Our studio of architects and interior designers — meet the team

Susannah is a creative problem solver. She enjoys dissecting complex challenges in design, construction, or the running of the studio — always finding the best outcome for our clients and for our team. She has a drive to explore new ideas and ways to deliver exceptional hospitality products and leads our team to achieve exceptional results.

Ian is one of the founders of Ica. He is passionate about hospitality, and how we use design to enhance it. A graduate of Glasgow School of Art, Ian favours a pragmatic design approach so that customer, financial and operational aspects are integrated. Ian has wide interests outside Ica in hotel ownership, property development, education, and charities which focus on poverty, social justice and urban regeneration.

Chris welcomes new challenges, creating energy through collaboration and creativity. A founding director, his drive and passion for finding innovative solutions has helped Ica become one of the leading hotel design practices in Europe — producing creative, innovative, award-winning buildings. He provides continuity between our teams and projects within the studio, steering and guiding these to meet client and design aspirations. Chris’s leadership and team building skills are an invaluable asset to the studio and he is renowned within the industry for dexterity of thinking and aptitude for ingenious design solutions.

A perfectionist with a relaxed style, Alistair has gained respect from both contractors and clients alike. One of our founding Directors, Alistair has decades of experience gained on projects across a wide range of sectors and has specialised in hotel design for 20 years. He has established a strong reputation for technical excellence. Overseeing and ensuring that the highest quality of technical expertise is fed into our designs and the construction process, Alistair provides a vital role that is too often neglected by architects and designers.

Amanda leads our team of Interior designers. With a highly detailed understanding of hotels married with an exceptional eye for good design she is pivotal to the success of our studio. A focus on building strong relationships is at the core of Amanda's approach and she loves to help our clients realise their aspirations and create spaces that they and their guests will love.

Good-natured. Good-humoured. Hospitable. Eleanor sets the tone of the office. With years of experience in office administration and finance, she handles clients’ accounts and is super approachable — just pick up the phone or drop her an email — she is happy to resolve any query.

With a heavy design focus, Nick always has a stack of coloured pens and a roll a tracing paper to hand. Responsible for a large part of the design direction within the office he brings with him over 10-years of hospitality design experience which has manifested in a diversity of projects from remote island retreats to Olympic village get-aways.

Very few things phase Kerry. She leads our design teams to ensure that every building project is smoothly brought to life; she has the expertise and experience to lead and deliver the most complex developments. Where others falter, Kerry finds a natural habitat in fast-paced organisation and multi-tasking. She also has a wider interest in architectural education — Kerry sits as Director on the Board of Directors for the Architect’s Professional Examination Authority in Scotland.

Maintaining relationships is key to project success; Lauren thrives on the collaborative energy and combines creativity with methodology in all her projects. With over 15-years’ experience in hospitality, Lauren continues to lead design teams on large-scale, complex projects, working alongside some the world’s leading brands, including delivering the first Virgin Hotel outside the US.

As creative lead Janice specialises in conceptual development. An enthusiast of great design, quality finishes and craftsmanship, she plays a vital role, working closely with our teams to help deliver design concepts at the highest level. She is always on hand to keep the team informed on current trends, products, and finishes. Janice has built key relationships with brands and clients across the globe — relationships that are essential in creating successful interiors.

In architecture, good communication is key to the smooth running of projects. Acknowledging this, Douglas is adept at leading teams to deliver the most complex and demanding buildings. From holding onto the big picture to the minutiae of the details, he’ll ensure that your vision is translated into reality — whatever hurdles and challenges that a particular project presents.

Andrew is actively involved in all aspects of the pre- and post-construction design stages. With over 25 years’ experience, he provides lead technical support to the clients’ representatives and project team. Andrew is a highly motivated individual who will generously share insights while fully recognising the needs of clients and the practice.

Extremely organised and always immaculate, Ashley has been described as the Monica Geller of the interior design team. Her design style has the same ethos. Establishing solid relationships with some of the most challenging brands and clients, Ashley excels in high intensity situations to deliver successful projects.

Back in 2015 Bek joined as a Part 1 Architectural Assistant and then returned as a Part 2 to work towards architectural professional exams. The diverse experience gained working on various projects with Ica for repeat clients such as CitizenM — in both architectural and interior design — has afforded Bek a breadth of interdisciplinary knowledge in project delivery.

