Designer Focus: Jonathan Ashmore

Founder and principal of award-winning design firm ANARCHITECT, Jonathan Ashmore is carving his own contemporary design language, while building a signature quality and aesthetic to his work.

With over a decade of professional experience and a portfolio which includes both small and large-scale projects, the RIBBA certified British architect describes his innate passion for architecture as the driving force that drew him towards the creation of space and all its aspects, including the connection of the space to its inhabitants.

Ashmore’s ability to integrate architecture and interior design has made him a sought after name in the industry. He is a firm believer of the importance of contextual, site-specific design and the philosophy behind it, stressing the importance of engaging with a structure or object in every different design discipline in its initial stage. Some of his firm's impressive work in the region includes the Al Faya Lodge - a hotel and saltwater spa in the Sharjah desert in the UAE. A pair of old stone buildings originally built half a century ago have been adapted to become a five-room boutique hotel using the striking rust colour of weathered steel to highlight the interventions.

Since its founding in Dubai in 2013, ANARCHITECT has been on a steady climb to success, with the UAEs rapid growth allowing architects and designers to experience different building techniques due to the dynamic nature of the city and its cultures, alluring people to the Middle East for its booming development opportunities."The UAE offers a rich fabric of history, traditions and a diverse natural environment. These inspire us to create contextually modern architecture, interior architecture and pieces of design, each rich in tactile materials and seamlessly blending craft with technology" says Ashmore "add to that the growing design scene and you have a thriving, progressive environment in which to thrive."

The boutique practice designed the circadian light synthesis installation for Dubai Design Week in 2018, exploring the physiological process of the human circadian rhythm through an intricate structure that pitted natural light against artificial light. “As a practice, we actively engage in many different scales of private and public projects; where public and cultural installations, in particular, create an opportunity for us to freely collaborate with other professions and experts to challenge new ideas and concepts,” he said. “These platforms offer great enjoyment, insight and feedback from people engaging with the physical and tangible installation.”

This April, the firm partnered with artisanal leatherwork brand OTZI London to create a triptych of sensual door handles for the annual Wallpaper* Handmade exhibition under the principal theme of love, translating contextual modernism and tactile materiality into their product to create an expression of moments that are important to the human experience.

2019 will be a busy year for Ashmore and his team, with a launch of ANARCHITECTS first furniture collection and several high-end projects in the works including a boutique hotel in southern Sri-Lanka. Ashmore is aware of how their work contributes to the fabric of the localities their projects are built in and the importance of staying true to their contextual approach to architecture and design.