Meet the team behind our architectural practice

Alfonso Padro

Director and Co-founder, ARB, RIBA

Alfonso is an architect and co-founder of ATPA and has always been a creative thinker. Throughout his 20+ year career he has held the belief that architecture is a vocation that should solve societal problems and conjure up emotions. This drive and desire to focus on work that fosters a sense of community and leaves a positive legacy our clients want to carry forward is one of the driving forces as to why he wanted to set up ATPA.

The standout projects from Alfonso’s career are always ones where his client’s true vision has been realised and they want to take ownership of the scheme.

To him, successful architecture is far more about function rather than form, and creating spaces that work for the people who will ultimately use them. After all, they will be living there, learning there, working there, teaching there or playing there.

As projects evolve, new challenges emerge, be they from society, individuals or groups, contractors or funders and Alfonso relishes finding ways to solve them. Alfonso believes that successful projects boil down to listening and testing ideas, including pushing the fold at times to challenge his clients’ expectations and what they are used. His aim is to design a solution that addresses their real vision and leads to the moment where they say, “that’s exactly it, you’ve got it.”

This process may sound quite straightforward, but it often involves significant stakeholder management, where the goal is to get everyone on board, despite their differing agendas and/or opinions.

Listening to clients and delivering what they really want is a key part of how Alfonso develops relationship for the long term. His work at a Multi Academies Trust in Tower Hamlets is a fantastic example of this where he became an ingrained member of the community while working on the school building estates development. He became a school Trustee and then the Chair of Trustees for the Trust. Alfonso’s has also been invited to chair several industry award panels including the World Architecture Festival (WAF) and the RIBA London Awards.

Simon Grayson

Director and Co-founder, ARB, RIBA

Simon’s architecture career began at HKS where his training saw him rise through the ranks from part 1 right up to senior associate.

Simon believes through good design and sustainable architecture we can improve the world we live in. Successful architecture should be a combination of elements including creativity and problem solving which act as an enabler for you to leave a positive impact on the environment you live in.

Simon is a realistic, pragmatist who appreciates that very few projects can have a perfect solution. His way of overcoming this is by starting with his clients’ aspirations and then working through each one with a flexible and adaptable approach to find meaningful solutions and outcomes.

An important aspect of Simon’s work is making sure his clients make good use of their estate including retaining existing buildings rather than demolition. By prioritising the adaptive and creative reuse of heritage assets, Simon’s designs reflect the historical legacy of a site while creating something altogether new.

Simon has a wide range sector experience including healthcare, education, commercial and mixed-use. He has also spent time working overseas in the USA working on major sports related schemes.

Inspiring the next generation of architects and encouraging more diverse talent into the profession is important to Simon. He has undertaken tutoring for the charity Blueprint for all workshops and also for Open City to inspire and support young people coming into the architecture profession.

Simon has a strong background in BIM for both authoring and coordination. He is also a qualified Passivhaus designer with a strong interest in sustainable design and energy efficient buildings.

Gisselle Casio

Associate Director, ARB, RIBA

Gisselle is an experienced architect and placemaking professional with a passion for creating places that genuinely improve people’s lives. With experience across housing, education, and public spaces, she has worked with both public and private clients to deliver high-quality, sustainable developments that put communities at the heart of design.

Starting her career in architecture, Gisselle later moved into housing and regeneration, where she has contributed to initiatives focused on expanding affordable housing, enhancing public spaces, and fostering more inclusive neighbourhoods — particularly through her roles at the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and Haringey Council. Her work brings together design thinking, project management, and strong collaboration with stakeholders to make sure developments meet real-world needs and long-term goals.

Known for her ability to connect strategy with design, Gisselle leads multidisciplinary teams and works closely with local authorities, residents, and partners to deliver practical, meaningful change. Her approach combines creativity with deep knowledge of planning policy, housing strategy, and community engagement.

Gisselle is also a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in the built environment. She actively supports initiatives that help young people from underrepresented backgrounds pursue careers in architecture and urban development, believing that the future of our cities should be shaped by a wide range of voices.