Our Architectural Journey > Part 1 of 3

An unexpected direction

A few weeks ago, I wrote down some thoughts about Ikonografik Design, our architectural journey, our origins, and what truly matters to us. This reflection forms part of our marketing material, and I wanted to expand on it here for you to delve deeper into our story of building a sustainable future. You might find it interesting, and it should help you understand how Ikonografik Design came to be. Frankly, I didn’t initially choose this path; redundancy forced my hand. But looking back, I’m genuinely glad it happened, as I wouldn’t be doing what I am today – having so much creative input, meeting the people who will use the buildings, and collaborating with those who will construct them. It’s tough going, and I’ve learned a lot about running a profitable business, but it’s incredibly rewarding and, most of the time, a lot of fun! More than anything, I hope you’ll discover what matters most to me and to us.

The Vision: Architecture for All

Our vision at Ikonografik Design is simple yet profound: to deliver amazing, environmentally friendly architecture coupled with outstanding customer experience at all times, for ALL people. We believe everyone deserves good architecture that genuinely changes their life for the better.

Ikonografik Design was established in 2005 by me, Nathan. Initially, it served as a vehicle to provide freelance services to larger architectural practices in the Sheffield region. During this period, I primarily worked on large-scale, publicly funded healthcare and education projects. This arrangement worked well for several years until the recession of 2008. This led to a downturn in publicly funded projects from central government, and eventually, in 2011, I was made redundant – twice.

From Redundancy to a Sustainable Future: Our Architectural Journey

Considering the options available, I decided to try and establish Ikonografik Design as a standalone micro architectural practice, offering architectural design and project management services for smaller-scale projects. This allowed me to remain local in Sheffield, a city I love, avoid long commutes, and spend more time with my family. This decision truly marked the beginning of our sustainable future.

It hasn’t been an easy journey. At the time, I was confident in my design skills, but it soon became apparent that my business acumen was lacking. At architecture school, I was taught how to design buildings, not how to manage a business and ensure its profitability.

This shift also allowed me to renew my interest in low-energy, sustainable buildings. This was a significant focus during my architectural studies, but when working for larger practices, I observed that it wasn’t truly taken seriously or physically implemented in meaningful ways. I’ve aimed to change this, and since establishing Ikonografik Design as a standalone architectural practice, I’ve been fortunate to have worked on some innovative projects where true sustainability has been a genuine focus. I’ve learned a lot and continue to learn. I’ve studied some more and obtained some sustainable architectural qualifications, with more qualifications on the horizon, all contributing to our sustainable future.

To be continued… Part 2 is coming soon, keep checking back to find out more about our architectural journey. I hope you enjoyed this little glimpse into our back story.