# Designing Differently: Dyslexia, Leadership, and Delivery with Dicky Lewis

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/space-by-stansons-6768884/designing-differently-dyslexia-leadership-and-delivery-with-dicky-lewis
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/space-by-stansons-6768884/designing-differently-dyslexia-leadership-and-delivery-with-dicky-lewis.md
Podcast: [Space by Stansons](https://stenobird.com/podcast/space-by-stansons-6768884)
Published: 2026-02-10T11:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://share.transistor.fm/s/7b4eece9
Audio file: https://op3.dev/e/media.transistor.fm/7b4eece9/d2878af2.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/space-by-stansons-6768884/episodes/designing-differently-dyslexia-leadership-and-delivery-with-dicky-lewis
Duration seconds: 2075

## Resource

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…

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## Transcript

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