RISE Design Studio is led by Imran and Sean, working across residential, community, and commercial projects. They both share a belief that good architecture should quietly enrich everyday life for everyone.

We care deeply about how buildings feel to live and work in - how light moves through them, how materials age, and how they sit within their surroundings. Every project is a collaboration, shaped by open conversations with our clients and built through trusted relationships with skilled makers. Our aim is always to create spaces that last - inspirational, sustainable, and beautifully crafted.

Sean Ronnie Hill

Sean Ronnie Hill is the Founder and Architect at RISE Design Studio, recognized for his extensive experience in creating high-end residential and cultural projects across London. With deep expertise in low-energy homes, retrofits, and low-energy new builds, Sean is a certified Passivhaus Designer and a member of The Green Register, underscoring his commitment to sustainable architecture.

Prior to founding RISE, Sean gained valuable experience working on education, residential, and mixed-use projects at John McAslan Architects and ADP. Originally from Ballymena, Sean graduated from the Manchester School of Architecture with a BArch in 2005 and a Diploma in 2007.

Sean led the award-winning renovation and extension of the Lexi Cinema, including the creation of Screen 2, which became the first cinema auditorium to utilize an Air-to-Air Source Heat Pump, MVHR (Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery), and Airtightness strategies to control the internal climate. This project earned multiple accolades, including a Civic Trust Award, two Brent Design Awards, and a New London Award, and was nominated for a RIBA London Award and an FX Award.

Outside of the studio, Sean is an avid swimmer, cyclist, and runner, often encouraging the team to join him for early morning swims at the Serpentine. His focus on sustainability and energy efficiency drives RISE Design Studio's mission to create better homes and spaces for a sustainable future.

Imran Jahn

Imran is a Co-Director at RISE Design Studio.

Imran studied at Manchester University and the Bartlett (UCL) before qualifying at the Architectural Association School of Architecture. With over two decades of experience in high-profile, design-led international practices, he joined RISE in 2021 after significant roles at PLP as an Associate Partner, Grimshaw, and Stanton Williams. An award-winning architect, Imran brings a profound depth of expertise in delivering complex projects, underscored by his technical acumen and exceptional drawing skills. His project portfolio showcases large, skyline-defining mixed-use schemes in London and significant educational and cultural projects across the UK and Europe.

Imran is not only recognised for his meticulous attention to detail and component design but also for his leadership in sustainability and low embodied energy retrofit. His work demonstrates a commitment to environmentally responsible architecture, balancing innovative design with sustainable practices.

As a leader he excels in team management and mentoring junior members. Outside of architecture, Imran is an avid tennis player, frequently found on courts in North London and internationally on the amateur world tour.

José Dengra

José is a Senior Architect at RISE Design Studio.

He joined the practice in 2025, bringing over a decade of experience in residential and cultural projects across all RIBA design stages.

Since moving to London in 2014, Jose has worked with several design-led studios on complex projects, including the Gilbert & George Centre at SIRS and running large-scale mixed-use and affordable housing developments at Stockwool. His experience spans from early concept design through to technical delivery, employing strong coordination and leadership skills along the way.

A postgraduate in Building Information Modelling (BIM) from the University of Barcelona, Jose is passionate about digital design integration and its role in achieving rigour and sustainability in architecture. Influenced by other artistic disciplines, he brings a creative and thoughtful approach to his work.

Outside the studio, José either can be found playing tennis and running in North London parks or enjoying a LSO concert at the Barbican.

Joseph Fairbairn

Joseph is a Senior Architect at RISE Design Studio.

Joseph is a registered architect with over 20 years of professional experience delivering projects across a wide range of sectors and scales. He has a strong track record of leading projects from initial feasibility and concept design through planning, technical design, construction and completion.

His experience spans residential, commercial and heritage projects, with particular expertise in consultant coordination, planning strategy, technical delivery and contract administration. Joseph is highly skilled at guiding clients and project teams through complex design and construction challenges, ensuring projects remain focused on both quality and practical delivery.

Before joining RISE Design Studio, Joseph was a Director at Nick Shipp Architects, where he led numerous projects from inception to handover. His calm, methodical approach and extensive technical knowledge make him a valuable asset to both clients and project teams.

Joseph shares RISE's belief that great architecture is about more than buildings alone. He is passionate about creating thoughtful, well-crafted places that respond to their context, serve the people who use them and stand the test of time.

At RISE, Joseph works across all project stages, helping clients navigate the journey from first ideas through to completed buildings with clarity, confidence and attention to detail.

Tell us about your project

Good architecture starts with listening. Before we draw anything, we want to understand how you live, what you value, and what you need the space to do.

We work across homes, cultural buildings, commercial spaces and retrofit. Our approach is fabric-first and low-energy, built around natural materials and careful detailing. We use 3D modelling so you can see and feel a space before it is built.

Requesting a consultation is the first step. Once you send your brief, we will review it and arrange a no-obligation call. We will share our initial thoughts, set out the next steps, and answer any questions you have.

Please do get in touch. We would be glad to hear from you.

Padel court concept by RISE Design Studio looking onto Regent's Park, with a green playing surface and net, pale woven mesh perimeter walls, an exposed timber beam ceiling with linear lighting, and a full-height glazed end wall framing a mature chestnut tree and the tree-lined park beyond.

A Padel Court Looking Onto Regent's Park

Jun 5, 2026 4 min read

Dusk visualisation of the new Sutton Churches Tennis Club clubhouse by RISE Design Studio: a timber pavilion with a red standing seam roof and exposed glulam structure, its cantilevered canopy reaching over a glazed clubroom and terrace, with players on the clay courts beyond.

What a Tennis Pavilion Should Feel Like: Designing the New Clubhouse at Sutton Churches

Jun 1, 2026 5 min read

Architect Sean Ronnie Hill and client Zoe Birch of Physio Motion Mayfair at the Serpentine Lake, Hyde Park, London, after an early morning open water swim during the May 2026 heatwave.

What a lake teaches you about a building

May 27, 2026 2 min read

Leadership Team

Sean Ronnie Hill

Imran Jahn

José Dengra

Joseph Fairbairn

Collaborators

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Journal

A Padel Court Looking Onto Regent's Park

What a Tennis Pavilion Should Feel Like: Designing the New Clubhouse at Sutton Churches

What a lake teaches you about a building

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