A conversation between: Jim Biddulph & Gavin Hughes
Gavin Hughes’ journey into design has been as diverse as his portfolio. Since joining as Design Director for London in 2018, he has advanced to the role of EMEA Design Director at HLW – a full-service design firm known for its client-focused, forward-thinking approach.
But it hasn’t been such an obvious or well-trodden path to get to this stage. After studying in Glasgow from 1997 to 2001, he spent time exploring different creative avenues – taking on private commissions, surveying psychiatric wards in Glasgow, working for the railways, designing flyers for club nights, and doing graphic design in the U.S. These formative experiences helped shape a flexible, exploratory approach to design, which led to collaborations with respected design firms on a wide range of projects. From reimagining educational spaces to shaping design strategies and visions for large-scale corporate campuses across the globe, Gavin’s experiences have forged a unique, creative global perspective and broad outlook, which he uses to reinforce HLW’s progressive design culture.
We took a deep dive to find out more about the company’s long and rich history, which began in the 19th Century, and unpicked how they remain flexible, and as relevant today as they were in those early years.
JB: I’m pretty confident that you’re the first person I’ve interviewed who works for a practice that is over a century old – it’s quite the achievement! I’m intrigued to hear how you feel the company has evolved since the days of Cyrus L.W. Eidlitz back in 1885.
GH: Since our founding in 1885, HLW has always looked ahead. Our very first commission for the Metropolitan Telephone Building not only marked the first purpose-built telephone building in Manhattan but also pioneered the integration of subterranean telephone lines into the city’s subway system. It was our first partnership with a visionary client, and it set the tone for the next century of innovation.
From that foundation, HLW has played a role in nearly every major technological and design evolution of the 20th century. Ralph Walker, our most celebrated partner, helped shape New York City’s skyline with his iconic Art Deco skyscrapers in the 1920s and 1930s. In the decades that followed, we continued to design for the trailblazers of their time, from Bell Telephone Laboratories, where the groundwork for modern computing and the internet was laid, to NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre, built in 1964 to realize President Kennedy’s vision of lunar exploration.
JB: That’s an impressive list of clients! How do you continue to maintain such high standards as the company grows and the world around it evolves and changes?
GH: Throughout our history, HLW has remained at the forefront of design innovation by continually asking the right questions, bringing energy and purpose to our work, and staying focused on what’s next. Today, our mission is to challenge convention, design with intent, and help build the future. As creatives, strategists, designers, and doers, we thrive on collaboration and bring big ideas to life – creating environments that leave a lasting, positive impact on both people and the planet. What drives our longevity is our ability to flex, adapt, and evolve – just like our clients. We’re never stuck in our ways. Instead, we embrace thoughtful dialogue, welcome diverse perspectives, and are always open to improving – whether that’s refining a design concept, enhancing internal processes, or integrating new technology.
JB: I’m intrigued by the idea of asking the right questions, and would love to know more. HLW’s longevity is evidence that there have been plenty asked along the way, but you’re working in an industry focused on permanence, and I often wonder if this creates a challenge when striving for enduring relevance – something I know is a cornerstone of the brand’s ethos.
GH: I often find myself questioning what we define as “permanent.” Without getting too cosmic, the truth is that nothing really is – everything exists in a constant state of flux, just at different speeds. Tying into the previous question, one of the most critical components of a successful, long-term design solution is its built-in ability to flex and adapt. It’s naive to design something fixed for today without considering how it might evolve tomorrow – whatever that tomorrow may bring.
To get there, we need to start by asking the big questions. Yes, the practical elements matter – how many desks, coffee machines, IT rooms, and so on – but before we go micro, we must start macro. We need to fully understand our client’s vision before we even begin thinking about physical space. What does success look like for them? Where are they now, and where do they want to be? What’s working and worth keeping, what should be left behind, and what needs to be created?
JB: Explaining it in that way almost sounds comparable to how a writer builds a character into a narrative, and I’m aware that the company tagline is “Our work tells a story”.
GH: Well, it’s more than a tagline, it’s a motto, and it’s embedded in everything we do. By designing spaces that authentically reflect each client’s unique story, we steer clear of fleeting trends that can quickly date a project. Instead, we aim to create design solutions that remain relevant and meaningful for as long as our clients exist. And if they evolve, if their purpose, mission, or values change, then their space should be able to evolve with them.
Design isn’t static. Until people truly interact with it – whether it’s a product, a piece of furniture, or a full interior – no one can fully predict how it will be interpreted or experienced. Yes, we bring years of knowledge and expertise to every project, but users always find new, unexpected ways to engage with a design, often beyond its intended purpose.
That’s why I always say: leave room to explore, but don’t create confusion. There’s a fine balance between effective – “does this intuitively do what I need it to do, and could it do something more?” and emotive design – “how does this make me feel?” Good design should have both.
JB: You mentioned collaboration before, and it seems to be a key ingredient in the company’s success. I’m always excited to discover how practices bring people together and foster cross-disciplinary pollination.
GH: Collaboration has always been central to HLW’s success. One of the things that really sets us apart is what we call our ‘Global Local’ approach. As a global firm, we’re able to tap into a wide network of expertise and experience, but we always focus on delivering design solutions that are deeply relevant to the local context and culture. It’s not about a one-size-fits-all formula – it’s about combining global insight with local sensitivity.
What’s unique is that, despite our scale, we’re a genuinely connected organisation. We’re not a sprawling firm where each office operates in isolation. People across studios know one another, collaborate regularly, and often work on projects across borders. We have global town halls each month, where different offices take turns to host, and I chair a Global Design Leadership Group that meets monthly to share ideas, projects, and innovations across our network.
That kind of open communication makes it easy to forge meaningful connections across disciplines. Even when a particular team isn’t formally appointed on a project, we often bring them in for insight. For example, on a recent workplace project for a global tech company, our London-based team worked closely with strategy and sustainability leads from our New York and LA studios. That cross-disciplinary exchange elevated the final outcome and aligned the design more closely with the client’s broader business goals.
JB: I noticed that you, rather encouragingly, also run a mentorship programme, which I assume encourages this kind of cross-pollination?
GH: Yes, team members can request mentors based on their interests, whether that’s design leadership, business development, or presentation skills. I currently mentor colleagues in both our New York and LA offices, and I always learn as much as I share. It’s a great way to connect with different parts of the business and gain new perspectives.
At the end of the day, we believe in giving people room to grow. Everyone should feel empowered to take ownership of their work and have visibility into their own development path. That’s how we retain talent and foster innovation – by trusting people, supporting them, and staying open to new ideas, wherever they come from.