David Howel-Evans
BA (Hons) (Canterbury), DipArch (PCL) ARB RIBA

David Howel-Evans studied at Canterbury College of Art and the Polytechnic of Central London. He has always had a keen personal interest in art and architecture and this is reflected in the scope and range of his career.

David’s first work as an Architect was in London, where he spent time with a number of different Practices working across the private and public housing, commercial office, leisure and retail sectors.

A move to Barcelona in 1991 introduced him to a wide array of new influences and trends, and also to the need to find an income from diverse sources. This varied from work with local Practices, writing, illustration and teaching. He was able to reflect on urban developments in Barcelona for ‘El Pais’, and published articles in the British architectural magazines Architectural Review, Architects’ Journal and Building Design. He also exhibited drawings of the new Olympic installations at the British Council in 1992, eventually setting up with Jane Opher to create their own architectural Practice.

Howel Evans and Opher Architects remained in Barcelona until 1995 and their projects were largely funded by working for others. A series of exhibition-stands for the British Council were designed and built as well as numerous building projects and competitions developed, including a new exhibition gallery and café for the British Council in Barcelona.

David’s next four years found him working several months a year as an Assistant Art Director in the film industry, the time in-between being dedicated to practice and drawing. David worked initially with Jim McBride,-  best known for ‘The Big Easy’ and ‘Uncovered’, and subsequently with Ken Loach on ‘Land and Freedom’ and ‘Carla’s Song’. He lived in Nicaragua during the four months of pre-production work and filming. David’s last film, on return to the UK was ‘Mojo’ with Jez Butterworth in 1996.

Having returned to the UK in 1995 David and Jane built several small projects whilst working full time for other Practices. David joined Bushow Henley in London working on workspace projects for a number of major media agencies and UCL’s CASA department, and also a number of residential and leisure projects. He continued this association for two years after establishing heostudio formally in London in 1999.

Art and architecture remain a passion of David’s and Jane’s, this has resulted in several collaborations with artists and landscape designers, for example – the re-enactments of a photograph taken at the execution of the Emperor Maximilian in Mexico in 1867 by Anne Marie Le Quesne at Tate Britain in 2001, – the integration of artworks into exhibition-stands in Barcelona by artists Charlotte Faber, Philippa Beveridge and Annie Michie, and most recently a collaboration with Philippa Beveridge – glass artist and landscape designer, for the ‘Living Cities’ competition (to design a new public space in Brighton).