Peter Lančarič arrived in the UK as an exchange student about 25 years ago and later made Fish Island his home for two decades. After contributing to the first legacy housing project in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park (Chobham Manor), he founded architectural practice PLANSTUDIO.
In this interview, he discusses the area's transformation, his approach to clients and colleagues, and what he wants the practice to represent.
JAMES: Tell me about yourself, starting with where did you grow up as a kid? What was family life like?
PETER: I was born and raised in Czechoslovakia, which is now Slovakia. I spent my childhood behind the Iron Curtain, so it was a very different world back then. I’m an only child, so we were a small family, but my extended family was very close-knit and my cousins were like my brothers and sisters. I had a very happy childhood.
That said, the environment I grew up in had its limitations. Travel was restricted and I had limited access to toys, clothes and things we take for granted here now. I would say it impacted my values: I’m perhaps less materialistic and appreciate other things in life, like family and friendships.
My aunt’s family emigrated during the communist era to what was then West Germany, and I had one opportunity in the 1980s to visit them. I think I was seven. Seeing a different world left a mark on me, and instilled a dream of exploring the world and going beyond the usual.
My mum was a psychologist. My dad worked in manufacturing, in a managerial role at a company that made electronics. When communism fell in 1989, he had to retrain and ended up working in banking. It was a very exciting but testing time. My parents are retired now.
JAMES: What brought you to Fish Island? Is Fish Island home, too – as well as where your studio is based?
PETER: I arrived in the UK in 2001. In my final year of university, I enrolled in the Erasmus exchange programme and came here for three months. I was then invited to be sponsored for a PhD programme at the University of Bedfordshire, which led to teaching and then a job in an architecture practice. This recognition and support from the university opened new doors for me and meant that eventually I settled in the UK permanently in 2003.
I eventually moved to London and ended up in Hackney Wick in 2005. I completed my qualifications at The Bartlett School of Architecture, and progressed my professional career at a large practice where I reached the role of Associate Director.
Regarding Fish Island - I lived here for 20 years, until last year. It was a very different place back then. There were only three or four residential buildings and the rest was basically warehouses. Although it was far from being the hotspot it is today, I really liked the area’s character because it wasn’t purely residential. There were a lot of artists, creatives and other industries, and I liked that diversity.
Through my previous job, an amazing opportunity came when I got involved in Chobham Manor, the first legacy project in the Olympic Park. Our team led the collaborative process and coordinated the project, which created about 850 new homes. As a local resident, being able to shape and contribute to the legacy of the area was amazing. The project was a great success, setting the benchmark for what came to be in the Park after, and it won multiple awards.
JAMES: I read what your clients said about you and your work. The word “ideas” showed up a lot. Where do your ideas come from? Early teachers? Mentors?
PETER: There are two things. One is listening to clients and understanding what they want and need. That is at the top of the agenda for us because we take huge pride and care in what we do, but we don’t do it for our portfolio or to win awards. We do it for the clients, for whom we deliver their dream homes.
The second is context. We always try to respond positively to the context. We look at where we are and how we relate to everything around the site, and that is where the inspiration comes from.
What was instilled in me when I was studying architecture was that one should always be able to articulate the rationale behind the design, and also to understand how buildings are put together. The technical aspects and buildability need to be considered from the earliest sketches.
Our strapline is ‘Challenge inspires creativity’, and this underlines everything we do. We love a challenge and tackle it head-on in a positive way with a can-do attitude. We help clients materialise their dreams or guide them towards what might work for them, but it is never about being forceful and telling them we know better.
JAMES: Are ideas a blessing or a curse?
PETER: Certainly a blessing. Ideas move us forward. Our work and the construction industry are very challenging, so you have to be positive and make the best of it.
It is also about making the journey enjoyable for the client. There are many challenges along the way, but creating a new home should be enjoyable. For most people it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so we make it as good as we can.
JAMES: What was it like to set up PLANSTUDIO? What do you remember most fondly about the beginning, and what was the worst?
PETER: Starting a family changed my outlook, and a switch flipped. When our first son was born I took extended parental leave to spend time with my new family. This made me think that I wanted more flexibility and work/life balance. At the same time, I was picking up smaller domestic projects for homeowners through a builder friend. It was more of a hobby, but it mushroomed and I started getting referrals. To this day, most of our work still comes through referrals.
