Andy Martin is an Australian architect and designer based in London, England; director of Andy Martin Architects. He has created a range of works from furniture and product through to restaurants and bars, to residential properties both in the United Kingdom and internationally. He is known for his use of light and dark space, natural light and playfulness with materials. He also lectures extensively on architecture and design, regularly serves as university studio critic, and is a board member for civic institutions and jury awards programs.
Biography
Andy Martin was born in Sydney. He studied architecture at the University of Technology, and completed his training at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London. Whilst practising architecture, Martin continued to develop his skills as a furniture designer, being the first to integrate his experience of surfboard design with furniture and sculptural forms. Martin moved to Paris in 1992 where he began working with Marc Newson on several interior projects. It was through this partnership and collaborations on Coast restaurant London, and Mash & Air Manchester, that Martin developed his interest in restaurant design. Martin's client on these projects was the restaurateur Oliver Peyton. Striking up a relationship with Peyton, Martin was appointed as Concept Architect for the flagship Mash 02 restaurant in London. Mash 02 itself responded to a more refined view of the concept started with Mash & Air, with the design becoming more iconic, more essential, and hence, easily transposable to future Mash sites. In 1999, Martin was asked to design Isola restaurant after beating off the likes of Zaha Hadid. This next major project undertaken showed the practice actively shape and change the UK’s bar and restaurant culture, through its refined, mature and yet still playful style. After the success of this restaurant Martin formed a new practice, Andy Martin Architects, in which he took on Director Tom Davies who came to the company as a Project Manager. Since AMA was set up, Martin has moved on to design many residential properties, including the Olga Polizzi and William Shawcross residence in West London. AMA continues to design restaurants and bars around London and have been working on projects in Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, California and Greece.
Modernism and Modernization in Architecture, Academy Editions, 1999, p 49, 52, 53
Sci-Fi Architecture, AD Magazine, Vol69 No3/4, March–April 1999, p 54, 55 Interior Spaces of Europe Vol. 2, The Images Publishing Group, 1999, p112, 113 Caffe e Ristoranti, Frederico Motta Editore, September 2000, p118-132 Cool Shops London, teNeues Publishing 2005, p10, 11 New Bar and Club Design, Laurence King 2005, p32, 33 and p84, 85
