Welcome to Mae

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:

Mæ Associate Payal Ceurvels has been invited to join the judging panel for this year's 'Inside Housing Development Awards'.

The Inside Housing Development Awards celebrate the UK’s most outstanding residential developments over the past year, highlighting the innovation and resilience driving the sector forward. With governments across the UK focused on increasing delivery, the Inside Housing Development Awards flag the schemes and teams crucial to success: delivering quality, sustainable housing and transforming communities.

Founder Director Alex Ely will be giving a keynote lecture to kick-off the annual MArch Jury Week, which marks the culmination of six of the Taught Postgraduate Programmes. The talk will follow the Housing and Urbanism MArch jury at 6.30pm on Monday 6th January 2025. Titled Spatial systems for society the lecture will explore spatial systems at different scales, from the city as ecosystem to the cellular structure of the home as explored in the work of Mæ. The talk is available to view here.

Director Alex Ely will be speaking at the 'Sustainable Development X Urban Conservation' conference on Thursday 27th March. The event will explore innovative and practical approaches which demonstrate how urban conservation and sustainable development can work in harmony to improve places for people and planet.

Sustainable development and the need for growth need practical reconciliation. Conservation and responsible management must be balanced against affordability, and the ongoing requirements of growth and renewal. Alex will explore how doughnut economy principles can align with urban development.

Mæ Associate Nadine Wagner will be participating in the KADSA lecture series. The Kent Architecture and Design Student Association is the official student organisation from the Kent School of Architecture. Throughout the year KADSA organise speakers from diverse backgrounds and experiences to complement the school's weekly lecture series: Aiming to inspire all students by showcasing the work and success of carefully selected speakers.

Nadine will speak about her work delivering some of our award winning, low carbon, and environmentally driven projects and creating resilient architecture.

Founder Director Alex Ely has been interviewed for Studio International magazine.

Studio was first published in April 1893 under the title The Studio: An Illustrated Magazine of Fine and Applied Art. It rapidly established itself as one of the most successful fine art periodicals in the English-speaking world.

Among others, it featured the work of the illustrator Aubrey Beardsley and the architects Charles Rennie Mackintosh and CFA Voysey.

In the interview with Veronica Simpson, Alex explores the secret to making buildings that other architects admire and envy, but which are dedicated to the greater good.