Talking Design

Vision

Interview with Alex Labridis, Founder and Managing Director of OWN LONDON

What inspired you to establish OWN LONDON? What did you feel was missing from the industry?

 

Having spent my engineering career working on huge high-profile construction projects in both the UK and the Middle East, I had regularly witnessed the problems faced by clients. From overrunning costs to delays in delivery, it was an industry marked by unpleasant client experiences and I felt strongly that it could be done better.

I started the business with a focus on the construction and development side, expanding our services in 2020 to include architecture, interior design and management, to offer our clients a full-service proposition. Providing an enjoyable client experience is the fundamental driver behind OWN LONDON, underpinned by a collective desire to set the benchmark for excellence in the industry as a whole.

 

 

What does OWN LONDON’s full-service proposition include and how does it benefit your clients?

 

Our in-house services incorporate interior architecture, interior design, construction, development and private client services. By unifying the disciplines of design, development and aftercare we are able to create great designs which we know are also practical and executable from day one.

This approach challenges both the design and construction teams to think of the end-to-end experience of the project, collaborating to ensure everything works seamlessly. It means that our clients only need to deal with one party, and we can deliver a beautiful space with a great lifespan while giving our clients the peace of mind that they will also be well looked after post-completion.

 

 

How has integrating an expert in-house design team helped to streamline or improve OWN LONDON’s design process?

 

Having a multidisciplinary studio means that our construction team knows from the outset that a design is workable. There is a lot of time and money wasted when there is a lack of connection between the design and construction sides of a project. It works both ways; our designs are shaped from the very beginning by the deep insights of our construction team, enabling us to deliver precisely what we envision with great efficiency.

 

 

Can you share more details about the big new projects you have underway?

 

This is an exciting time for both our clients and our team. We’ve reached a pivotal point where the advantages and efficiencies of operating a multidisciplinary studio are becoming evident through our ongoing and completed projects. This approach has allowed us to embark on some truly remarkable ventures, including the comprehensive renovation of a 5,000 sq ft townhouse in Phillimore Gardens, along with transformative projects in Holland Park and Belgravia. Additionally, we’re expanding our horizon with several international projects. In Greece, we’re engaged in developing a hotel in Mykonos and a villa in Corfu. Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia, we’ve been engaged to create an innovative retail and hospitality concept.

At OWN LONDON, our design language carries a sophistication that UK clients expect, and which can be elusive abroad. Our eclectic designs draw on our team’s extensive international experience and diverse influences, offering a blend that is both unique and globally informed. Our strong history of success and the high London standard of service we maintain instills confidence in our international clientele.

 

 

The company has already evolved from a construction company to a full-service design, development and management studio. What are your future ambitions for OWN LONDON?

 

We want to continue to excel in the London market and grow our footprint here, and in our quest to continuously innovate we are exploring overseas markets, working with existing clients on their diverse international projects. For instance, a London-based client is entrusting us with their holiday home in the South of France, and a completely different property in New York showcases the adaptability and scope of our services.

Parallel to this global outreach, we’re also delighted to introduce OWN EDITIONS – our new property development venture which aims to inject excitement and fun into the London property market, offering something fresh and original. OWN EDITIONS stands out as a branded turnkey development project that embodies our ethos of creativity and innovation, where clients can invest, we develop and then sell, simplifying the process with a unique flair that is distinctively our own.

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