Hickman & Smith Architects was established in Leicester in 2012.
Meet our award-winning multi-disciplinary team of architects and designers.
Read our journal to find out more about our story.
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Hickman and Smith Architects have worked on a wealth of beautiful listed and historic buildings and on many projects within conservation areas. Three of the architects in the practice are conservation registrants. We love to work with old buildings and can help clients to celebrate and preserve the historic features of their buildings. Having a heritage property comes with constraints on what you can change and do, we are experienced in navigating listed building planning consents and working with heritage properties to achieve your goals and make the most of the fantastic opportunities that come with a heritage project.
As well as helping with the tendering process to ensure the right contractor for the job is appointed, Hickman and Smith can provide contract administration services throughout the construction stage.
The contract administrator helps to assist the smooth running and proper management of the project; aiding communications and expectations between the client and contractor and undertaking regular site visits and valuations.
We have experience acting as contract administrators on a range of projects and contract types. We can bring our design and construction experience to the project, helping to meet your expectations down to the smallest detail.
Cost can be affected by so many different factors and the markets are regularly fluctuating. Understanding your programme constraints, project requirements and desires, and the budget available is essential for delivering feasible projects to our clients.
We can explore the options and possibilities with your project and collaborate closely with quantity surveys and contractors to advise on costs.
We are passionate about including sustainable features and technologies in our designs. Not only to help the environment but often to improve the costs and lifestyles of our clients. We have projects with green roofs, solar panels, composting toilets, rainwater harvesting, heat pumps and much more. We would be happy to discuss which sustainable features would be suited to your project.
Using the latest technology, we can create 3D images and VR visuals so that you can really understand what your spaces will feel like. These VR and 3D experiences are fantastic for enabling you to see every element of your project with photo-realistic quality.
You can look around and walk through the building as if you are there. This is not only great for you to see the spaces but can also be used as a powerful tool for promoting and marketing your projects where required.
Our team can produce high-quality quality realistic rendered images revealing multiple possibilities when certain aspects are difficult to visualise. We can showcase what your project will look like both internally and externally. These images are effective in helping you and others understand the final product, and to see the quality of the design.
As well as helping you get excited about what your project will look like, these images can also be used to promote and market your schemes and support the planning application.
Feasibility studies are a great option when you are not sure of the best approach for your building or land. We can explore a range of high-level options to help inform your decisions and decide on the best option for you.
Working closely with you to establish your goals and preferences for the project as well as considering any specific requirements or constraints on the project we can help and advise on the best options available to you.
We will take into consideration the planning and other statutory requirements that will be required for each option. If required, we often collaborate with quantity surveyors and agents to help give high-level cost indications for both build and sale of letting prices.
During the design stage, we will show you a number of different options and ideas to help you achieve your ideal design. Once we have worked with you to fix the design you want, we can prepare the drawings, visuals, and information required for a planning application.
We have worked in a range of local authorities and can help to navigate the requirements of the different local plans and statutory requirements. We will act as the agent to manage the application and liaise with the local authority to make the process run as smoothly as possible.
Adam is a founding director of Hickman & Smith Architects and brings both commercial and domestic experience to his role within the practice. Adam has a keen interest in increasing the efficiency and productivity of the practice and has developed Hickman & Smith Architects’ approach to Building Information Modelling and 3D representation. This has had a valuable impact on the delivery of projects, notably the refurbishment of Parton Mill, an 18th Century Porridge Oats Mill.
Adam plays a very active role in the community, promoting architecture in his role as President Elect 2018-2019 of the Leicestershire & Rutland Society of Architects and supporting architecture students as a RIBA Student Mentor.
Adam has worked on numerous high quality residential projects and refurbishments and has previous experience working at Clear Designs in Loughton. Adam’s commercial experience includes the refurbishment of the Springboard Centre, providing workshop space and bright industrial units to small businesses, and the creation of workshops at Manchester Air Group for West Atlantic Airlines.
David founded Hickman & Smith Architects in 2012 with Adam Smith. He has wide ranging project experience across a number of sectors including master planning, residential, commercial and healthcare. David has worked on notable projects including the Welcome Building at Westonbirt Arboretum, Fisher House ‘a Home away from home’ for military patients and their families at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, the new clinical research facility The Institute for Translational Medicine, and oversaw the completion of University Locks, a high quality 659 bedroom student accommodation building at Birmingham City University.
David is engaged in the architectural community, promoting architecture as a Committee Member of the Leicestershire & Rutland Society of Architects and supporting architecture students in his role as RIBA Student Mentor.
David has worked on selected projects with Glenn Howells Architects in Birmingham and has previously worked for Marson Rathbone Taylor Architects in Stratford-upon-Avon, where he developed early experience in high quality residential projects.
Amy joined the practice in July 2018 having completed her Part II at the Leicester School of Architecture. She qualified as an architect in 2020 and has since attended the RIBA conservation course and become a Conservation Registrant. Amy has ranging project experience including delivery of Leicester Markets, Hanley Street, Oakfield Farm, and Louisa Ryland House; she previously worked for Stephen George & Partners, gaining experience in commercial architecture including office buildings and logistics. Amy is a talented and highly valued addition to the Hickman & Smith team who is committed to promoting architecture and engaging with key issues. She regularly attends and helps to organise LRSA events, including the Love Architecture Festival. Amy is especially interested in conservation work and social architecture, namely how architecture can improve mental wellbeing.
David joined the practice in August 2017, having completed a very successful Part I degree at the Leicester School of Architecture, attaining 90% in his final dissertation. David has a keen eye for detail and is a highly valued member of the team. David’s specific interests lie in climate responsive design, conservation architecture, and regenerative architecture.
Hashim joined the team in November 2021, having completed his BA (Hons) degree in architecture, at the Leicester School of Architecture, and gaining Part 1 accreditation as part of his education towards becoming an Architect. Hashim’s specific interests lie in heritage projects, conservation and retrofit architecture. We are very proud to be supporting Hashim with his Level 7 Architectural Apprenticeship which Hashim is undertaking at the University of Nottingham. Hashim has been a key member of the design team for the Connecting Leicester and Leicester Markets Projects.
Charis has just joined our team in May 2023 following successful completion of her Part I degree at the Leicester School of Architecture where she finished as the star performer in the cohort. Charis has a fine art background and has great strengths in drawing and communicating her ideas. We are very pleased to welcome Charis to our team, she has already made a great contribution to the practice and we look forward to working together and supporting Charis in her architectural career.