Ben has built a good knowledge of Revit while at university and has developed it further in practice using the experience from working on a wide variety of projects. He has a thirst for new experiences and is always looking for new challenges to overcome.

Cindy combines 16-years of job running experience with a proactive attitude, a team-oriented bias, collaborative (chatty) approach and a responsibility driven work ethic. She thrives on the problem-solving challenges brought by large scale new builds — as well as complex listed refurbishments. Cindy loves few things more than getting the job done well.

With an eye for fine detail, you’ll find Craig doodling his way through a roll of tracing paper in the pursuit of that perfectly refined design. Having worked on some of Ica’s most complex and exciting projects, he’s built-up considerable experience of hotel brands and the journey required to take a project from inception to completion — and beyond! Approachable to clients and colleagues, he’s always available for a chat.

Eilidh is a project architect with experience leading and delivering a variety of significant hotels for Ica. She works closely with clients, contractors, and consultants and is dedicated to maintaining successful working relationships within the team. Eilidh has expertise in delivering good quality, cost effective architectural proposals — built within budget and on programme.

A stalwart of Ica since 2006, Ewan has successfully delivered numerous hotel, leisure and residential projects. With his accumulated wealth of experience, he’s a go-to man who can always be relied upon to provide considered, technical design solutions. Away from the studio, he can be found in his garage fettling competition motorcycles and cars or chasing his kids around forests on their mountain bikes.

Fraser brings a passion for sleek and sustainable design. His vision for architecture embraces a collaborative process which empowers clients and users to create beautiful, functional places — with the needs and aspirations of the inhabitants at their heart.

A background in both hospitality management and marketing allowed Ghizlane to gain valuable knowledge of the operational and creative sides of the hospitality industry. Ghizlane started her career in Morocco working in the marketing department of a luxury resort before relocating to Scotland and joining a marketing agency. Having worked on a wide portfolio and with different clients, she is able to see projects from different angles which makes her a great asset to Ica.

Gillian designs experiences. With a passion for unique and inspired concepts — and injecting enthusiasm into every project — her approach is based on successful teamwork and client-focused relationships. Before joining Ica, Gillian directed design teams on a wide range of prestigious, award-winning projects across the Middle East and Asia. She guarantees that excellence and quality are always achieved.

Gus is one of our architectural team leaders. Approachable and a keen collaborator, he has overseen the successful design and delivery of several high-profile projects for us. Whether it’s a luxury hotel or the development of listed buildings within a UNESCO World Heritage site, Gus brings a passion for design, an eye for detail, and a love for technical coordination.

Heather is a promising young designer who has embarked on architectural education at The University of Strathclyde. She combines positive thinking with a solid work ethic. It’s an outlook that can be seen in her analytical attention to detail and in her care throughout the design development. She loves designing with existing architecture and has a real passion for model making and drone photography.

One of our Lead Interior Designers, Jennifer’s role is to plan, research, specify, coordinate, and manage packages of projects. Executing the design to completion, meeting clients’ requirements, and bringing the vision to life, is a passion. She brings to the table more than seven years’ experience in the entertainment, retail, leisure & residential sectors.

Jilly has proven herself as a valuable team player with excellent communication skills and an
ability to deliver design focus to demanding deadlines. Skilled in Photoshop and 3D-modelling as well as hand-drawn sketches, Jilly is involved in the preparation of concept development and presentation documents. She also provides flexible technical input across a wide range of interior projects.

With a background in both architecture and digital media & marketing, Jonathan has a unique combination of creative skills and experience. When Ica were looking for someone to lead us through a branding exercise and coordinate the re-presentation of our work, you could say it was an ideal match. Jonathan balances part-time work for Ica with academic pursuits.

An ambitious, trusted, and creative designer. Kara’s passion is to connect people with places through engaging and inspiring interior design. Her love for innovative thinking and team collaboration has been recognised throughout her career, having graduated with a first-class honours degree in 2018 and secured a job in the industry only months later. She prides herself as a versatile designer, a fast learner and a quick thinker who has an enthusiastic and optimistic approach to all aspects of life. 

