Reimaging Urbanism + Architecture through Practice + Research

Design, for me, goes beyond buildings—it’s about creating spaces that inspire new ways of thinking, acting and feeling. With over 20 years of experience at the intersection of practice and research, I’ve made it my mission to challenge the conventional, reshaping how we design cities, buildings and landscapes to better serve both people and the planet. Innovation, collaboration and sustainability are not just ideals; they are the core principles guiding every aspect of my work.

As the founder of HNNA and Assemblage, I built studios where we didn’t follow trends, but fundamentally questioned them. Now, as an independent consultant, I continue to partner with designers, institutions and industries unafraid to explore new ways of thinking, designing and building. Together, we deliver solutions that challenge norms and bring transformative value to clients who share our vision for reshaping the future of the built environment. Design is a conversation, not a monologue.

Alongside my practice, I’m a Lecturer at The Bartlett, University College London, teaching Design and Ethics on the Architecture, Urban Design and Landscape programmes. My research explores the big questions surrounding global urbanization and sustainable development—massive challenges that demand we rethink everything we know about design. It’s not just about building more, but about building smarter, more responsibly and creating spaces that work for everyone..

I lecture internationally, support other academic institutions and I am a member of several committees and think tanks, including being a Design Council Expert for the Urban Environment. My work has been recognized with awards, including International Women in Architecture (Emerging Architect), British Construction Industry (Commercial Property), Pineapple (Place of the Year), Dezeen (Business Building), AR International House Awards and Time Magazine’s World’s Greatest Places.

Urbanism + Architecture

When faced with large-scale projects, I don’t just approach them as opportunities for monumental architecture; I see them as chances to craft urban solutions that are permeable, accessible, and intimately connected to the scale of the city we inhabit. I work from the broader context of the city down to the smallest detail—the handles we hold, the paths we walk. My clients value the consistency this approach brings, knowing that my continuous involvement ensures that key principles remain intact, resisting the dilution that can occur over time.

In many projects, I take on the role of masterplanner, guiding the vision while also contributing as one of the design team delivering architectural components. This dual perspective allows me to be more thoughtful in the process, understanding the challenges faced by others and ensuring a cohesive approach. I often undertake design development exercises, role-playing and testing proposals, creating an environment where innovation thrives within a framework of efficiency. The right constraints are crucial—not to stifle creativity, but to ensure that it can flourish within a well-structured environment.

One example of this approach is my work on the Greenwich Peninsula, one of Europe’s largest regeneration projects. Collaborating with Allies and Morrison Architects, my firm, HNNA, was appointed directly by Knight Dragon to act as masterplanner, design coordinator, and one of eight lead architects for the Design District—London’s first purpose-built, permanent home for creative industries. This ambitious project comprises 16 sustainable buildings set around five courtyards, offering 14,000 sqm of workshops and studios for London’s makers.

Within the Design District, HNNA designed two buildings, including The Bureau, a dynamic coworking space offering a range of studios and flexible social areas. It’s a space that challenges the traditional, providing a low-cost membership model aimed at fostering a thriving creative community.

Meet the Architects Interview with Hannah Corlett and Jemima Burrill © Design District London

Practice + Research

In my work, practice and research are inseparable, each informing and enriching the other. Through teaching, collaboration, and in-house projects, I engage in speculative research to generate live projects, while also responding to specific challenges that emerge from my practice. This dynamic process allows me to explore new typologies, scrutinize alternative applications, and continuously push the boundaries of what design can be.

I have initiated a series of research collaborations that tackle contemporary issues shaping our cities: Mobility, Waste, Inclusion, and Cultural Heritage. These aren’t just academic inquiries—they are active responses to urgent societal needs, searching for innovative solutions that connect deeply with the built environment.

Moving Spaces, is a collaboration with Sam Livingstone of Car Design Research. This initiative explores the intersection of emergent technologies in the built environment and mobility. By reimagining the design of cities, buildings, and vehicles, it presents an opportunity to rethink how people live, unlocking potential for economic and environmental transformation.

Waste Not Want Not is an awareness campaign focusing on the growing issue of construction waste. Founded with members of University College London, the initiative examines sustainable solutions that can reshape how we approach material use in construction.

Invisible Citizens is an international effort focused on creating inclusive urban design solutions for public spaces, considering the needs of diverse genders, age groups, ethnicities, and sexual identities. This collaboration underscores the importance of ensuring that urban environments are accessible to all, without exclusion.

Cultural Heritage, through lectures and publications, addresses the significant role of cultural history in contemporary urban design. This ongoing series includes contributions from an international group of thought leaders, expanding the conversation around how our cities can respect the past while embracing the future.

I regularly undertake research collaborations with academics and practitioners worldwide, including inclusion in the Seoul Biennale of Architecture & Urbanism with Studio Egret West, Fosters and Partners and Arup Associates and the Venice Architectural Biennale with Níall McLaughlin and Yeoryia Manolopoulou.

Loosing Myself Architecture Biennale Venice Italy by Niall McLaughlin and Yeoryia Manolopoulou

As a Lecturer at The Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London on Architecture. I teach Unit 12 with Níall McLaughlin where we work with architecture students to design urban settlements and the buildings within in them. I also lead Group 3 which looks at the ethics and agency of Artificial Intelligence within practice and Studio 8 with Tom Budd an architectural landscape programme focussing on time and process.

I also work with a range of other universities both within the UK and internationally including University College and Ravensbourne University in London, Syracuse University in New York and Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design in Jerusalem.

Current Collaborations

I’ve recently worked alongside Kéré Architecture, Adjaye Associates, and Diller Scofidio + Renfro on the design of the United Nations International Organisation for Migration headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, in collaboration with Burckhardt + Partner Architekten.

In partnership with Argent, Architecture 00, Gort Scott, and Studio Multi, I’ve helped reimagine the former St Pancras Hospital site in King’s Cross, London, transforming it into a 25,000 sqm Lab-Enabled workplace that combines heritage with innovation.

Alongside AHMM, Burd Haward Architects, and Coffey Architects, I completed the £320 million Estate Redevelopment of the West Kentish Town Estate for Camden Council, providing 880 new homes and commercial spaces while respecting the site’s historical context.

My Mayfair Neighbourhood Plan has been fully adopted by Westminster, covering key areas such as heritage, housing, culture, and the environment, laying the foundation for a more connected Mayfair. I am now working with Westminster City Council and Grosvenor on strategies to revitalise the Tyburn River Passage into a pedestrian-friendly local high street.

I continue to explore new possibilities at the intersection of practice and research. In collaboration with UCL, Camden Council, Transport for London, British Land, Arup Associates, and AHMM, I’m reimagining the future of the Euston Road area to address shifts in travel and working practices post-Covid.

Throughout my career, I’ve contributed to large-scale, culturally significant projects worldwide, including the new Iraq Parliament and housing settlements for UN HABITAT, reinforcing my commitment to designing spaces that resonate with people and place.

More information about recent work can be found on my News page and by following me on the following Instagram accounts:

Combined @hannahcorlett_com

Research @bartlett_UG12

Practice @hnna__co [former practice work]

Work featured in this site includes work by HNNA [HNNA Ltd - Urban Planning + Landscape Architecture - SIC 71112] and Assemblage [Assemblage Architects Ltd - Architectural activities - SIC 71111] which were founded in 2019 and 2004 respectively by Hannah Corlett, but are no longer active.