own team?
3. What is one practical step you could take this quarter to grow your professional network or deepen your sustainability knowledge?

About the guest

Bronte Turner is an interior designer by background who moved from Australia to London in 2005. At HLW she served as Managing Director of the London studio for more than a decade, growing the practice's UK and European work and shaping its culture, with a portfolio spanning workplace and commercial interiors for technology and financial-sector clients.