Architecture Built On Narratives
Abon Studio is a luxury residential design practice led by James Mitchell. The studio operates as a focused, solo-led design system, collaborating with a trusted network of specialist consultants and designers to deliver highly considered work with clarity and control. Shaped by over a decade of hands-on experience, the practice is built on direct involvement across every stage of a project – from early feasibility and planning strategy through to detailed design and construction delivery. This approach allows design intent to remain intact while navigating the technical, financial, and regulatory realities of complex projects.
Narrative underpins every commission. Each project begins with a deep understanding of place, constraints, and opportunity, allowing spaces to evolve from context. The result is architecture and interiors that feel grounded, purposeful, and enduring.
Abon Studio works intentionally at a scale that allows for rigour and accountability. Projects are approached with the mindset of ownership – balancing mature design thinking with disciplined execution, early risk management, and long-term value.
The studio collaborates with local and international clients on private homes and hospitality projects, often involving challenging sites or ambitious briefs. Known for navigating complexity with calm precision, Abon Studio creates spaces that elevate everyday life while remaining commercially and technically sound.
James Mitchell
Architectural Designer & Founder
James Mitchell is a South African-born architectural designer with British roots and the founder of Abon Studio, delivering high-end residential projects across the UK and South Africa, with experience delivering complex, high-end homes on challenging sites. He is known for a calm, rigorous approach to design – balancing strong conceptual thinking with technical precision and long-term value. His projects are shaped by context, narrative, and a deep understanding of how architecture is experienced in daily life.
James’s work has received international and local recognition. His first completed project, Two-Close-Between, was nominated for ArchDaily’s Residential Building of the Year and featured in the hardcover publication Beautiful Houses by the Water, as well as VISI. In 2025, Abon Studio was recognised as the 2025 Runner-Up for Emerging Firm of the Year in the Scape Magazine Awards in South Africa, and in 2026 James was included in Scape Magazine’s Top 100 Designers list.
He holds a Master’s degree from the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) in Barcelona and brings over a decade of professional experience to his work, having led projects end-to-end from early feasibility through to construction and completion.
