Practice

Levitate is an award-winning London-based architecture practice.

It was formed by Spencer Guy and Tim Sloan in 2005. Inventive common sense is the basis of all of our work, leading to architecture that is contextual, efficient and full of light.

Our skilled and experienced team works with a wide variety of clients, project scales and building types across the UK, led from London but with valued bases in the South West and Yorkshire.

Whether it be a brand new apartment complex, the redevelopment of a historic site, a city loft extension or a sculptural installation, we aim to deliver spaces that function effectively and are a joy to be in.

We are experts in conservation work – led by director Jo Hibbert – and have experience working with historical buildings of varying status and type, including Grade 1, II* or II listed and scheduled ancient monuments.

As well as architectural services we can provide planning, landscape and engineering consultancy services, with the help of regular collaborators who we consider to be integral to the Levitate team.

Levitate
3-5 Bleeding Heart Yard
London
EC1N 8SJ
020 7833 4455
Nearest tube
Farringdon
Levitate North
Harrogate
North Yorkshire
david.guy@levitate.co.uk
07739 472 722
Levitate West
Lower Hallfield
Chardleigh Green
Chard, Somerset
TA20 3AJ
jo.hibbert@levitate.co.uk
0146 064 329
Levitate
3-5 Bleeding Heart Yard
London
EC1N 8SJ
020 7833 4455
Nearest tube
Farringdon
Levitate North Harrogate
North Yorkshire
david.guy@levitate.co.uk
07739 472 722
Levitate West
Lower Hallfield
Chardleigh Green
Chard, Somerset
TA20 3AJ
jo.hibbert@levitate.co.uk
0146 064 329
Spencer-Guy-3
Spencer Guy
Director
BA (Hons) DipArch ADPPA FRSA RIBA

Spencer founded Levitate with Tim in 2005 and has an active role in the design of all Levitate projects.

Spencer grew up in Yorkshire, and after studying at the University of Sheffield and the Bartlett School of Architecture, he trained in the offices of Sir Michael Hopkins, Harry Seidler, and Niall McLaughlin.

He lives in Buckinghamshire with his wife, son and daughter, having designed and built their own house on the edge of the Chiltern Hills.

Tim-Sloan..
Tim Sloan
Director
BSc DipArch FRSA RIBA

Tim founded Levitate with Spencer in 2005 and has an active role in the design of all Levitate projects.

He studied at the University of Edinburgh and the Bartlett School of Architecture, where he was awarded the Sir Bannister Fletcher Prize and the RIBA Silver Medal for diploma studies. He gained experience at RHWL Arts Team and in the office of Sir Michael Hopkins, where he spent nine years. He is a fellow of the RSA and a member of the RIBA Library Committee.

Tim lives in Islington with his wife and three sons. Together they are in the process of extending a Perthshire barn into a family home.

Jo-Hibbert
Jo Hibbert
Conservation Director
BA (Hons) DipArch RIBA AABC

Jo has been director of our conservation office since 2006. She has extensive experience of conserving, restoring and renovating scheduled ancient monuments and listed buildings. Her work with Levitate includes the conservation of Sandsfoot Castle and the Old Farmhouse at West Pennard, successfully removing both from English Heritage’s Buildings at Risk Register.

Jo studied architecture at Sheffield University. Following her first degree she worked with English Heritage, then undertook an ICOMOS Summer Scholarship with the New York Landmarks in Manhattan. She completed her diploma at Oxford Brookes, winning a SPAB Lethaby Scholarship.

She then worked at Acanthus Ferguson Mann Architects in Bristol, becoming an associate and taking a repair project at the Royal West Academy from inception to completion. From 2004 she worked for Jonathan Rhind Architects, setting up its Taunton office and as a result making excellent contacts with local officials, consultants and contractors. During this time she started the refurbishment of the Grade 1 listed Whitestaunton Manor in Somerset, including the conservation and repair of its hammer beam roof.

Jo is the retained church architect for a number of significant churches in the South West, she sits on the Exeter Diocesan Advisory Committee and is a studio tutor for the final year of Diploma at Bath University.

David-Guy
David Guy
Regional Director (North)
BA (Hons) DipArch CPPMA RIBA

David is responsible for Levitate’s projects in the North, and is also our Technical Director. He has been the project architect for a number of schemes and has extensive experience in the detailing and engineering co-ordination of projects at a large range of scales.

