Charles Holland Architects
Charles Holland Architects (CHA) is a unique practice integrating architecture, design and research. Our approach is purposeful, playful and pragmatic.
Our multi-disciplinary projects – from urban design, through to buildings, exhibitions, public art and cultural strategies – are united by our creative thinking, our understanding of and respect for place, and our deep interest in cultural history.
At all scales, from the domestic interior to the city masterplan, we design with sensitivity, imagination and care to demonstrate that architecture can and should transform the day-to-day quality of our lives. Our work is rooted in a deep understanding of context to ensure that what we design is relevant and adds real value and meaning for people.
Clients:
- Victoria and Albert Museum
- Royal Academy
- Sir John Soane’s Museum
- National Trust
- British Council
- Royal Institute of British Architects
- Human Nature
- Margate Community Art Trust
CHA works with private and public clients, communities, local authorities, cultural institutions commercial developers, museums, galleries and schools as well as private individuals, to design buildings and spaces which meet their needs and add positively to places.
We have an excellent track record in planning, and we are particularly skilled at engagement and consultation, helping clients and communities articulate their ambitions and unlock the value and opportunity inherent in challenging sites.
Led by Charles Holland, CHA comprises an agile and responsive core team, with additional capacity provided by long-standing consultants and specialists. We also work in collaborative partnership with other practices and design team members to offer the most appropriate skills and experience for our clients.
Charles Holland
Charles Holland founded CHA to explore the wider role of architecture and design. His approach combines a strong feeling for history and context with an emphasis on highly crafted and carefully detailed designs. He brings a wealth of experience to every project, able to combine creative thinking, technical knowledge and expertise in both consultation and design team leadership.
Prior to forming CHA, Charles was a director of FAT, a design practice described by the Sunday Times as having “changed the architectural weather”. He led a number of the practice’s key projects including A House For Essex, a creative collaboration with the artist Grayson Perry and Islington Square, an award-winning development of social housing.
Charles is a chartered architect, an RIBA member and a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. A highly respected architect with over 30 years professional experience, Charles is a member of various Design Review Panels including Design South East and Thanet and sits on the Casework Panel for the Twentieth Century Society.
In addition to his practice, Charles is involved in teaching, writing and research. He is currently Professor of Architecture at the University for the Creative Arts, Canterbury and a Visiting Tutor at the University of Cambridge. His research explores the relationship of practice to education, building bridges between industry and academia. He is a former Visiting Professor at Yale University in the US and the Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart and is currently External Examiner at London Metropolitan University.
As a cultural critic and industry commentator, Charles has written extensively on architecture and design including in academic and industry journals. He has written architecture guides for Open City London and contributed essays to a number of books including the Alternative Guide to the London Boroughs and Radical Essex.
Charles’ latest book, How To Enjoy Architecture, was published by Yale University Press in April 2024.