“Boutique Modern’s flexible build system is more flexible than many in the industry probably realise,” says Abe Mohsin, the Director of Mohsin Cooper,  a RIBA and RTPI chartered architecture and planning practice with offices in London, Brighton and Cheltenham.

We’ve already worked on projects with Mohsin Cooper in Sussex and there are more exciting projects in the pipeline with the practice too.

The firm is just one of our Partner Architects we’ve forged long lasting working relationships over the past few years, who appreciate the benefits of our flexible modular build system.

We really enjoy working with the team, who are passionate about the benefits of modular and about combining the right planning strategy with beautiful architectural design for projects around Sussex and the UK.

We caught up with Abe Mohsin from Mohsin Cooper to find out more about his favourite projects, favourite buildings, the future of modular housing, solutions for the housing shortage and how our towns and cities are likely to evolve in the future. Here’s what he had to say.

Boutique Modern: Can you tell us about some of your favourite projects you’ve worked on at Mohsin Cooper?  

Abe: “It’s always changing with new projects coming to life all the time – we’ve been going for 14 years!

“The first large project we oversaw from inception to completion was a mixed-use development in Kemptown, Brighton. It was a 9-flat, 3-storey new build scheme with office space on the ground floor for a company called Godfrey Investments. It came with robust brick and zinc details, plus generous balcony space.

“A project with great social capital, although relatively small scale, was a nursery school extension in Worthing, West Sussex. We had to build it within an existing open courtyard using a timber glulam structure to create a wide and high social space within the heart of the nursery.

“Most recently, we completed a new build one-off house within the South Downs National Park. The design drew on inspiration from the local Sussex vernacular and included some contemporary and bespoke details, such as hidden gutters and deep window reveals. The landscaping is still ongoing, but once completed, we will be getting it photographed and put forward for awards.”

Boutique Modern: Are there any exciting projects coming up at Mohsin Cooper you can tell us about? 

Abe: “We are currently working with Lewes District Council on 11 Council-owned garage sites across Lewes, Newhaven and Cooksbridge which will deliver around 50 new (and much needed) affordable homes.

“These houses have been designed in collaboration with Boutique Modern using their volumetric build system. The scheme is currently at the planning application stage, having already passed through the design and consultation process.”

Boutique Modern: What’s your favourite building in the world and why?  

Abe: “This is such a difficult one to answer – I have so many to choose from!

“At the moment it would have to be the Serralves Museum in Porto, Portugal. It’s a modern art museum designed by the Portuguese architect Alvaro Siza. I visited it earlier this year and thought it was a wonderful synthesis of building and landscape – and the most magical setting for external and internal artworks.

“In terms of housing, I am very impressed by the radical social approach to architecture by Peter Barber Architects – and really appreciate some of his London-based housing projects such as 95 Peckham Road and Moray Mews in Finsbury Park.”

Boutique Modern: What’s your favourite building in Sussex and why?  

Abe: “I really like the recently completed Circus Street development in central Brighton.

“It was completed by architects Shed KM, and is a great example of a high density, well designed and detailed mix-use development. It’s comprised of housing, retail and commercial spaces – and I think it is a great example of high-quality landscaping for a shared space.”

Boutique Modern: How do you think modular housing could help to address the housing shortage in the UK?   

Abe: “There are many reasons why modular housing is just one of the significant solutions to the UK’s housing shortage.

“Many of the sites we work on are tight with limited space for storage, so the reduced disruption to neighbours from off-site construction is beneficial.

“Off-site construction also enables modular housing to be considered for smaller, more bespoke developments, as well as larger mass housing sites with hundreds of homes.

“The other key advantages are the speed of construction, the potential cost effectiveness and the quality control that is achieved by factory-based construction.”

Boutique Modern: Tell us more about the projects you have worked with us on so far?  

Abe: “We’ve previously worked with Boutique Modern on sites in St. Leonards-on-Sea and Newhaven in East Sussex.”

Boutique Modern: Are there any other projects in the pipeline with us that you could tell us about?  

Abe: “We’re tendering for several projects with Boutique Modern at the moment, including social housing projects that have already achieved planning consent.

“Until we win them, I guess I can’t say too much!”

Boutique Modern: What made you decide to partner with us?

Abe: “I’ve always been impressed by Boutique Modern’s ethos, goals and social vision, which align closely with what we believe in here at Mohsin Cooper.

“I believe volumetric modular is an important part of the housing crisis solution – and believe it’s equally important to find a solution which is sustainable, efficient and minimises waste.”

Boutique Modern: What are the benefits of our flexible build system for architects? 

Abe: “Boutique Modern’s flexible build system is more flexible than many in the industry probably realise!

“Not only does it enable many different configurations, it can also produce dwellings which are far more bespoke than standard ‘off the shelf’ housing templates.

“Boutique Modern think like designers, as well as being practical manufacturers of volumetric system builds.”

Boutique Modern: What trends are you seeing in terms of the design of residential property currently? 

Abe: “I’m seeing a lot of change around social attitudes for design, as well as planning instigated changes placing greater emphasis on higher density developments within cities. I’m also seeing more innovation across suburban and semi-rural models of housing design.

“When designed to be high-quality and with ample shared amenity space, I find the resurgence of back-to-back housing, as designed by Peter Barber Architects, to be an interesting development.”

Boutique Modern: What design trends do you think are likely to be next in the residential property market? 

Abe: “Modular is inevitably going to play a big part of the story, especially with its many different forms beyond volumetric, such as stick system, panellised, light gauge steel and cross laminated timber construction.

“We’re also witnessing the growth of ‘build to rent’ schemes outside of London – especially in Northern powerhouse cities, as well as residential hotspots such as Brighton.

“As Secretary of RIBA (Sussex Branch), I recently organised a tour of the newly completed MODA ‘build to rent’ development in Hove, which gave a fascinating insight into this growing market.

“I also sincerely hope there is a lasting impact from the recently published Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 2 Report which will place emphasis back on design quality and safety, ahead of ‘value engineering’ and continuous cost cutting across the industry.”

Boutique Modern: It’s an interesting time in terms of the evolution of city and town centres, with offices and retail space frequently being converted into housing – how do you think our city centres will evolve in the next ten years? 

Abe: “I believe retrofitting will grow to become an integral part of planning and building control legislation, meaning that architects, design teams and developers will be required to become better-equipped to deal with the challenges of repurposing existing buildings – rather than the ‘safer’ option of demolishing them and building anew. This is vital if we are to achieve net zero goals as soon as possible.

“I also believe that attractions which revolve around ‘experiences’ or other cultural or social activity will become more popular, especially within redundant shopping centres.

“At present, I believe the relaxation of planning rules around office-to-residential conversions have led to some poorly designed projects. In the future, I hope that planning law and design teams will work together more effectively to create higher-quality housing and mixed-use developments within these areas.”

Boutique Modern: What makes Mohsin Cooper special?  

Abe: “I believe our service and attention to detail is what makes Mohsin Cooper special.

“We’re a small practice of only eight people – although that’s never stopped us punching above our weight in terms of design, delivery and service.

“Recently, we carried out analysis of our client base and found that some three quarters of our work comes from repeat clients. Many of our commercial clients have been working with us for over a decade across different projects, too,

“We also operate with a very low staff turnover rate. At present, all of our staff have been with us for three to four years minimum, with some for more than a decade.

“I also believe the flexibility, friendliness and practicality of our approach make us stand out, hence why our clients keep coming back for more!”