Richmond is proving its credentials as a premium location for professional services and creative businesses, as long-established education design specialists IID Architects mark more than four decades rooted in the borough.
IID, originally founded in 1984 as Initiatives In Design, has grown from a community-focused studio into a respected national practice delivering complex projects for both independent and state schools.
Today, the firm is led by four Directors, Nick Rich, Gareth Box, David Brown and Richard Matthews, and is known for creating learning environments that respond to changing educational needs, while respecting heritage, landscape and local character.
Working frequently within Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Green Belt settings, the team has built a reputation for imaginative solutions that are grounded in place and purpose.
The practice is equally recognised for its relationship-led approach, with many client partnerships spanning more than 25 years and most commissions arriving via repeat work and referrals.
For Be Richmond, the town’s Business Improvement District (BID), IID’s story reflects a wider message that Richmond is not simply a desirable address, it is a place where businesses can establish, attract talent and scale sustainably.
Gareth Box, Director at IID Architects, said Richmond’s mix of connectivity and quality of life has been central to the practice’s long-term success.
“Having met at Manning & Clamp Architects on Richmond Green back in the 1970s, the founding Directors Alan Brown and Chris Box decided to set up on their own practice, in 1984, remaining in the same area,” he said.
“Even then Richmond offered the creative energy of a London location but in a more tranquil setting.
“Its attractive environment and affluent demographic proved fertile ground for IID’s business and while we’ve grown in reach, our roots remain strongly in Richmond to this day.”
Beyond business fundamentals, IID points to the everyday advantages that increasingly influence relocation and investment decisions: a thriving town centre, strong local amenities, green space on the doorstep, and transport links that make meeting clients and reaching project sites straightforward.
Those factors, the practice says, have also supported recruitment and retention, a key concern for knowledge-led firms competing for talent.
The team’s working culture is closely connected to the area, from informal networking with local professionals to day-to-day use of Richmond’s cafés, shops, restaurants and outdoor spaces.
Looking ahead, IID is focused on thoughtful, sustainable growth, maintaining its hallmark personal service while expanding its workload and carefully broadening into commercial and residential projects.
For inward investors, occupiers and advisers, Richmond offers a high-quality, lifestyle-led business location where established firms continue to thrive.
For further information
To find out more about opportunities to locate or invest within the Richmond BID area, contact Be Richmond at info@richmondbid.london
To learn more about IID Architects, visit iid.co.uk or email info@iid.co.uk
