Adrian Welch Architect, Website Founder & Editor, Architectural Designs, Images, Dubai, Edinburgh, Scotland

Adrian Welch Architect

Architecture Website Editor, based between KSA and the UK – Contemporary Buildings from around the World

Adrian Welch B.Arch (Hons) Dip Arch ARB
Architect, Writer & Website Editor

Born 1971

photo © Adrian Welch

Adrian Welch Biography

Adrian was born in Kincardineshire, northeast Scotland and attending Banchory Academy from 1981 to 1989. He completed his Architecture degree in 1992, attending Manchester University. His head tutor was architect Ian Simpson, with Alan Dunlop and Stephen Hodder as assistant tutors.

– Letter from Eva Jiricna Architect:

letter from EJAL

Student Work by Adrian Welch

– Hyderabad house, India – joint design by Robin Cross (later a director at Article 25) and Adrian Welch, prior to starting at The Bartlett:

drawing © Adrian Welch

After a year-out working as an architect in Manchester Adrian attended The Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London, run by Professor Sir Peter Cook, from where he graduated in 1995.

– Piccadilly Circus, London – Diploma design project (Year 5) by Adrian Welch, at The Bartlett:

drawings © AW

His tutor was the architect and writer Neil Spiller. His Diploma Dissertation was based on the redevelopment of Hulme, a deprived inner-city area in Manchester, which gained a Distinction. His Thesis on Holographic Architecture in the final year also received a Distinction. Two projects were worked on: a Holographic Intervention at Piccadilly Circus and a Meditation Space in a City of London churchyard.

Built Work

– Homerton College, Cambridge – accommodation building (built) designed by RMJM Architects:

sketch © AW

Having graduated, Adrian moved to Cambridge in 1995 having received an offer to work for RMJM Architects on a Cambridge college building.

In 1996 he returned to London having been offered a position at Eva Jiricna Architects. Here Adrian worked on 37 different projects over 2 ½ years, generally at concept design stage.

– Hotel Josef, Prague, Czech Republic, designed by Eva Jiricna Architect, initial stages project architect – Adrian Welch:

drawings © AW

– Kuala Lumpur Complex, Malaysia, designed by Eva Jiricna Architect, initial stages project architect – Adrian Welch:

model + drawing © AW

– Lavka Bridge, Brno, Czech Republic, (built) designed by Eva Jiricna Architect with Matthew Wells engineer and project architect Adrian Welch:

drawing + sketches © AW

Most of the jobs were abroad and it was two years after graduation before The Bartlett Part 3 course rules allowed him to commence a Case Study, located in the UK. This was based on the redevelopment of No.1 Sloane Street (link at base of page) to form a jewellery shop for England’s oldest jewellers, Boodle & Dunthorne (now ‘Boodles’).

Adrian passed his Architecture Part 3 in 1997. Adrian also worked as principal design assistant to Eva on the 170-bed five-star Hotel Josef, Prague, the Interior of the Commercial Bank, Prague, the Lavka Bridge, Brno and the North Woolwich Bridge competition, London.

– Tehran Hotel, Iran – design by ara, detailed by Adrian Welch:

drawing © Adrian Welch

Adrian married Isabelle Lomholt, who had also trained to be an architect, in 1997. She is the daughter of Danish installation artist, mail art curator, film director and (former) art school head Niels Lomholt, and Professor of Architecture Dr Jane Lomholt. With a baby on the way they decided to leave London and Adrian gained a position at Conran’s in late 1998 working as Site Architect on the Ocean Terminal, a major mixed-use project in Edinburgh. The family moved to Edinburgh in early 1999.

Adrian’s interest in finding out more about the city’s architecture led him to start a website – Edinburgh Architecture. This was born out of the realisation that there was no accessible record of recent buildings in the capital since Charles McKean’s Edinburgh Architecture Guide. The website contained photographs and text by Adrian to form a useful online guide to contemporary Edinburgh architecture. It was at this point that Adrian also started to write for various magazines. Writing and illustration had been aspects of Adrian’s childhood with features as a teenager used in various magazines, guides and journals.

– HQ Building, Edinburgh Park offices, for AMA

picture © Keith Hunter

– Fruitmarket Gallery redevelopment & lighting, Edinburgh, Scotland – building redevelopment (completed) designed by Richard Murphy Architects in collaboration with celebrated artist Peter Fink

photo by Richard Murphy Architects

– Oloroso Restaurant, Edinburgh, Scotland – building (completed) designed by Richard Murphy Architects and project architect Adrian Welch:

sketches © AW

Adrian Welch Biography – Richard Murphy Architects

Later Adrian worked for Richard Murphy Architects for over two years from the start of 2000 to the end of 2001. He took both the Fruitmarket Gallery redevelopment & lighting (above) on site, and Oloroso, a rooftop restaurant in the heart of Edinburgh New Town for Scotland’s Chef of the Year.

– Stirling Tolbooth, Scotland – building redevelopment (completed) designed by Richard Murphy Architects – stair and balconies detailed by Adrian Welch:

plan showing new stair © RMA

He also designed and curated the RIAS 2000 Festival Exhibition with filmmaker Murray Grigor, who has worked with Sean Connery and made excellent films on subjects such as US architect John Lautner and Cardross Seminary in Scotland.

Scottish Parliament Building, Edinburgh, Scotland (built) – Stirling Prize Winner – designed by EMBT/ RMJM Architects:

image © Keith Hunter

Adrian Welch Biography – RMJM Architects

Adrian was offered a job by RMJM at the start of 2002 working as a Project Architect on the Scottish Parliament (above) designed by Enric Miralles. This was one of the highlights of Adrian’s career, working on a highly crafted building alongside the Spanish architects EMBT.

