Q4 2020

36 BUILD Q4 2020 Oct20117 t the heart of Place for Humans is the notion that form follows function. The way a house functions should match the way in which the people who live there, work. Their personalities, their habits and their preferences should guide every step of the design process. Joe believes that everyone deserves a dream home, somewhere that represents them and allows them to be themselves. It’s an approach that has pushed his talents further than he could have ever imagined. Building Place for Humans, finding ways of incorporating design that responds to people, is no easy task. It’s a vision that has come from a belief in the strength of communication informing design skill. It’s how Joe and his team bring their projects to life. The clients Joe works with are private homeowners, families and couples. They want something a little different, a little quirky, and that reflects them as people. At every stage of a project, therefore, collaboration is key. Place for Humans has a confidence in understanding its clients that few firms manage. Their work is entirely collaborative and non-aggressive. Instead of fighting for their next project, they have created an atmosphere that allows clients to reach out to them when they are ready and not a moment before. As new projects come along, the team make the time to focus specifically on them. The greater the understanding of the client, the better the results in every respect. Joe has worked on a range of exciting projects, with budgets that have varied from £30k through to major work that has needed £20m of investment. Working in so many different areas like this has allowed Joe to explore precisely where he feels most comfortable and where he can be most effective. This has put him in an excellent place where he knows how to help people to live better lives in better spaces. The work at Place for Humans puts people and the community first and foremost, deepening the connections between people and place. Some of Joe’s most successful work has been in reaching people through the design of better spaces. The work in which he is most proud is his involvement in disabled adaptations to buildings, ensuring greater accessibility for all. Listening to the challenges that face people and finding a way to empower them is incredibly rewarding. Perhaps the aspect of Place for Humans that most effectively shows Joe’s work ethic and thought process is the Vision Factory. Every week, Joe offers people free guidance, advice and answers any questions about design and architecture. It’s an Spaces Hidden within Space What does it mean when a house truly represents you? Does the purest form of architecture respond to human need instead of artistic desires? For Joe Robertshaw of Place for Humans, that’s a truth that drives every project he works on. As Joe is recognised as one of the Leaders in Architecture and Design, Nottinghamshire, 2020 in BUILD’s Design and Build awards, we take a closer look to find out more. A opportunity for people to get to know Joe, and for Joe to get to know them. One of the most important things to guarantee is that personalities and aspirations match up. There is nothing more disappointing than a project that neither party is satisfied with. What Place for Humans offers is a unique solution that is designed to fit a client perfectly. It’s not about designing the grandest ideas, but diagnosing and designing the solution which matches the needs of its clients perfectly. Everyone is different. The magnificent thing about humans is our individuality. Place for Humans celebrates that enormous diversity, which is why it has achieved so much success. Company: Place for Humans Contact: Joe Robertshaw Website: www.placeforhumans.co.uk