Vincent Lin
Director (Operations)
An old friend and mentor once told me to always dream before designing, that the experience of a place should come first as it was a matter of ‘living’, which is complex and unpredictable. The design that follows is the search for a solution that responds to functional or aesthetic needs.
I was sold on this approach to start imagining without preconceptions and attracted to the delivery of delightful and memorable places and buildings. During my time working with Will Alsop, I was able to develop my skills and experience across different construction sectors and geographical regions, on projects that all bear the hallmarks of big ideas, bold colours, and distinctive forms. This led to the successful delivery of the award-winning schemes Pioneer Village Station in Toronto, The Chandelier at the Shanghai International Cruise Terminal, the De Calypso mixed-use development in Rotterdam, and the Carnegie Pavilion, a hybrid cricket media pavilion and higher-education facility in Leeds.
At Alsop, I also met Christophe and David who share a strong passion and enthusiasm for creativity. Seven years on, we collectively continue to design with no preconceptions and plenty of dialogue amongst ourselves, our clients, and consultants. I am drawn to complex and challenging briefs and find the journey to discovery enthralling. This involves a combination of intuition and pragmatism, along with an openness to find the most effective means to develop an idea. Sketching, writing, modelling, 3d modelling – these are all part of my arsenal to dream and design.
Balancing an open-minded attitude with rigour in design, I continue to work on a wide variety of bids and projects. I have led the designs for an 8,000-capacity community football stadium in Cambridge, Lewisham Station and Interchange, mixed-use buildings including Chiswick Curve and Birch House, and masterplans at Millharbour Village and New Bermondsey.
Outside the studio, I continue my search for new ideas and discussions. I’m proud to sit on the Design Review Panel for the London Borough of Lewisham, and have been a guest critic at the Bartlett School of Architecture, the University of Nottingham, and the University of Hong Kong.
