Simon leads the Devlin Architects team. He started the practice with Gemma McKenzie in 2015 and since then we have gone from strength to strength producing unique and architecturally challenging schemes. In 2019 Simon was awarded the RIBA East Project Architect of the Year for his work on the Eaton Socon pre-school building along with a RIBA East Regional Award.
Gemma works on all the editorial elements of our work and ensures Simon is grounded by offering a different perspective to the designs produced by the practice. Gemma also trained as a lawyer and therefore helps compose any necessary challenges to local planning departments.
Darren joined the practice in 2019 and is pursuing his Part II qualification. Since then, Darren has brought a wealth of knowledge and experience to the team. His main area of expertise is in heritage properties and particularly in relation to the use of traditional materials. He brings personal experience of this to the team as he has sensitively renovated his own home, a Victorian end of terraced property. Darren regularly contributes to research and articles on heritage buildings and has delivered many talks and guided walks on historic buildings, estates and gardens. His research frequently centres on his own ancestor, Matthew Allen, a Victorian master builder, and the influence he continues to have on contemporary architecture and design. In 2024, Darren successfully qualified in Retrofit of Traditional and Listed Buildings, enhancing his expertise in this area.
