Designing Differently: Dyslexia, Leadership, and Delivery with Dicky Lewis

Episode notes

This week on Space by Stansons , host Guy Stanley sits down with Dicky Lewis , co-founder of White Red Architects , for a wide-ranging conversation on neurodiversity, pitching, and what it really takes to deliver a major HQ project at the highest level. From being diagnosed with dyslexia at 12 (and finding early inspiration in Richard Branson’s story) to winning and delivering Virgin’s headquarters in Fitzrovia , Dicky breaks down how his brain works, how White Red balances “instigator vs implementer” energy, and why the unglamorous stuff—process, people, honest post-project analysis—matters just as much as the design. They also dig into sustainability in practice (not just slogans): reducing Cat A waste, making small spec decisions that add up, and experimenting with alternative building systems like fabric ducting adapted from swimming pools to cut waste and improve performance.