Benoy, an international architecture and design practice, has appointed Gustavo van Staveren as design director at its Newark studio in the UK to support the studio’s expanding portfolio in India.
Van Staveren has worked in India, China, the Netherlands and the Middle East. He previously worked at architecture practices UNStudio, MVRDV and MAD. His experience includes complex mixed-use projects.
Benoy chief executive Tom Cartledge said the studio was growing as clients sought commercial rigour alongside design ambition.
“He has spent his career on complex mixed-use projects across China, the Netherlands and the Middle East, and he understands that a scheme has to stand up as a business case as well as a piece of architecture,” Cartledge said.
Benoy grows India portfolio
Benoy announced Van Staveren’s appointment shortly after joining the design consultant panel of Indian business group Adani in August 2026. Benoy chief executive Tom Cartledge and executive director Mike Wilson-MacCormack signed the agreement in Mumbai.
The practice said its UK and China studios would provide design and strategic expertise to support its work with Adani. Benoy has worked on projects in India for more than two decades, covering residential, retail, mixed-use and aviation developments.
Benoy’s recent work in the country includes the design of Airport City Mumbai, an approximately 5 million square feet development beside Mumbai International Airport’s Terminal 2.
The hospitality-led scheme includes three luxury hotels, Grade A office space, conference facilities, retail, a cinema, an aquarium, restaurants and a family entertainment centre. The design divides the development into seven districts, each drawing on one of Mumbai’s seven original islands.
Van Staveren said commercial viability did not require architects to be less visionary. He also identified local culture, structural integrity and the client’s business case as important considerations.
“It’s not only about dreaming, it’s also about building, and making buildings that are commercially viable,” he said.
Van Staveren said Benoy’s focus on placemaking and understanding the culture of each location had attracted him to the practice.
