35 Years of People, Places + Possibility
Thirty-five years ago, HNW began with three people, one office in Chichester and an ambition to create good architecture. Today, more than 50 of us work together across studios in Chichester, Brighton & Hove and London. A lot has changed in between — but some of the things that matter most have remained remarkably consistent.
On 1 October 1991, Harding Neill & Watson opened its doors at 11 West Pallant in Chichester. The early practice combined design ambition with an enthusiasm for tackling complex projects and building long-term meaningful client relationships - characteristics that have continued to shape HNW ever since.
Over the following three and a half decades, the practice grew in people, expertise and reach. Work expanded across housing, regeneration, education, defence, commercial and many other sectors. Sustainability, reuse and the transformation of places became increasingly important parts of that work.
The name evolved too. Harding Neill & Watson became HNW Architects in 2012 — retaining the initials and heritage of the original practice while reflecting a business that had grown considerably beyond its beginnings.
A practice shaped by people
Buildings and places may be what we create, but people have always shaped HNW.
Successive generations have brought different experience, ideas and ambitions to the practice. Long-serving directors including Mike Brown, David Steel and Daniel Stroud helped develop HNW alongside the founding generation and supported its growth through much of the 2000s.
Successive generations have brought different experience, ideas and ambitions to the practice. Long-serving directors including Mike Brown, David Steel and Daniel Stroud helped develop HNW alongside the founding generation and supported its growth through much of the 2000s.
That continuity can also be seen in today’s leadership. Gary Ewins joined HNW in 1999, Andy Clemas in 2005, Steve Duffy in 2008 and Rosie Mitchell in 2010. Each developed their careers within the practice before joining the Board.
Gary and Andy joined the Board in 2015, followed by Steve in 2017 — a further stage in the evolution of the practice and the development of a new generation of leadership from within.
Gary and Andy joined the Board in 2015, followed by Steve in 2017 — a further stage in the evolution of the practice and the development of a new generation of leadership from within.
In 2021 another significant chapter began. Rosie joined the Board following her progression through HNW, Lee Davies joined as a Director, and we opened our Brighton & Hove studio — physically extending our geographic reach, bringing new people and expertise into the practice and creating new opportunities.
Brighton & Hove celebrates its fifth anniversary in 2026. What began as a new studio has developed into an established team and an important part of HNW.
London followed in 2024. Two years later, it is developing from a new presence into an established studio team, strengthening our relationships and reach across London and the wider South East.
Ben McKenna joined the Board in 2026, adding further depth to our leadership and expertise as the practice entered its 35th year.
Ben McKenna joined the Board in 2026, adding further depth to our leadership and expertise as the practice entered its 35th year.
What HNW has become
Today HNW is a practice of more than 50 people working across three studios but, importantly, operating as one team.
Our scale has changed, but we continue to value the personal relationships, accessibility and responsiveness of a smaller studio. Growth has allowed us to add depth rather than simply size: broader expertise, stronger teams and the ability to work across an increasingly diverse range of projects, scales and stages.
Our work now spans residential and mixed-use development, regeneration and masterplanning, education, industrial and commercial projects, community buildings, blue light, defence and strategic land alongside growing expertise in conservation, retrofit, fit out, sustainable reuse, decarbonisation and Building Safety.
That breadth is supported by specialist knowledge in areas including conservation, urban design, engagement, Passivhaus and Principal Designer services — and by an increasing emphasis on taking projects from their earliest strategic thinking through planning, technical design and delivery.
Recent awards, framework appointments and project successes give us plenty to celebrate, but they are most valuable as evidence of something broader: stronger relationships, deeper expertise and growing recognition of the quality of the work being produced across HNW.
Our scale has changed, but we continue to value the personal relationships, accessibility and responsiveness of a smaller studio. Growth has allowed us to add depth rather than simply size: broader expertise, stronger teams and the ability to work across an increasingly diverse range of projects, scales and stages.
Our work now spans residential and mixed-use development, regeneration and masterplanning, education, industrial and commercial projects, community buildings, blue light, defence and strategic land alongside growing expertise in conservation, retrofit, fit out, sustainable reuse, decarbonisation and Building Safety.
That breadth is supported by specialist knowledge in areas including conservation, urban design, engagement, Passivhaus and Principal Designer services — and by an increasing emphasis on taking projects from their earliest strategic thinking through planning, technical design and delivery.
Recent awards, framework appointments and project successes give us plenty to celebrate, but they are most valuable as evidence of something broader: stronger relationships, deeper expertise and growing recognition of the quality of the work being produced across HNW.
Looking forward — Making possible
Thirty-five years gives us plenty to look back on, but the more interesting question is what comes next.
We continue to grow our work across a broad range of sectors while maintaining the personal, bespoke service that has always been important to us. We are expanding our services, investing in our people and future leaders, deepening our expertise, strengthening the connections between our three studios and continuing to raise the quality and ambition of our work.
That includes creating opportunities for the next generation within HNW, strengthening our relationships with schools and universities, developing emerging leaders and ensuring that people can continue to build rewarding careers within the practice - just as many of today’s leaders have done. That people-centred approach remains central to how we plan for HNW’s future.
We will continue to respond to some of the biggest challenges facing the industry: how we reuse and adapt existing buildings, regenerate places responsibly, reduce carbon, deliver new homes and communities, navigate an increasingly complex regulatory environment and use new technology intelligently.
But through all of that change, our ambition has remained remarkably consistent:
to create thoughtful, appropriate architecture that leaves a positive legacy for people and places.
Our work goes beyond what we make.
It is about what we make possible.
We continue to grow our work across a broad range of sectors while maintaining the personal, bespoke service that has always been important to us. We are expanding our services, investing in our people and future leaders, deepening our expertise, strengthening the connections between our three studios and continuing to raise the quality and ambition of our work.
That includes creating opportunities for the next generation within HNW, strengthening our relationships with schools and universities, developing emerging leaders and ensuring that people can continue to build rewarding careers within the practice - just as many of today’s leaders have done. That people-centred approach remains central to how we plan for HNW’s future.
We will continue to respond to some of the biggest challenges facing the industry: how we reuse and adapt existing buildings, regenerate places responsibly, reduce carbon, deliver new homes and communities, navigate an increasingly complex regulatory environment and use new technology intelligently.
But through all of that change, our ambition has remained remarkably consistent:
to create thoughtful, appropriate architecture that leaves a positive legacy for people and places.
Our work goes beyond what we make.
It is about what we make possible.
October 2026