MEng (Hons) CEng MIStructE
DIRECTOR, UK + BOARD MEMBER

He is responsible for all aspects of project completion, leading teams working on schemes from concept to handover. His track record in delivering successful outcomes reflects his innate ability to develop innovative and effective engineering solutions. He explains, “I love technical challenges and solving them, especially if they form part of bigger questions like how to make the world a better place.”

Alex’s practical interest in improving digital design methodology shapes new ways of working, bringing together the different strands of direct and parametric modelling and combining them with standalone apps or operating system plug-ins. He sees huge potential in 3D geometric modelling — and its speed — in enabling design parameters to be changed at will, investigating low-carbon alternative approaches and evaluating numerous scheme options to refine the best solution. Such techniques result in efficient designs that are specific to the brief. Crucially, they also boost productivity by freeing up engineers’ time.

He is at the forefront of developing digital tools in support of engineering, including SCaFFOLD for engineering calculations and ACE Column Designer for column arrays (both exclusive to Whitby Wood), as well as our bespoke in-house databases. Among other digital tools, he is also working on a proof of concept app that uses machine learning to create 3D models from hand-drawn sketches.

Alex is instrumental in the success of projects in the UK and around the world. His notable London projects include the Three Quays development beside the River Thames, Royal Mint Gardens Aparthotel, buildings R3 and R6 (concrete frame) at Kings Cross Central, 5 Hanover Square (jointless brick façade), London Fruit and Wool Exchange (heritage façade retention), Moorgate Exchange (two basements + 12 levels), and extension of the University of East London Stratford Campus (student accommodation and new labs, constructed above Eurostar rail tunnels). Other key schemes are The Dunard Centre in Edinburgh, and Waingels College (CLT construction) in Berkshire.

His international projects embrace commercial offices, hotels, roof structures, megacities and masterplans. He is currently working on a number of confidential ventures in the Middle East.

The Dunard Centre, Edinburgh, UK
new concert hall in a heritage context
Anthony Timberlands Center, University of Arkansas, USA
competition-winning design for an applied timber research centre
Royal Mint Gardens Aparthotel, City of London, UK
12-storey aparthotel and residential over two live railways