As an international architecture and interior design practice with its strong roots in Serbia, can you explain what makes your projects often award-winning and capturing the interest of the international design community and press?
Milica:ANARCHITECT’s acclaimed work is the result of a highly curated and tailored approach between our design studios in London, Belgrade and Dubai and our Founding Principal Jonathan; a RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) Chartered Architect with over 20 years of international experience. Each project is a shared vision between our well-travelled aesthete clientele and the Practice’s design team to realise projects that progressively challenge architecture and interiors through a rigorous and detailed design process. We draw from context, craftmanship, materiality and program to add unique value and devote attention to each project we engage in. The results of this passionate process are buildings and spaces that feel of-place, timeless and relevant, that embody an aesthetic beauty and quality that manifests longevity and cultural integration. Our current work spans projects on site in London, Dubai, Belgrade, Kampala, Nairobi, Riyadh, and Sri Lanka.
Jonathan:Our work has also become recognised because it never repeats; each new project, client, location is a new inspiration for myself and our team to critically examine and then create a design driven by instinct, passion and experience. Milica’s skilled understanding of luxury, lifestyle and communications choreographs the stories behind the projects to share with our audience insight into the thought-process and narratives to reveal unseen and unheard layers of the architecture and design that resonates with the international press and design community.
How has your experience working in cosmopolitan and competitive cities like London and Dubai informed your projects and how has this translated to the opportunities in Serbia and the wider Balkan region?
Jonathan: Our work is diverse across geographical locations and project typologies. This creative openness is in ANARCHITECT’s DNA because it allows our studios to explore and challenge multiple senses and ideas at the same time. Our projects in London often involve working within or the adaption, extension, or transformation of existing buildings. Similarities can be drawn from our experience of high-end residential in Mayfair and Belgravia in London and with projects in neighbourhoods like Dorcol in Belgrade, where we look to transform older, historic residences into new contemporary homes in a unique way that draws natural daylight deep into spaces and opens the interior flow of rooms to give the property a new life for modern living.
With our work from the Dubai studio over the last ten years, we have really carved a niche for creating unique destination hospitality projects across the Middle East and Asia at a boutique scale from arid desert to tropical-coastal contexts. This project genre is one of my personal passions and we are already exploring similar discerning hospitality and cultural projects in the wine regions of Serbia which I am excited to see come to life.
How has your business evolved since becoming a member of the BSCC over the last few years?
Milica: BSCC immediately understood our approach of a boutique practice focused on highly crafted, modernist luxury projects and has exposed us to the relevant opportunities with like-minded, well-travelled, refined clients; from international developers, hoteliers to HNW individuals and brands.The association with BSCC also additionally strengthened our positioning in both UK and Serbian markets - being a member opened up an interesting network of professionals related to our industry and it stake-holders.
What are your current interests and opportunities in the region and internationally as part of the growth and expansion of your practice?
Jonathan:The practice is approaching its tenth year in business. Through our international clientele’s understanding that good design and architecture creates true value for their projects, our work and project locations continue to grow across Europe, UK, Asia, Middle East and Africa with them.
With our most recent expansion into Belgrade through our rooted connection with the city (Milica is a proud Belgradian) has found us currently exploring and expanding our high-end hospitality, serviced residences, and private residential projects into the Montenegro area. Interest in ANARCHITECT’s work has extended to Croatia with a recent visit to Istria for initial discussions to explore agro-tourism within this culinary and wine region. We also continue to develop and progress the designs of two wine-region projects; one residential and the other boutique hospitality here in the heart of Serbia.
