Welcome to Mae

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.

We are proud to announce that our Director Alex Ely is a judge for this year's Architect of the Year Awards. The Awards cover a wide range of categories including Education, Industry, Conservation, Office,Housing, Public Buildings, Retail and Leisure and many more. Deadline for entries is 17th May 2024 and the winners will be announced on Wednesday 16th October.

Director Alex Ely will be taking part in the Shropshire Society of Architects Spring 2024 Lectures, a series that includes Jamie Fobert, Alison Brooks Architects and Ström Architects. He will be talking about the practice's work including our Stirling Prize winning John Morden Centre. The talk, on 24th April, will be hosted at the Hive, 5 Belmont, Shrewsbury, SY1 1TE at 6.30pm. For further information email sue.jones@bchnarchitects.co.uk

We are proud to have recently become a Certified B Corporation®. Being part of a global community of businesses that meet high standards of social and environmental impact aligns with Mæ’s current principles and future objectives.

As a B Corp® company, we pledge to be industry leaders, creating sustainable, resilient buildings and places. This certification provides us with a framework for our continued improvement as a business.

Working with like-minded clients and collaborators, our socially conscious team of architects will imbed environmental and social standards into every project. We will engage with people who live and use our buildings from conception through to post occupancy, ensuring a local, community led approach to our architecture and placemaking.

Mæ’s leaders will continue to ensure that we put purpose before profits, and that our company governance considers all our stakeholders – our communities, our clients, and our Mæ team. We will take care of our people, focusing on wellbeing, career development and delivering projects that improve all our lives every single day. We will continue to work closely with residents in our communities, through our social value programmes, and our support of industry diversity initiatives.

Throughout our journey to become a B Corp® company, we have drawn on the support and knowledge from others. We will support and encourage other companies in our industry and play our part in the B Global Network’s® goal that all businesses become a force for good.

We will always work to benefit all. We will always work to be better.

Our Director Alex Ely has been profiled in Building magazine and BD online. In an interview with Ben Flatman he explores the evolution and future of the practice, working at the scale of the city to the room. He reflects on his influences from education, from his time and the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment and on the role architects can have in civic society.