Our Founder

Our founder and principal, Niki-Marie Jansson, is a doctoral researcher and Associate Lecturer at Newcastle School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape. She co-leads an MArch design studio with Dr Christos Kakalis, titled ‘Quarrying a New Vernacular’, exploring architecture as a landscaping process through the twin lenses of material and placemaking.

An alumna of the Bartlett School of Architecture (UCL) and the Architectural Association, she is also a visiting tutor and reviewer at universities in London and Scotland, and is involved in initiatives that support student funding and mentorship.

Prior to founding the studio, Niki-Marie gained experience across niche, commercial and corporate practices. This breadth of work informed her 2018-19 academic thesis, Modern Methods of Construction: A Question of Values, which examined the sustainability and quality claims of widely promoted Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) systems. The project developed a counter-case for loadbearing masonry as a scalable and holistically sustainable alternative—a position since corroborated by leading industry specialists.

This research forms the basis of her doctoral work, which uses holistic systems-thinking and creative practice to investigate the architectural and placemaking potential of indigenous building stone in sustainable UK housebuilding. The project is undertaken in partnership with Historic Environment Scotland and Hutton Stone Company, with support from Historic England, the British Geological Survey and the Stone Federation Great Britain.