Group Ginger

Simon Baker founded Group Ginger Architects to offer an accessible design studio focused on place, identity and distinction.

Simon graduated from the Architectural Association, School of Architecture in 1995. He has worked as a director in architectural practices with Piers Gough, Terry Farrell and Laurie Chetwood. Simon is highly experienced; he has successfully conducted a number of high-profile projects throughout his twenty-five-year career as a professional architect. The project portfolio amplifies spatial experiences that bring people together with a specific specialism of cultural heritage projects. Simon always looks for the potential of a project, raising design aspirations to unlock value; through a strategic approach that addresses complexity and community.  Working with existing buildings and places, Simon is able to communicate a clear strategic vision for projects and provide a cohesive approach and sustainable future.  

Simon is a Design Council CABE; Building Environment Expert, Design Review Panellist, has been the Yorkshire Regional Chair of the RIBA and is a director of a community interest company; Ginger Works. He teaches at Post Graduate level at Sheffield University in the department of Social Sciences and regularly publishes his work.

Mai is qualified as a professional architect in Japan and has RIBA Part 3 professional management qualification in the UK.

Mai and Simon have worked together for over twelve years. Mai joined Group Ginger as a start-up member. She is an integral part of the studio; her role includes responsibility for project management, business development and major projects.

Mai has extensive experience working in the UK for over 13 years. She has worked on a wide range of projects including new build, heritage refurbishment and regeneration, with particular expertise in heritage conservation, markets and cultural arts sector. She is experienced in working with multidisciplinary design teams and regulatory agencies, developing schemes from feasibility through to completion. Mai is the project lead on Blakey Moor Terrace, coordinating the input of the consultant design team. She is highly skilled in utilising Intelligent Models to prepare delivery information, schedules of conditions and specification.

David is an experienced, qualified Architect of five years plus and a key member of Group Ginger. A particular interest of David’s is in refurbishment/re-use projects, this has lead to him start the RIBA conservation course with the long term goal of becoming a registered Conservation Architect. His experience includes working with prominent listed buildings in conservation areas in Leeds, York, Hartlepool and Manchester. David is the lead architect for onsite delivery, working closely with contractors with a “hands on” approach to ensure quality is achieved throughout. David's eye for detail is visible on the projects he has delivered, most recently the extension and refurbishment for the Grade II listed former Post Office in Hartlepool. The project unifies the existing post office with a modern but complementary extension to the rear. David worked with the contractor and design team to deliver an initial catalytic project for the regeneration of the old historical section of Hartlepool.

The Hide at Tophill Low Nature Reserve was taken from concept through to completion by David, he worked closely with the contractor and project manager to achieve the highest quality exemplar eduction hide in the country. He is proud that this project was one of three projects to win an RIBA regional award and RIBA Client of the Year award in 2018. The project later went on with Leeds College of Music to win the practice the award for the BD Small Project Architect of the Year 2018.

Samantha joined Group Ginger in January 2020 after graduating from the University of Nottingham and the Sheffield School of Architecture, completing her Part 3 at RIBA North to become a registered Architect. She has previous experience working at multidisciplinary practices specialising in the residential sector, giving her a variety of experience from concept design to construction, at a range of project scales.

Samantha is interested in the balance between contemporary design and historic fabric, and the role of heritage assets in community identity and placemaking. She has a keen eye for detail and is passionate about creating considered spaces for both clients and end-users to enjoy.

Alex joined Group Ginger in May 2021 after working at Grimshaw on large masterplan projects, this has provided a variety of experience from conceptual design for communities through to the delivery of construction information packages on large scale sport & leisure projects.

Alex graduated from Newcastle School of Architecture in 2019 where his main thesis project was investigating into an opportunity for an alternative history of modernism in the context of 1930's Britain.

He has also been involved in architectural photography and filmmaking through collaborations with various private galleries and organisations to deliver exhibitions and public tours.

Alice joined Group Ginger in September 2022 after graduating her part 1 from Sheffield School of Architecture. At Sheffield she studied the dual course Architecture and Landscape Architecture where she explored and celebrated the integration of indoor and outdoor spaces; within buildings and between them.

During her studies Alice was interested in the story telling of living memory and place through experience and emotion. This was explored through heritage and historical narratives. She was able to look at this at many different scales, from buildings, streets, neighbourhood and city scales.

Brett has taken up the role of “Researcher in Residence” following the launch of Ginger Works in October 2019. His research explores social relations in local communities, asking questions of urban spaces and cultural change. Drawing upon interdisciplinary frames including arts, cultural heritage, and leisure studies, previous collaborations have included a range of youth research projects, delivered via music-making, documentary filmmaking, cultural mapping, and transmedia storytelling. These projects were focused (each in their own ways) on how leisure and creative spaces shape—and in turn are shaped by—“the city.” Brett has held academic positions in the UK, US, Canada, and the Netherlands.

Earlier collaborations with Simon Baker have included a pop-up cinema in Leeds, and the bicycle “kino-cine-bomber” cinema in Coventry. During his research residency at Ginger Works, Brett will be exploring “freespaces” or “urban free rooms” in Leeds, documenting these through mappings, interviews with creative practitioners, and podcasts.