I reached a point where I could turn my private projects into a full-time job. I left a really good job because I wanted more flexibility, to spend time with my family and control my work in a different way. The beginning was very exciting.
Another highlight was acquiring and building our studio during the pandemic. It was just four walls, and I built it with another person over three or four months. It was exciting to create something that represents us and make it our own.
The continuous challenge is keeping the business sustainable and making sure the team is looked after. I would like to retain people for as long as I can, but sometimes they need to grow, which is perfectly fair.
JAMES: PLANSTUDIO has repeatedly won Best of Houzz awards. Tell me about that experience – what are you learning from those awards (or the work leading up to those awards)?
PETER: Winning an award and getting that recognition is an extra bonus. We primarily do our work for the clients.
For me, being recognised by the RIBA is more meaningful. Our work has been repeatedly published in its annual directories, which showcase some of the projects. And Hackney Council used one of our projects as an exemplar design in their recently adopted planning guide.
JAMES: What’s your approach to hiring, retaining and growing team members? Are you gut-driven or highly structured?
PETER: It’s a mixture of both. Skills, ability and knowledge are important, but the extra thing I look for is mindset and behavioural performance: understanding how people approach work and making sure they can connect with our culture and represent us.
It is important that they can work independently and take pride in their work, that it’s not just a job for them. We always go the extra mile to make sure the client is happy, so it is important to have that personal approach where people feel they can approach us with anything.
I want my team members to take ownership of their work. I’m here to support them, not tell them how to do things or dictate.
JAMES: What’s your approach to business partnerships (vendors, suppliers, strategic)? What are some of the qualities you look for and value in a partner?
PETER: It’s about trust and reliability. Reliability is probably at the top of the agenda because I look to work with partners I can trust and rely on when something is needed.
It is not just about delivering a great product. It has to be associated with excellent service. I think that is what makes the difference: the quality of service and the fact that you can pick up the phone and they will be there to assist.
We proudly work with building companies such as Call Nico and Cipbuild. And Maxlight is a great company for glazing because it shares this culture of not just delivering a great product, but associating it with excellent service. That makes the difference: you can pick up the phone and they will be there to assist. Also, there's Istoria By Jordan Andrews, who make wood flooring.
JAMES: What does Hackney Wick and Fish Island mean to you today – especially given your unique eye for architecture and design, and your firm’s aim to deliver “projects that will stand the test of time and age gracefully”?
PETER: This area has changed dramatically. What I have always liked is the mixture of people living here, working here and doing various things. I love that it is nestled between two beautiful yet different parks, Victoria Park and the Olympic Park, and the canal is an amazing feature.
The London Legacy Development Corporation took over planning powers temporarily after the Olympic Games, with the big idea of creating something cohesive. This was achieved through well-considered design codes and master planning. In Hackney Wick and Fish Island today, the buildings share a common language and many incorporate commercial or workspace uses.
There is a great opportunity for a successful future for Hackney Wick and Fish Island, but perhaps more needs to be done to attract businesses. Some spaces have been vacant for some time, so it would be good to push that forward and make the area thrive. It is a fantastic environment and people I speak to really like living here, as I did.
JAMES: Tell me a couple of things you love about Hackney Wick, Fish Island or the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park? Got any favourite restaurants, cafés, watering holes, workout spots, or spaces to just relax?
PETER: I don’t do that enough because I’m busy with work and have a family, but when I go out I grab a coffee locally or go for a meal. Number 90 (map) is a place I used to visit when PLANSTUDIO was based at Mainyard Studios. Relatively often I grab a pizza from Lanterna (map), and I am a big fan of the Balkan cuisine at Burnt Umber.
I particularly like Ethical Bean (map) because it is probably the nearest one. I often grab a drink there. The guys are super nice and it is lovely to be known by name.
JAMES: Lastly, what would you like readers to see in their minds eye when they hear about PLANSTUDIO?
PETER: Personable, great at what we do, caring and reliable. Those are our core values and how I would like us to be recognised.