From being diagnosed with dyslexia at 12 (and finding early inspiration in Richard Branson’s story) to winning and delivering Virgin’s headquarters in Fitzrovia, Dicky breaks down how his brain works, how White Red balances “instigator vs implementer” energy, and why the unglamorous stuff—process, people, honest post-project analysis—matters just as much as the design.

They also dig into sustainability in practice (not just slogans): reducing Cat A waste, making small spec decisions that add up, and experimenting with alternative building systems like fabric ducting adapted from swimming pools to cut waste and improve performance.

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What You’ll Learn

• How dyslexia can shape leadership style, creativity, and risk tolerance — and why it’s increasingly common in architecture
  
  
• The “instigator vs implementer” dynamic inside White Red (and why you need both)
  
  
• What it takes to win a major pitch: rehearsal, storytelling, detail obsession, and team chemistry
  
  
• How the Virgin HQ opportunity evolved from a small refurb into a full HQ procurement — and what changed in the second pitch
  
  
• The realities of delivering for a multi-stakeholder brand: sustainability, DEI, operations, and governance all feeding into the brief
  
  
• Why reputation is everything for a growing practice — and how honest post-project review builds stronger delivery
  
  
• The awkward-but-real moments that force you to “step up” (like clients waiting outside a locked studio…)
  
  
• What Dicky learned from meeting Branson — and the handwritten note that became a full-circle career moment
  
  
• Practical sustainability: incremental wins in finishes, furniture circularity, and designing out waste over time
  
  
• A smart MEP example: why White Red trialled fabric ductwork, how it performs, and what they learned

• Dicky’s concentration soundtrack: binaural beats, instrumental film music, and the “don’t let me DJ the office Sonos” rule