Alt Studios
Information
ALT STUDIOS is an independent design practice. We are meticulous and unconventional — continually challenging ourselves, collaborators and preconceptions across all aspects of our creative service. Our ethos is to passionately experiment and identify alternative approaches and outcomes which go beyond expectation in all our projects.
alt-
combining form
is both unconventional and confident; denoting a version of something, that is intended as a challenge to the traditional version; we aim to experiment and identify alternative approaches and outcomes which go beyond expectation in all our projects.
studios
plural noun
is both limitless and aspirational; metaphorically representing compartments of the practice which will organically expand and contract; we aim to combine our different creative disciplines, whatever the mix, into something fantastic.
ALT STUDIOS was founded in 2020 by Paul Milner and Scott Savin, with a genuine desire to maintain a point of difference in a growing world of homogeneous approaches and soulless solutions by providing an alternative to the mainstream. We are a driven team specialising in, but not limited to, high quality, design-led architecture and bespoke interiors. We create experiences — influenced by a curiosity in context, lifestyle and culture. We help transform people’s lives and businesses through carefully crafted design, grounded in rigorous research and a devotion to detail.
Our perspective sits somewhere between manifesto, accumulated professional life–learnings and the guidelines for which we conduct our practice. Expand a topic to learn more.
Questions and thoughtful answers foster smoother and more-effective interactions, they strengthen rapport and trust, and lead you and the design team toward discovery. We regard conversation as a dance that requires partners to be in sync — a mutual push-and-pull that unfolds over time.
We regard clients as collaborators and actively seek inspiration; we are interested in your identity. Personal creativity and organisational innovation rely on a willingness to seek out novel information; every angle of approach could be key — we undertake experiential engagement exercises; from participating in your daily activities and processes to camping on site!
We are not a design shop with off-the-shelf soulless solutions, therefore do not expect quick fixes; genuine design is a rich and often lengthy process. If a design has not been built up slowly, layered in thought and craft, it lacks weight and denies the ability to mark time, to deepen your experience.
We provide a dedicated project lead and design lead from inception to completion, regardless of project size. Due to our close-knit working environment your project will receive focused input from our driven team of unconventional thinkers during weekly internal design reviews.
We do not solely rely upon external design commissions to function — this allows us to be discerning with the projects we select in order to adhere to our ethos and practice what we preach for your benefit. This enables us to avoid operation with an overstretched team, whereby projects are passed between several designers without the care and attention your investment deserves.
We work to an open-minded practice ethos, not only from a design and technological perspective but culturally too. We are curious, craving wonder by engaging in passionate search. For us wonder underpins all imagination, empathy, and deep interest in anything beyond self.
We primarily support a return to craft for robust and refined heartfelt results from likeminded trades of the profession. We continue to expand our network of collaborators and recommended suppliers to ensure you receive the highest quality service and products appropriate for your project.
We empower talented individuals to push boundaries, hone their craft, and bring their best to every project. Our inquisitive team blends diverse skills and experiences, united by a drive to challenge the status quo and create bold, impactful change through design.
Caitlyn Coverdale
Architectural Technologist

Caitlyn joined ALT STUDIOS in 2022, bringing a wealth of experience in architectural and interior design across varied scales, complexities, and typologies. Since graduating with a first-class honours degree from Northumbria University in 2018, she has developed a research-led approach, combining purposeful dialogue with meticulous organisation to deliver original technical solutions at all stages of the design process.
As a skilled Architectural Technologist, Caitlyn has particular expertise in Building Information Modelling (BIM), which enhances her precision and ability to deliver innovative, efficient design solutions. She particularly enjoys honing architectural details during the early stages of design, helping to bring the overall concept to life.
She has played an instrumental role in two notable residential projects: Moseley Passage, a mews development and Ebrington Gardens. A natural collaborator, Caitlyn excels at working alongside others to find creative solutions that address both the technical and aesthetic challenges of a project. Her strategic thinking, material knowledge, and construction insight make her an integral part of the studio, contributing to the continued success and evolution of our work.
Paul Milner
Co—founder | Architect

Paul brings a high level of critical thinking and controlled spatial composition to every project. His background in mapping studies and sensory design informs a narrative-driven approach that fosters deep engagement with people and places. His architecture and interior design experience spans multiple sectors, from town centre masterplanning and adaptive reuse of listed buildings to high-spec hospitality and workspace design.
With a keen eye for detail, Paul moves seamlessly between macro and micro perspectives, ensuring each project balances functionality and aesthetic integrity. He enjoys collaborating closely with clients and design teams, pushing the boundaries of an idea to achieve elegant and enduring design solutions.
Paul studied architecture followed by urban design at Newcastle University—Blueprint journal acknowledged him in the top 50 design graduates of 2009. Before establishing ALT STUDIOS, he spent eight years at Ryder Architecture, culminating in the design and delivery of the multi award-winning Tombola headquarters on the River Wear, Sunderland.
Alongside practice, Paul spent ten years delivering a master’s module and serving as a visiting critic at Newcastle University. A RIBA Future Architects mentor and STEM ambassador, Paul supports aspiring architects and contributes to national panel discussions on the built environment.
Scott Savin
Co—founder | Architect

Scott has a thorough understanding of the built environment, having honed substantial skill in responding to complex briefs on sensitive sites. A highly rational thinker with the ability to navigate constraints within a creative framework, he brings a holistic approach to the projects within the studio. His diverse and extensive experience ranges from bespoke residential properties and conversions of listed buildings to mixed-use commercial and residential schemes, hotels, high-end residential care, and high-rise towers.
Excelling in stakeholder management, Scott leads collaborative processes that drive design quality and innovative placemaking. At feasibility and viability stages, he unlocks the full potential of clients' land and building assets. With strategic insight and design expertise, he turns challenges into opportunities, creating lasting value.
Having studied architecture at Newcastle University in 2009, Scott specialised in urban design, completing his master's degree. Before co-founding ALT STUDIOS, he worked for several practices across Northern England, delivering award-winning projects nationwide.
For nearly a decade, Scott combined practice with teaching at Newcastle University, educating future Town Planners, Urban Designers, and Architects in placemaking. He is a RIBA Future Architects mentor and serves on design review and judging panels.
Press release: OnOffice Magazine
31-39 High Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 1EW
+44 (0)191 511 1832 info@alt-studios.com
Press release: OnOffice Magazine