Welcome to Mae

Mæ is a finalist for Housing Architect of the Year and Best Architect Employer of the Year in the Architect of the Year Awards 2026

In the Employer category Mæ demonstrate that design excellence and a genuinely progressive, people-first culture are not only compatible, but mutually reinforcing.

At a time when the profession is grappling with wellbeing, retention and equity, we have invested in building a workplace that is rigorous, inclusive and purpose-drive, proving that better employment practices directly enable better architecture.

At the heart of our practice is a clear ethos which shapes both our projects and our workplace culture. This alignment ensures that the values used to design inclusive, resilient places are embedded in the practice by our people. For us people, purpose and design quality are inseparable.

In the Housing category from city-making masterplans to low-carbon homes, and policy reform, Mæ’s influence is reshaping how the country lives.

Our projects serve as living case studies for local authorities and international policymakers. International delegations have visited Mæ to see how we are leading on age-inclusive housing, estate regeneration and large-scale urban Passivhaus.

Every commission is a chance to question, challenge and do things differently. We are consistently redefining what beautifully crafted, socially driven housing can achieve in the UK.

Director Alex Ely will be joining the Boston Society of Architects on the 2nd October to explore the impact of the London Housing Design Guide on regulation and policy in the UK; and how those lessons can translate to Boston.

Alex will speak alongside Kate Rushe and Sam Naylor of Boston housing architects Utile and Karl Heckmaev from the Boston Mayor’s Office of Housing who will talk about its own design guide for affordable projects, and give context to incoming Boston guides as well.

Mæ Founder Director Alex Ely has been appointed by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport as Chair of the Museum of the Home.

The Museum of the Home reveals stories of home life, past, present and future. Its vision is to inspire everyone to explore the meaning of home through our exhibitions, displays, programming and online content. No other museum in the country specialises in this particular aspect of our national heritage.

Since re-opening in 2021, following an £18.8m refurbishment, Museum of the Home is realising its vision to encourage and challenge different ways of thinking about domestic life today with stories that reveal and rethink the ways we live, to help us live better together.

The Museum's main funder is the Department of Culture, Media and Sport. The Museum of the Home is a specialist museum, located in Hoxton, London. It has outstanding collections, and engaging displays covering 400 years of the history of the UK home, and is set in beautiful buildings and gardens. It enjoys a reputation for high-quality learning and engagement programmes and is known as one of London’s most friendly and welcoming museums.

For over 50 years, these regional awards have championed and celebrated the UK's best architecture with a commitment to design and create buildings and spaces that enhance people's lives. We are delighted that Noele Gordon House, our later living housing scheme and health centre, for London Borough of Newham and Populo Living, has been shortlisted.

All projects shortlisted for RIBA Awards will be visited by a regional jury, and the winning projects will be announced in May.

We're delighted to announce that our Founder Director Alex Ely has been elevated to The American Institute of Architects (AIA) College of Honorary Fellow. This prestigious honour is awarded to architects who have made significant contributions to the profession and society, demonstrating excellence and leadership on a national level.

The 2026 Fellowship class includes 78 AIA member-architects and 11 international architects. The distinguished panel of leading global architects includes Fernanda Canales and Frida Escobedo from Mexico, Dorte Mandrup and Dan Stubbergaard from Denmark, Rossana Ju-shan Hu and Yansong Ma from China, Lina Ghotmeh from France, Minsuk Cho from South Korea, Takaharu Tezuka from Japan, and Carlo Ratti from USA

This year's fellows were selected by a jury chaired by Sanford Garner, FAIA, NOMAC, LEED AP ND, with Roderick Ashley, FAIA Margaret Carney Julie Hiromoto, FAIA John Horky, FAIA Dr. Mitra Kanaani - Architectural Doctorate - Arch. D. Christine Mondor Jose Javier Toro, FAIA and Lourdes Solera, FAIA

The 2026 class of Fellows will be formally recognised at the AIA Conference Investiture Ceremony and Convocation Celebration, in San Diego on June 11, 2026.

Alex Ely will be delivering a lecture at the Yale School of Architecture on the 23rd September on the subject 'Towards a Resilient Architecture'.

The lecture is for MArch Students on the Environmental Design course. The course examines how the design of buildings in the 21st century are linked to ecological health, indoor environmental health and carbon life cycles. Across all three areas, students examine key ecological theory and principles, bioclimatic design across various climate contexts and thermal comfort standards; followed by an introduction to fundamental scientific principles governing the design and control of thermal, luminous, and acoustic environments of buildings.

Director Alex Ely will be giving a talk about the links between modernism and tradition in the work of Mæ for Docomomo UK on 8th April 2025 19.00-21.00 at the Alan Baxter Associates Gallery, 75 Cowcross Street, London, EC1M 6EL.

At the fascinating intersection of modernist innovation and historical continuity, Mæ's architectural practice weaves a compelling narrative of urban evolution. Drawing inspiration from Frederick Gibberd's revolutionary new town paradigms, the ground breaking spatial compositions in postwar social housing, the humanist approaches of Alvar Aalto and the social consciousness of Bruno Taut, this discourse explores the delicate balance between progress and heritage. At its heart, this exploration reveals how Mæ is forging a new path in sustainable and socially responsible design. Their work demonstrates how architecture can simultaneously honour its modernist inheritance while addressing our most pressing contemporary concerns: environmental sustainability, social equity, and cultural enrichment.

For tickets follow the link below: