Episode
Designing Differently: Dyslexia, Leadership, and Delivery with Dicky Lewis
- Podcast
- Space by Stansons
- Published
- Feb 10, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2075
- Processing state
not_requested- Canonical source
- https://share.transistor.fm/s/7b4eece9
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Summary
This week on Space by Stansons , host Guy Stanley sits down with Dicky Lewis , co-founder of White Red Architects , for a wide-ranging conversation on neurodiversity, pitching, and what it really takes to deliver a major HQ project at the highest level. 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. ⸻ 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…