Celebrating 10 Years of MLA Glasgow

Last night I had the absolute honour of presenting an evening to celebrate 10 years of MLA Glasgow.

Me on stage with the incredible G&G

If you know me, you know how much I admire MLA. Not only are they incredibly talented, but they’re also genuinely nice people who truly care - about design, about the spaces they create, and most importantly, about the people they work with.

By Sara Seravalli

Sitting on stage with Gillian and Gordon to help tell their story was a real privilege.

Together with the Edinburgh team, they’ve built MLA into one of the most respected practices in Scotland (and the UK), and what makes them stand out isn’t just the quality of their work - it’s their attitude.

They talk a lot about collaboration and collegiality. They believe in investing in the next generation, surrounding themselves with people who are smarter than them, and then giving them the freedom to design, to question, to make mistakes - without embarrassment or shame. Because, as they said,

without mistakes we don’t learn, and without trying new things we don’t evolve as people or as professionals.

And of course, I have to say something about Gillian Stewart. As Gordon put it so beautifully, we owe this lady an incredible amount of gratitude for the leader she is. One day, she may decide she’s had enough of the daily stresses of such a demanding career and swap the office for her easel, painting beautiful pictures instead. When that day comes, we will miss her dearly. But Gillian has poured so much energy into shaping this practice, this culture, and this community that her legacy will live on in our industry for a long time to come.

I also recently had the chance to visit one of their projects, the OVO Headquarters in Glasgow. Beyond a touch of furniture envy, I was struck by how thoughtfully it has been designed - future-proofed to support the company as it grows and changes, reducing the need for costly refits every few years. A perfect example of design that works for the long term.

Celebrating MLA’s 10th anniversary was a joy - and it feels like they’re only just getting started. Gillian and Gordon have created not just a practice, but a culture.

One that nurtures talent, embraces curiosity, and uses architecture to genuinely improve lives.

Here’s to the next 10 years of MLA Glasgow - and many more stories worth celebrating.