Elaine Henderson and Giovanni Bonfanti have been made Directors at architectural practice Walters and Cohen. They are the first to join practice founders Cindy Walters and Michál Cohen as Directors since the inception of Walters and Cohen in 1994.
Elaine joined Walters and Cohen in 1996 whilst studying at the Architectural Association (AA) and has been an Associate since 2001. She has been involved in many of the educational buildings for which the practice is renowned, and in addition was project architect for the RIBA Award-winning Visitor Centre at Wakehurst Place in West Sussex for Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Elaine is currently working on the Gallery of Botanic Art at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the UK's largest primary school in Wembley, North London.
Giovanni worked as an architect in Venice and Milan before moving to London and joining Walters and Cohen in 1997, becoming an Associate in 2001. Giovanni has been a key player in many of the practice's competition-winning designs, including the RIBA Sustainable Schools competition, and the DfES/Cabe Neighborhood Nurseries competition for a new community centre and school in Sheffield. He also led the Walters and Cohen team that designed the teaching and administration buildings at Bedales School,Hampshire, which received an RIBA award in 2006. Giovanni is currently working on Margam Castle, Port Talbot, Wales and an initial design for an office scheme in the City of London.
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For further information on Walters and Cohen, please contact:
Robert Torday / Gemma Wood
T: 020 7392 1986 (direct); 020 7392 1982 (direct) 020 7247 8334 (switchboard)
M: 0771 4242 910 / 07751 187 175
E: robert.torday@ing-media.com / gemma@ing-media.com
Notes for Editors
Founded in 1994 by Cindy Walters and Michál Cohen, Walters and Cohen has since grown into a dynamicand multicultural practice of talented individuals from around the world.
Walters and Cohen has actively developed an international portfolio of public, education, commercial, housing and cultural projects.
Walters and Cohen's design approach is thorough, demanding and rational. This is evident in the material quality of the buildings completed by the practice, which combine intellectual rigor with a sensual appreciation of space, light and materiality.
Walters and Cohen works closely with clients to establish an appropriate and achievable brief for every project. The work of the practice is underpinned by a passionate belief in the importance of design excellence. Detailed research into innovative building materials has resulted in an impressive portfolio of bold, contemporary and imaginative projects.
Walters and Cohen received RIBA awards in 2005 for the visitor centre at Wakehurst Place, West Sussex and in 2006 for new teaching and administration buildings at Bedales School. Current projects include the Hampstead lido in London and a primary school in Wembley. Recently Walters and Cohen has been appointed by the DfES to develop a 'standard layout and dimensions' for WCs in schools.
In May 2005 Walters and Cohen became a limited company and currently employs 25 people including architects, architects in training, graphic designers and administrators.