Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to another SLG meetup. Now, if you want to know what it takes to build some of the most incredible contemporary homes, not just in the UK but around the world, stay tuned because we're going to have with us our next guest who is a famous architect from London, his name is Gregory Phillips. He's also an SLG member and he's been doing some extraordinary work when he comes to the portfolio of homes that he's built and designed around the world. So stay tuned and enjoy the conversation.
Hey, hey, hey. What's going on? Gregory, how are you? I'm good, great to be with you again.
Yes, of course. It's always lovely to see you. How have you been? How are things in London?
As cold. I got to say, I got to be in Miami. I hate this cold here. Well, you can always come to Miami.
It's always fun here. Really? Exactly. Well, listen, that's one of the things that you do through your job, right?
You don't only design properties and build homes in the UK. You do it internationally. And in fact, you have a few nice projects going on. But tell everybody a little bit about yourself because I know that for those that are not too familiar with your work, beyond being so nice, I want you to tell a little bit about it.
OK, so I've had an office for the 25 years based in London. And so in the year 2000, about the year 2000, I realized that I really love doing houses more than any other kind of project, which I know in different parts in the US, it's usual for architectural practices to specialise in just one kind of project, like doing a house, you do houses for people. That's not that usual in the UK to specialise in the niche of new houses, or even just to do house extensions and refurbishments at a decent size scale. Normally, offices when they build up the skill set to do multi-million, power of multi-million projects, they tend to do other kinds of work as well.
So a bit of offices, a bit of retail, hotel work. So I did all those early on in my career and then realised that my passion is houses. So it started about because I did a project in Mayfair from a very lovely client who asked me to sort out his historic building, make a contemporary interior within the fabric of the old building, putting all the new technology in, lovely finishes and getting on every tab on here, the permits, the process, contractor, project managing it. So I did all that and I thought this is great because I got to speak to this very well-informed, very knowledgeable client, got the project to happen, he was delighted to look great.
So this is my passion and this is a process where I can take on that role of really looking after my clients from beginning to end and then you get to see what you've put all these hours and hours and years of work into. So as things progressed, my office continued doing that kind of project and there was a period in London where we did a lot of adding to buildings and a lot of refurbishing and adding basements, adding space wherever we could, but at a pretty high level or finish. Like I'd say, as a certain point, when London, the quality of what we were doing here was so unbiased, I think it was like the top of the world, the costmanship here was fantastic. There was a lot of money here, London was very vibrant for a period where everything seemed perfect in our bubble, people were coming from every country in the world to have a base in London, it was just a really exciting time, I'd say in those early 2000s that period.
So then for us, although that had been flowed with different financial situations around the world, we kept on doing what we did. We also started, we got a commission in about 2006, I'd say, to do a house in the countryside and we did it in a very contemporary way and really created a well, like all contemporary, luxury country house, which was unusual in the UK. So to do something that was out and out contemporary with the advantages that you could bring by doing that, like you could enjoy looking at the weather, you can enjoy opening up the glass and getting that inside outdoor flow, which you do so well, because you've got such great weather in Miami or the Chinese, but we actually get really good weather in parts of the year and then we've got weather that's really great to look at. So like right now, it's cold, but it's really nice looking from the inside where you're warm to the outside where it might look pretty, but it's cold to be in.
So big sheets of glass and contemporary design, let's you take advantage of all the land you've got and everything there is around. So that's what we did. Well, let me just, I guess, a little bit of everything that you mentioned. It's a fascinating story and I think that a lot of people that are listening or that will be watching this later, there is a couple of fundamental things to get from what you just mentioned, right?
So it's important to start with the passion. That's something that you start by developing this passion through curiosity. You were curious about something, you start developing that passion and that's what led to eventually doing the things that you're doing. Now that led to then later on to be a little bit more innovative and disruptive by finding a specific niche.
You're always looking for a unique niche where you could just build upon and deliver it. It's not going to be easy, but then eventually you'll get that leap of faith that will take you forward in whatever project it is. So that's what you did with the luxury of contemporary homes. And then later on, as you keep on progressing and staying consistent, you'll start developing more opportunities with that compound effect, which might lead you to expand.
And when you expand, some people will have it when they're either afraid to expand or they're expanding quickly. And then they go down again, it's because they have not established themselves in a position of success. And that position of success is not just building yourself as an individual or your team, but as building those strategic partners and having the opportunity to have the right local partners everywhere that you have those business opportunities is key. So here in Miami, for sure, that's how we connect it, right?
To be doing those together. So one thing I wanted to mention, right? Because you've been doing, you mentioned in data in Saudi Arabia, you've been doing also in LA, you've been doing so many other different locations around the world. And your style is very unique, very distinctive.
And that's how you became so successful and got all these awards. But why is something that you're seeing more and more common as you are doing these projects? I've been finding towards the excess and the larger and the bigger and the better as a normal trend. But I've now found this other trend of people who want to find their own way of doing a house and they haven't got these huge budgets.
So it's kind of interesting having both things going on. No, absolutely. And you got to adapt. Now, there's one thing that comes to my mind, right?