Scottish Parliament Building, Edinburgh, Scotland (built) designed by RMJM Architects,
one of the louvred light finger for the Debating Chamber detailed by Adrian Welch; sycamore lath double-glazed stair balustrading detailed by Adrian Welch; stair to the Debating Chamber, all architectural metalwork detailed by Adrian Welch:

sketch © AW

His role increased over time from responsibility for the Interiors of the MSP Foyer, Canongate and Towers 3 & 4 to overseeing all the architectural metalwork in the building and being responsible for the Debating Chamber interior.

Scottish Parliament Building, Edinburgh, Scotland (built) designed by RMJM Architects,
handrail detailed by Adrian Welch; colour-coded set of sitewide drawings, wall and soffit plans for each floor developed by Adrian Welch; mace cabinet detailed by Adrian Welch:

sketch © AW

These roles were onerous but formed a major experience. Adrian Welch spent six weeks at this time working for RMJM in Hong Kong on projects in China and India.

By 2002 the website was becoming popular and the point of reference for people interested in Edinburgh Architecture. News and events pages had been added and hundreds of pages on individual buildings and architects. The Glasgow Architecture website was launched. Numerous articles had been written by Adrian for publications such as The List, Building Design, Business AM, The Drouth Literary magazine and Prospect magazine. Also numerous articles had appeared in the Press re the websites per se or topics contained on their news pages.

Adrian Welch Biography – Michael Laird Architects

Adrian Welch joined Michael Laird Architects in 2005 as a Senior Architect focused on front-end design or concept work. Adrian has worked on many feasibility projects for Michael Laird Architects with an emphasis on residential property. He worked as Project Architect on East Fettes Avenue comprising of 84 housing units in Inverleith, Edinburgh. Adrian was also responsible for PR within the practice.

Ellersley Housing, Edinburgh – building proposal designed by Michael Laird Architects:

image © AW

Adrian Welch Biography – Lewis & Hickey

Adrian Welch joined Lewis & Hickey Architects in 2013 as a Senior Architect. He worked as Project Architect for Beech Court (277 beds, 10,000 sqm) at the University of Stirling, Scotland, completed on time and on budget in Summer 2014. He then worked as Project Architect for Juniper Court (252 beds, 8,600 sqm) at the Stirling University, again completed on time and on budget in Summer 2015:

photo © Keith Hunter Photography

He worked on various projects from Calton Road redevelopment, Rose Street office-to-housing conversion (6 storeys), Charles Stewart House redevelopment for Edinburgh University (5 storeys) and briefly on the interior refit on Edinburgh University Library. He also worked for six months on Virginia Waters Assisted Living (58 flats) in Surrey, England.

Adrian worked as Project Architect on the prestigious renewal of the Pathfoot Building at the University of Stirling, Scotland, a Category A listed building originally designed by architect John Richards of Robert Matthew Johnson-Marshall & Partners (RMJM):

picture courtesy UoS

Adrian Welch Biography – Middle East

Pace, Kuwait

From November 2016 – Feb 2018 Adrian worked as a Senior Architect for Pace, Kuwait, notably as Project Architect on Hamala Mixed Use Development, Bahrain – new town centre on a 109,000sqm site:

image courtesy of Pace

He was also Project Architect on the 58,000sqm Mazaya Downtown, Kuwait City – a pair of skyscrapers, 14 and a 32 storeys high:

image courtesy of Pace

image courtesy of Pace

He also worked on the Wafra Towers, Bahrain Bay, Bahrain, a pair of towers, 32 and a 35 storeys high designed by Wiel Arets Architects:

image courtesy of WAA

image courtesy of WAA

GAJ, Dubai

In March 2018 Adrian relocated to work for GAJ in Dubai as a Senior Architect.

He was promoted past Associate straight to Senior Associate.

Adrian was employed specifically to work on a new par of towers: he was Project Architect on the 46-storey skyscraper titled Dubai Creek Harbour Palace Residences – 121 key 5-star hotel and 587-unit branded apartment towers, for Emaar’s Palace brand.

Adrian also worked as second-in-command under Associate Director Jon Sander on a large residential project in Riyadh. The Najdi project for DGDA encompassed five masterplan districts for which Adrian was principally responsible in developing 44 townhouse and villa typologies.

He assisted the practice in press and marketing, taking part in live debates, conferences, awards and writing articles such as one on future architecture trends that featured in the region’s largest publication, Gulf News.

Adrian Welch architecture website editor + architect

Awards

E&L Education Business Partnership: Champions Award – 2001
Fruitmarket Day Event for Mid & East Lothian School Pupils
Manchester Society of Architects Scholarship: Expressionist Architecture in Eastern Europe – 1992
Hulme Hall Travel Award: Aalto & The New Modernists, Finland – 1991

Education Work / Talks

SSA, Robert Gordons University, 2011 + 2012: crits
Fruitmarket, May 2002: Day Event – Fifth Year’s learning about architecture
Edinburgh University, Dec 2002: crits
Fruitmarket, Nov 2001: School pupil’s learning about being an architect
Edinburgh College of Art, Nov 2001: crits
Fruitmarket, May 2001: Day Event – Fifth Year’s learning about architecture
The Cockburn Association, Feb 2001: ‘Edinburgh on the rocks’ Talk
Humberside University 1998: crits
Humberside University1998: talk on Eva Jiricna’s office

E-mail Adrian Welch at info(at)e-architect.com

Location: Glasgow, Scotland, UK