Our Philosophy
We live in a 24/7 world that never stops. At 28 a.m. – the impossible hour beyond, when the city rests and restoration begins – we design architectural sanctuaries that take you past the relentless rhythm.
Guiding our clients on a stress-free architectural journey to create City Sanctuaries is our way of contributing happiness and mental wellbeing to the world. Through our unique Mindfulness Design Method, we design sanctuaries where Thermal and Emotional Sustainability are inseparable - from intimate garden studios to transformative homes and restorative retreats.
Guiding our clients on a stress-free architectural journey to create City Sanctuaries is our way of contributing happiness and mental wellbeing to the world. Through our unique Mindfulness Design Method, we design sanctuaries where Thermal and Emotional Sustainability are inseparable - from intimate garden studios to transformative homes and restorative retreats.
Our designs breathe with the seasons through passive design, natural ventilation, and materials that regulate themselves. This is Thermal Sustainability - architecture that works with nature, not against it.
We create spaces that nourish the soul. Our inspiration comes from nature, and we seek wisdom from Eastern philosophies in how to create sanctuaries that are restorative. We design through all five senses - sight, sound, touch, smell, and the nourishment of daily life - using natural materials that age gracefully. This is Emotional Sustainability - wellbeing woven into every surface and detail.
Our aesthetic is distinctly minimalist, effortlessly natural, and profoundly calming.
Ultimately, we design to help people forge a healthy lifestyle. A lifestyle of simplicity; a lifestyle inspired by nature that extends gratitude towards the world in which we live.
We take a collaborative and philosophical approach to architecture, investigating together with our clients why a certain space could work for them. That's why our process is as important as the outcome.
Our Team
Winnie Tam
BA(Hons) MArch ARB AADip
Founder & Director
After 15 years working with world-renowned practices including Renzo Piano Building Workshop, David Chipperfield Architects and Junya Ishigami & Associates, Winnie Tam founded 28 a.m. to create sanctuaries for city dwellers. Having lived in London, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Paris, she experienced the fatigue of urban life. Rather than leaving the city, she decided to design inner sanctuaries - spaces that promote natural, simple and restorative living within the city itself. The aesthetic is minimalist yet warm, rooted in Eastern philosophy and a deep attention to emotional comfort. Winnie focuses on how spaces feel - creating environments that restore the soul through thoughtful material choices, natural light and contemplative design. What defines her approach is the process: a clear, collaborative journey where clients aren't dictated to, but guided thoughtfully towards spaces that truly work for them.
William Wong
BA(Hons) MArchD ARB RIBA
Director
William has led and delivered a wide range of projects, from bespoke high-end residential schemes to large-scale housing, commercial, and mixed-use developments across the UK and Internationally. He has worked on Enerphit and Passivhaus schemes and has a passion for detailed, sustainable contemporary design. His portfolio includes complex planning contexts from flood plains and green belts, to low-energy retrofits, listed buildings, and HMO conversions. William enjoys responding to each brief by creating thoughtfully crafted architecture, developing proposals from early planning through to project completion. At 28 a.m., he aims to build on his approach to technically rigorous and environmentally responsible architecture, crafting sanctuaries that deliver both thermal and emotional comfort.
Samuel Wood
Junior Interior Designer
Sam retrained as an interior designer to merge his lifelong passion for architecture and interiors. Living in small city centre apartments gave him a profound appreciation for simplicity - seeking solace in clean lines and curated spaces that bridge fast-paced living with restorative tranquillity. At 28 a.m., Sam creates interiors that balance mindfulness with functionality. He's drawn to the practice's philosophy of restorative design, refining his craft in creating spaces that evoke calm and purpose through thoughtful material selection and contemplative detail.