It's always about how can you stay ahead of the curve? Because you were disrupting in an industry that was very saturated and you decided to go with that concept that you were doing in London and take it to the countryside. And that became your stamp. But how do you stay relevant and disruptive?
Or do you just keep on that same line? So I've kept on the line. So I got to say, I think when I started, it wasn't a good business model. You've got to find the clients who want what you do.
So the obvious thing, for most people would say is you work out what the people want and then you give it to them. Whereas I just worked out what I wanted to give them and then try to find them. So my method was a terrible business plan, really. But that's why I think the world is more, I think me and the world are more aligned now.
So like every time we've come close together, which is great. And I think the only thing where I've taken the more sensible approach is trying to look where else in the world could I have the kind of clients that want to have, like the one I want to give them. So because I think they're all over the place, and I think there's a number in UK, but they're all over the place. I think there's a lot of them in Miami.
There's a lot of them in the States generally. So this is a great way for me to put that message out there in the world. If you live anywhere where you think I'd love to build a new house and I don't want to just go with the local normal, like everybody else has got, we can give you that. Okay, no, I love that.
So with everything that is going on in London, right? Because there's a lot of different things, and a lot of people, as you mentioned, it's not perceiving London as it was in maybe early 2000, but there's still some magical thing happening in London. London is London, and the UK general has amazing spots. There's real estate coming in and out all the time.
But for you specifically, as you're mentioning that you have this clientele everywhere, where do you see most of the demand coming from outside from the UK? So yeah, so it's places where you can build, but there's enough of an excitement to do something a bit different. So I do think North America is a great spot. I think we could build anywhere.
The content just has to have the mental, like, they have to make the mindset decision that they're going to find someone locally who will deliver the project, whether they're going to trust to deliver it, but they might not be the greatest designer. They might not be the designer for them. So they can have to put the two of us together. And once we do that, we're very happy to talk to people.
We're very good at talking and all of that. So that's the only thing it takes, is that mindset. If you were looking for a one-stop shop, it's never going to be an out-of-town designer. It's just not the right way to do it, because you don't want, it's not a good call to have all the, to basically not to use local knowledge when there's no local knowledge is required.
But that shouldn't limit you, it's my position, it's like you should use local knowledge, but what is needed for? You were saying something very interesting, which is at the time of expanding, at the time of really wanting to take your business internationally, it's important to look at commonalities so that you will have a path of least resistance. And you mentioned things as, whether the culture, the language, the barrier, and the different things that you can build upon that. So that's important.
And when you build those sorts of partnerships, it's also very good to have specific selling points. And why is it that they would like to work with somebody from outside? Yeah. Clear on that and build that message, which is what you've been doing.
And promoting else on social media, which is, I don't think you mentioned that it's been beneficial at the time of promoting your brand and yourself. The internet was great because you could like now find new people that you didn't have to go out and find. And so the networking thing is, of course, there's intermediaries who can connect you. But again, it's not their world, it's not their business to find your jobs.
Like if they're, I mean, it might be, but in the main they're looking after whatever their job is, and they might, something might come along on the side, but it's not their primary thing, it might. Very few people, so for some, but very few. No, you're right. You've been nearly right there.
You said that barriers have been taken down and you know how direct access to whoever you're trying to reach. And that's something very powerful. Now, you need to be consistent, like anything in life, you cannot just post one thing and expect that. It's gonna bring you the world.
You need to keep on doing it and putting your brand right upfront on exactly what you want to represent it. So I agree with you and you've been doing a good job with that. So also the collaboration is the same way that you want to start expanding your partnerships. It all starts by starting doing those collaborations and putting your name attached to some other people and brands.
So now I think that this is also good the way that you're doing it. But of course, I view that I'm so involved with building these extraordinary homes and we call it a luxury contemporary, right? So I'm always curious about what luxury means for our guests. So what is it for you?
Ah, so I think a house is almost like the ultimate luxury good in that you generally live in it, right? So I think having experiences of journey through the house and when you get to the room that the room is all the things you want it to be or have, and then there's the facilities within it. I mean, your house can be, it should be, like, more comfortable than any hotel you'd ever think of staying in. Your hotel should be really like a, and I'm not talking about it as a large, but it just should have all the things that you'd want in a, in a, in a stay that might be for a week.
You're going to stay in this place for years. So you should really invest in it because you're investing in yourself. 100% thank you for sharing that. I mean, you've been doing some extraordinary projects.
I can't wait to see you here in Miami. I think that we have a couple of things pending which I want to get our fly to tell you about. But definitely appreciate your time here today. If you're getting too cold in London, you know, just one plane away from my house.
Yeah, I think I should put my, I should put that right. There you go. You should have my friend. Anyways, I wanted to appreciate you for this.
And for everybody watching or listening, please make sure to follow Gregory. He is going to be an inspiration for most of you with everything that he's been doing. Thank you Gregory. I appreciate you and I look forward to seeing you very soon.
Yeah, I'll see you soon. And thanks again for everybody tuning in today. We hope you enjoyed it. And remember, embrace it's beautiful success in life.
My name is Alvaro and I'll see you next time.