Lewis initially joined Ica in 2014 as a Part 1 student and then returned to us in 2017 after completing his masters where his focus was on urban regeneration. Lewis has a competitive streak and brings a determination in taking on new challenges.

Lorraine has provided the architectural lead on several exciting projects across the globe. She loves to work closely with clients, contractors, and consultants to create strong relationships, which ensure a smooth process from concept to completion. She is particularly proficiency in delivering good quality, cost effective architectural proposals — built within budget and on programme.

Lorraine’s passion for design and contribution to the studio has seen her lead some of Ica’s most notable large scale, new build, and refurbishment projects. A headstrong woman, boasting a creative flair for interior design gained from an abundance of experience across the globe. She grabs life with both hands and loves to explore, from motorcycling across the Americas to road tripping in a campervan through Australia. She inspires a team of designers with her enthusiasm.

Nicola’s experience ranges across a variety of sectors including education, healthcare, commercial and hospitality. Since joining Ica Nicola has played a vital role in the successful completion of numerous hotel refurbishment projects and has extensive experience in the delivery of the Hampton by Hilton brand in particular.

An experienced technologist, Raymond has a strong technical background with a keen eye for detail. He specialises in the progression of initial design concepts through to full detailed design solutions. He prides himself on his integrity, professionalism, and commitment to quality.

A committed and experienced project interior designer, Rona offers a balance of a creative imagination combined with a detailed analytical mentality. Rona is focused on ensuring the design intent is seen through to completion; she believes that every phase of the project has a key contribution. She enjoys working in close consultation with our clients to create an environment that satisfies all their aspirations and requirements — aesthetic, functional, and budgetary.

Ross is a talented architect of considerable experience. He thrives on finding solutions to accomplish the optimum outcome and takes on an integral role steering the design through the technical stages of projects through to delivery on site.

Ross is passionate about architecture conservation and restoration. With over a decade’s experience in hospitality projects, primarily in converting existing building stock into new and exciting uses, he enjoys the challenges of repurposing historic buildings.

Samantha takes on the role as Lead Interior Designer, bringing a wealth of experience through years of working within the hotel sector. An intuitive and creative designer with strong technical knowledge which she utilises through all stages of a project. Often found out exploring the outdoors, Samantha takes this inspiration into her craft. Relishes a challenge – at home and at work. And a continued desire to create beautiful spaces for people to enjoy.

Dedicated to advancing her craft, Sinéad believes in creating spaces with a signature identity. Each project is designed with the intention of embedding personality within the design and accomplishing dynamic, lively, and hospitable spaces. Having completed her Bachelor of Design in South Africa, Sinéad relocated to Scotland to complete her Master’s in Interior Design, with distinction, at Edinburgh College of Art, before joining Ica.

Sophie is highly organised. She also has a real passion for architectural place-making and environmental design that was cultivated during her studies in the UK and the US. Her experience working on various complex refurbishments and new build projects has helped hone her keen eye for detail.

Steven’s pragmatic approach to design hasn’t stopped him delivering award-winning buildings across a range of sectors. A key figure at Ica, he’s established a good reputation with clients and contractors alike. Steven has a keen interest in both the technical aspects of architecture — how the parts are put together — and in contract law. He especially enjoys applying this knowledge to the development of existing buildings.

Having previously worked for design-led practices in Glasgow, London, and San Francisco, Stuart, is a key part of the team delivering our Virgin hotel in Edinburgh. With a competitive edge that far outweighs any sporting ability, Stuart plays amateur football and competes in triathlons.

When it comes to design, Tamás enjoys the craft of telling stories: finding the narrative thread that ties a project together, uncovering the big idea. The multicultural background to Tamás’ own story involved him moving from his native Transylvania, Romania to Scotland to study interior design at Edinburgh College of Art — he graduated with a first-class degree before joining Ica.

An experienced architect with over 15 years under her belt, Victoria is a trusted partner to her clients through their process, from concept to completion. She’s put her eye for detail to use across a range of projects over the years, from sensitive domestic restorations to large scale commercial developments.

Yasmin likes taking on new challenges and getting out of her comfort zone to reach her goals. Her design approach is influenced by her diverse cultural background, as well as her great attention to detail. Having studied interior architecture in Lebanon, she went on to pursue her MA in interior and spatial design at the University of the Arts London, which she received with distinction.