Jayden Ali's JA Projects transforms London spaces with community-focused architecture

Jayden Ali, founder of JA Projects, has established a significant architectural practice in London with a focus on social justice and community engagement. Born in east London, Ali studied at Leeds and the University of East London before founding his studio in 2017. His early career included work experience at Allies and Morrison during the 2012 Olympics preparations. Notable projects include the Camberwell Station Road regeneration in 2025, designed with local schoolchildren, and the Queen’s Market and Square redesign in Newham the same year. In 2020, his exhibition design for 'Fashioning Masculinities' at the V&A helped revitalize his studio. Ali served on the team curating the British Pavilion at the 2023 Venice Architecture Biennale, which received a Special Mention for National Participation. He has been a London mayor's design advocate since 2022 and leads the Piccadilly Circus redesign as part of an Allies and Morrison team. Recent work includes the V&A East Museum's 'Why We Make' galleries, opening in April in Stratford, designed in collaboration with Larry Achiampong and A Practice for Everyday Life. Ali also teaches as a visiting professor at Columbia University in New York, with about 50% of his studio's revenue coming from international projects over the past four years. His studio employs ten people in Southwark.