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Atelier 88 is an architectural practice based in Birmingham and Shrewsbury. Our team has a huge & varied range of creativity, design expertise, technical knowledge and experience. Through this, we bring a unique perspective to all of our projects, from domestic extensions, barn conversions and community projects to urban masterplanning, public realm and larger scale residential schemes.

We would be happy to hear from you to discuss your project whatever its size and complexity. Please feel free to get in touch with us for a free consultation.

Martin Ball / Director

Martin is the director of Atelier 88 Architects, which he founded in Birmingham in early 2024. He was previously an associate at K4 Architects & BG Projects and has more than 18 years of experience.

He has been involved in design & delivery of numerous major residential, urban regeneration, and heritage projects in Birmingham & further afield. This includes the refurbishment & conversion of the former grade II listed Birmingham Central Fire Station which was the eventual winner of the Channel 4 Restoration of the Year (20th Century category) in 2017. More recently, Martin was instrumental in the design and construction of the new MasterChef TV studio complex in Digbeth, Birmingham. The building is a centrepiece in the regeneration of the area as it evolves into a hub of media production.

Before training as an architect Martin, studied fine art at Coventry University. He maintains a keen interest in the history and theory of visual art and architecture, and this also informs his approach to architectural practice. He takes a contextual approach to design which draws on influence from multiple sources. This way of working can open up creative processes to a seemingly disparate set of influences to spark creative thought from unanticipated directions. The goal is to produce unique, high-quality buildings that belong where they are, and could never have been built elsewhere

Syuko Westby / Associate Director

Syuko studied architecture at Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL and Musashino Art University (MAU) in Tokyo. She has 16 years of experience in practice in Shropshire, London, Birmingham, Brittany and Tokyo before opening Atelier 88’s Shrewsbury office in 2024.

Syuko takes pleasure working on Urban regeneration projects, small residential & public buildings that care for well-being, play and social interaction. She also takes inspiration from a cross-disciplinary approach drawing on work in other fields, including dance choreography. As an avid dancer, movement and fitness are important to Syuko, and fostering playful and creative occupancy of space is always a design consideration. Previously, She spoke at ‘Architecture In Play’ international conference and has published an academic paper on movement & space in Nexus Network Journal.

Surrounded by Shropshire Hills AONB, Atelier 88 Shrewsbury studio takes a design approach which focuses on the appreciation of nature and how and where spaces meet landscape. We embrace materiality and how we make human & plant kind spaces at the intersection of nature and the manufactured.