David followed his prize-winning degree at the University of Sheffield with a diploma at the Bartlett School of Architecture, graduating with a commendation in design. He is also a graduate of the 2002 Murcutt Masterclass, held at the University of Newcastle in Australia, which emphasises ecologically responsive and responsible design.

During his studies, David worked with Michael Wilford on his family home in Sussex and the new British Embassy in Berlin. Following this he worked at MUMA on university projects in America, before joining Levitate, where he became a project director in 2006.

Toby-Knipping
Toby Knipping
Architect
BSc (Hons) MArch (Dist.) ARB

Since joining Levitate in 2012, Toby has worked on a wide range of projects, from a new school cricket pavilion and a 50m regional competition pool to new-build houses, offices and several competition bids.

Toby graduated from the University of Bath in 2009 with first class honours, having been awarded the Basil Spence Prize for design team working. During his studies he worked for award-winning practices in Wales and the South West, including CaSA Architects, who specialise in well-crafted contemporary and sustainable architecture.

He then studied for his Masters in architecture at the University of Sheffield, collaborating on a number of action research projects, including community construction projects in Paris with Atelier d’Architecture Autogérée. After graduating with distinction, Toby worked for Michael Hopkins and Partners in London.

Adam-Longbottom
Adam Longbottom
Architect
BA (Hons) PGDip MArch ARB

Adam graduated from the University of Sheffield, where his studies included the creation of identity, conservation of the past, and the ways in which traditional crafts and skills can be celebrated in modern construction techniques.

He was at Hopkins Architects for nearly six years – working on a mix of projects, including a 560-bed student residential scheme in a historically sensitive site – before joining Levitate in 2017.

Adam visits his parents in France as often as possible, and is helping adapt an old coaching inn into their retirement home. He also has a passion for photography.

Liam-Wales
Liam Wales
Architectural Illustrator

Born in Yorkshire in 1971, Liam is an artist and illustrator and has recently decamped to East Sussex with his young family. His work includes visuals for architects and interior designers, reconstruction paintings for English Heritage, house portraits and editorial illustrations. Liam has been collaborating with Levitate since 2010, lending his watercolour skills to produce elevations and perspectives for several conservation and housing projects.

Simona Petraityte
Simona Petraityte
Architect
BA (Hons) MArch PGDip ARB

Simona graduated from the University of Sheffield in 2018, where she has grown her interest in adaptive re-use of existing buildings and conservation while developing her final year thesis around sensitive issues of temporariness and ageing in Rotherham.

Prior to joining Levitate, Simona spent two years working at Noarchitects in Lithuania. There she worked on a range of small to medium sized residential schemes and bespoke interior projects as well as an urban masterplan focusing on participatory urban regeneration of Snipiskes.

Since joining Levitate, Simona has worked on a wide range of projects including a 77 unit residential scheme in Wokingham, a Grade II listed t out in Reading as well as a Grade II listed Court farm and walled garden scheme in Nynehead.

After work Simona can be found cycling out and about London, climbing and delving into art, design and photography exhibitions.

Sofia
Sofia Caccamo
Architectural Assistant
BA (Hons)

Sofia graduated from Central Saint Martins in 2021, where she explored innovative reuse of construction waste and looked at urban social scapes in Argentina and London for her dissertation. She is now looking forward to start her Masters in September, to progress further in her career path to becoming an Architect.

Prior to joining Levitate, Sofia spent 1 year working at Shepheard Epstein Hunter, London. There she worked on a range of small to large commercial projects. Including a grade listed, educational building where she developed the interior strategy.

Since joining Levitate, Sofia has been working on the Leicester Museum and Art Gallery retrofit and several new housing projects.

After work, Sofia can be found going on walks or checking out an exhibition.

Karoline-Eldoey
Karoline Eldoey
Architectural Assistant
BA (Hons) MArch

Karoline grew up in Norway, and graduated from Kingston University in 2022 where she did her undergrad and master degrees. In her final year thesis, she explored the innovative recovery and exploitation of waste energy generated by energy-intensive buildings. This inspired her to design a public swimming-pool facility warmed up by a data center’s excess heat.

Prior to joining Levitate, Karoline did a summer internship at LINK Arkitektur in Stord, Norway, where she worked on a land-based fish breeding farm in Gulen, Norway, and a new office building in Stord.

Since joining Levitate, Karoline has been working on a number of farm properties that are being converted into residential schemes.

After working hours, Karoline can be found strolling around the city, checking out a gallery or a cafe, doing outdoor exercise or playing the piano.