Ben Richards is a property entrepreneur and built-environment specialist with over 20 years’ experience spanning architecture, engineering, and large-scale residential development. With a career that has taken him from architectural and structural design roles through to technical leadership positions at major developers including the Berkeley Group, Ben combines creative design expertise with deep technical knowledge and delivery experience.
He is the Founder of AURA Architecture & Interiors, an award-winning, design-led studio known for creating intelligent, high-quality living spaces for homeowners and developers. Through AURA, Ben has developed a strong reputation for combining thoughtful design with commercial awareness, ensuring projects maximise both functionality and value.
Ben is also the Development Director at XP Property, where he oversees the design and delivery of projects from concept through to completion. His portfolio ranges from £50,000 refurbishments to £1 billion mixed-use developments across London and the Home Counties, with a focus on delivering schemes on time, on budget, and to an exceptional standard.
In 2020, Ben co-founded XP Surveys alongside his business partner Jack Jiggens, bringing his architectural perspective to the surveying industry. Under his leadership, XP Surveys has grown into a technology-led, architect-focused geospatial surveying company, designed to integrate seamlessly with modern design workflows and support consultants across the built environment.
A serial entrepreneur, Ben has launched and scaled multiple businesses across the property development and investment sector. He holds a Master’s degree in Architectural Engineering from Cardiff University and is passionate about intelligent design, outstanding customer service, and reducing the environmental impact of buildings in the UK.
Drawing on more than 20 years of experience across architecture, engineering and property development, Ben will share the design and development principles he uses to maximise Gross Development Value, reduce build costs and optimise profit margins across HMO and commercial conversion projects.
Approaching projects from the combined perspective of architect, developer and investor, he’ll explore how intelligent design and better use of space can unlock additional value, while ensuring schemes remain commercially viable and practical to deliver.
With experience spanning £50,000 refurbishments through to £1 billion mixed-use developments, Ben will bring together lessons from across the development lifecycle to demonstrate how design decisions can have a direct impact on project costs, development value and ultimately the profitability of a scheme.
The session will give property investors and developers practical insight into approaching HMOs and commercial conversions with design and commercial performance working together from the outset.
