Client Quotes & Clients

SANDCASTLES filmed for BBC The Late Show – Concept and performers from Ian Ritchie Architects with Ros Newman – sculptor, David Glover – engineer (Arup), and with the permission of the local planning authority, and nature and conservation societies at Brancaster Staithe, Norfolk

“Ian is one of the most respected British architects and a delight to work with. Each project is infused with energy and beauty. The joy he derives from creating pleasurable spaces with atmosphere, communicative range and flexibility is second to none.”
Jonathan Freeman-Attwood, Principal, Royal Academy of Music

“It is not often that architects exceed expectations – if only because most clients’ hopes are often unreasonably high. Our hopes were exactly that – and through Ian we got more, and better, than we bargained for, on time and on budget. We had achieved our aims for our audience, in a splendid and charismatic setting.”
Sir Christopher Bland, Former Chairman of the Royal Shakespeare Company

“I was deeply impressed by Ian’s proposals for the British Museum, which showed an exceptional capacity to think through the BM’s human role, essentially as a place to delight as well as to instruct. This strikes me as the key to Ian’s architecture. It is warm, enjoyable but also deeply elegant, underpinned by strong analysis of use and a profound total of imagination.”
Sir John Boyd, former UK Ambassador to Japan, and former Chairman of the British Museum

“Ian has established, justifiably, a worldwide reputation for improving the quality of life in contemporary cities across Europe. I have had the privilege of working closely with him on our university expansion plans at Manhattanville, NY, one of the largest development projects in New York City.”
Lee Bollinger, President, Columbia University NY

“We have learned each other’s languages and, I believe, in the process designed the best laboratory possible and the one that fulfils the scientists’ needs. To top it all, Ian has clothed the building in a beautiful white cast glass façade whose undulations symbolically reflect the nature of the science to be carried out within.”
Professor John O’Keefe, FRS FMEDSCI, Nobel Laureate, Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience and Director, Sainsbury Wellcome Centre at University College London

“Ian is a rare architect who is at ease across a broad range of artistic, scientific and technical domains and traverses intellectual and professional design boundaries with extraordinary ease. He combines a refined sense of respect for others, places open collaboration to the fore while demanding the best of colleagues and clients. His buildings have exceptional individuality – it is hard to spot a ‘Ritchie’.”
Lady Susie Sainsbury, Deputy Chairman of the Royal Shakespeare Company

“The Other Place is a fabulous achievement. What we hoped for was an exceptionally multi-functional, efficient building in which to house our rehearsal, research and development, 60,000 costumes and a new studio theatre. What we have is an elegant, characterful, thrillingly creative home for our artists and our audiences who have already fallen in love with it. The theatre is atmospheric, genuinely flexible and unusually accessible. The rehearsal rooms are spectacular – great spaces to think, work and play, with lots of ingenious daylight. Our costumes are happily rehoused in bespoke facilities and there is a mysterious magic throughout the building that everyone can glimpse the inner workings of the RSC whilst rehearsals and development are given the privacy and quiet they need. It is a splendidly welcoming environment, sensitive to its past and magnificently fit-for-purpose for its future.”
Erica Whyman, Deputy Artistic Director RSC

“The outcome of TOP has been a masterful and delightful spatial transformation conjuring up more space than we expected, while imbuing them with memories of the Courtyard Theatre. Ian Ritchie led the professional team with an unerring commitment to balance the practical demands of the users – actors, directors, audiences – with the desire to deliver architectural spaces with a sense of having been carved from the history of the company.
From the RSC’s perspective the new TOP was immediately adopted as the natural hub of the company and we are all grateful to Erica, along with Tom Piper and Ian for delivering such a brilliant blend of theatrical atmosphere and adaptable functionality.”
Nigel Hugill, Chairman of the RSC Board

I have always found it a pleasure to work with Ian Ritchie and his colleagues. They are not only professional but understand the sometimes ‘quirky’ nature of theatre-related structures and the importance of producing buildings which are both fit for purpose and aesthetically outstanding.
Alan Finch, CEO Cameron Mackintosh Ltd and former Executive Director Chichester Festival Theatre

“We found Plymouth Theatre Royal TR2 ‘Awe inspiring’ and looked forward to ‘using it again soon’.”
Cameron Mackintosh Ltd and Clearchannel, producers of Cats

“The main ‘rehearsal pod’ at TR2 is an ‘Absolutely wonderful space’ and we have decided to create our new work ‘Edward Scissorhands’ here.
Matthew Bourne, choreographer

“TR2, I have never seen anything like it. I wish we had one like it in America”.”
Charles Dillingham, Director of the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles

“In short, TR2 has fulfilled the operational needs of our manufacturing, technical, artistic and education teams whilst providing inspirational spaces in which to work, contained within a bold design envelope of landmark architectural quality. Our staff and theatre companies visiting TR2 have found no reason whatsoever to criticise its design. Quite simply, the building does all that we wanted it to. More importantly, it allows our artists, directors and performers to do whatever they want to. The building provides a series of wonderful and unique interconnecting spaces which support and enable creative ambition without compromise.”
Adrian Vinken, Chief Executive, Plymouth Theatre Royal