Leading South East architectural and planning practice, Lee Evans Partnership, has appointed Liz Gibney as Partner from January 2019.
Gibney, formerly Head of Place at Home Group, one of the UK’s largest housing associations, becomes the practice’s first Partner to be appointed from a client organisation. She has wide-ranging expertise in residential design and master planning and her appointment will help to strengthen the practice’s ability to deliver large-scale housing projects, particularly those for housing associations and local authorities.
As well as working for several leading design practices including Broadway Malyan and Levitt Bernstein – where she collaborated closely with David Levitt – Gibney has served as design advisor to Design South East, Essex Design Advisory Panel and Building Schools for the Future.
Liz Gibney said:
“I am excited about being part of a practice which combines a strong design focus with an in-depth understanding of the planning environment and stakeholder consultation so seamlessly. I believe that as architects, we should be advocates of socially-responsible design which respects the well-being of the people who use our buildings and are shaped by the communities for which they are conceived. My experience client-side has given me a strong understanding of the process by which high quality housing can be delivered at relatively low cost and I look forward to applying this thinking to my work at Lee Evans Partnership. In addition, I am passionate about recognising and encouraging talent within the practice and creating a truly collaborative environment where everyone’s contribution is recognised.”
Gibney, who read architecture at Newcastle University and subsequently at The Bartlett, University College London, has designed projects including Holly Street Estate – the regeneration of a run-down area of Hackney, North London – and Persona, a residential development in Hull which was runner-up in the WhatHouse 2018 ‘Best House’ category. She is co-founder of the charity ‘Dover smART Project’ which supports disadvantaged people in the town.
Nick Lee Evans, Senior Partner, Lee Evans Partnership, said:
“It’s great to be welcoming Liz to the practice as a Partner after working with her so closely as a client. It is a true meeting of minds and values. Liz is an exceptionally talented and intuitive designer and will – I believe – make a significant contribution to the way we approach and deliver major master planning and residential schemes in the future.”