Founding Director of a RIBA chartered architecture and design studio; third-year tutor in BA Architecture at Birmingham City University; qualified architect of four years, who has gained experience in a number of leading UK architecture practices: and all achieved before the age of 30. Anna Parker is a woman on a mission, bringing her A-game to the industry and laying the foundations for an unstoppable career path for her and her team.

Anna set up Intervention Architecture on her own just over two years ago; having worked for a number of practices around the UK and keen to explore creative independence. With a focus on high-quality design and collaborations with interesting clients, the intention was to prove that size isn’t everything: a huge impact can be made with a small space and an even smaller budget. This ethos has clearly paid off: Intervention Architecture’s ‘Writer’s Coach House’ project has been shortlisted this year for a prestigious RIBA award, and was built with a budget of just £75k.

With the recent launch of the £7 billion Midlands Engine Investment Portfolio, the shape of Birmingham is set to change. Infrastructure improvements including Paradise Circus and HS2 mean that innovative design solutions are needed for the rest of the city to keep up. This is where Anna’s approach will be much needed, and is how Intervention Architecture has already won a wide range of work: from pavilions and new-builds, to renovations and extensions, it seems all jobs fall into its remit. Speaking about this diversity, Anna said:

“As a practice, we love working on pioneering projects where we collaborate with clients to achieve their vision. Our projects so far have been completely different to each other but almost all of them have one thing in common: the clients behind them have been told that their plans are impossible. Our job has been to show that the ideas will not only work but that they will function in ways beyond what the client had envisaged. Better still, we’ve then proved this by building them.”

Intervention Architecture provides bespoke solutions and the team handles every element of each project from conception to completion. Now made up of three full-time staff members, Intervention Architecture’s stars have a combined age of 73. However, this youth shouldn’t be underestimated. Not only was Anna a finalist for Birmingham Young Professional of the Year in 2016, but her talent has been nationally recognised with her appointment as a RIBA Small Practice Group panelist in London.

The rest of Anna’s team are similarly gifted: Jac Doody graduated from the Birmingham School of Architecture with a First Class Honours Degree in 2015, where he was nominated for the RIBA Bronze Presidents Medal, for his project “The International Symposium of Virtual Allegories”; meanwhile, Declan Davis joined IA after graduating from Queens University Belfast with a First Class Honours degree, where his final project drawings were selected for exhibition in the RIBA President’s Office, London.

“Although both the practice and the staff are young, our progress is testament to our hard work, determination, and innovation. The team behind Intervention Architecture is the best that I’ve worked with in my career, and it goes to show that we need to keep making space in architecture and construction for the emerging generation of designers. I look forward to Intervention Architecture continuing to lead the way in this,” added Anna.

Some of Intervention Architecture’s most notable works include the ‘Upholsterer’s Warehouse’, the ‘Choir Singer’s House’, the ‘Film-maker’s Secret Garden’, and ‘Cymraeg Hill House’. The client behind the ‘Ode to Paddington’ project, Julia Little, was drawn to Intervention Architecture’s forward-thinking approach. Julia said:

“When I was looking for an architect to bring my vision to life, it was really difficult to find a practice that I felt understood how important the project was to me. However, the team at Intervention Architecture immediately embraced the challenge and exceeded every expectation I had. I am just loving the space – it’s beautiful.”

For more information about the practice, the team, and the projects, visit Intervention Architecture’s website.