From Architects to Developers: Caswell & Dainow

Charlie Caswell and Adam Dainow trained as architects but built their careers as small scale property developers, and on this episode of Urban Forecast they pull back the curtain on how that leap actually happens. They talk candidly about learning development the hard way, from early deals that lost money during Brexit to building a database of thousands of London sites by literally pinning locations on Google Maps while out running and cycling. Charlie and Adam explain why they deliberately stayed focused on 1 to 30 unit housing schemes rather than scaling into volume housebuilding, how they balance design ambition against commercial viability, and why they think the planning system, taxation and public perception of developers are holding back the small and medium sized housing that London desperately needs. It's an honest, sometimes funny conversation about risk, resilience and what it really takes to unlock tricky urban sites.


KEY TAKEAWAYS

Charlie and Adam both trained as architects before moving into development, and argue they now do more purely design focused work than they did in practice, because they get to choose the parts of the job they enjoy

Development pays for value added rather than time spent, which was the fundamental shift that pulled them away from the hourly billing model of architecture

Their first major deal nearly collapsed after Brexit caused a bank revaluation, teaching them early and painful lessons about de-risking and using other people's money carefully

The business was built on proactive site sourcing, starting with Adam physically spotting plots while running and cycling, which evolved into a database of around 25,000 potential London sites

They deliberately focus on schemes of 1 to 30 units because that scale allows site constraints to genuinely shape the architecture, rather than cookie cutter typologies

Architects are rarely taught business skills, and Charlie and Adam feel the profession doesn't see itself as part of the wider property industry despite being entirely dependent on it

Rising costs, lengthy planning timescales averaging 60 weeks, and taxes like CIL are described as major barriers stopping small and medium developers from delivering affordable housing

Both remain committed to the 1 to 30 unit niche despite the toughest market conditions of their careers, believing the current downturn is cyclical rather than systemic


BEST MOMENTS

"You have to relook at stuff... your spreadsheet doesn't even work anymore"

"Every day is a school day"

"It's not the ambition to be the next Barclays"

"There is no development school, you've got to kind of learn as you go"


VALUABLE RESOURCES

https://www.ackroydlowrie.com 


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ABOUT THE HOSTS

Jon Ackroyd and Oliver Lowrie, the visionary hosts of Urban Forecast, bring their expertise from leading their innovative practice, Ackroyd Lowrie. Known for pushing the boundaries in urban design, Jon and Oliver use their podcast to delve into the future of cities, sharing insights from their work on projects that emphasise sustainability, community, and transformative architecture. Through Urban Forecast, they engage listeners with discussions on how architecture and design shape urban living, aiming to inspire new ways of thinking about the spaces around us.


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