Ian Banks is both a chartered architect, public art consultant and built environment journalist.

He is the sole Director of Atoll Ltd, his micro architecture + art collaborative, that partners with a network of artists, designers, landscape architects, engineers, curators and other creative industries.

Ian qualified as a Chartered Architect over 30-years ago in 1990, following a 2-year VSO posting as Head Architect working for the Republic of Maldives’ Ministry of Education. After qualification he also worked for 2 further years in the tourist island design sector there. This spell overseas was then followed by 8-years working in the UK in both the community architecture and commercial sectors. For 4 years between 2000 and 2004, in a mid-career sabbatical, he began to expand on his parallel interests in the arts whilst on a temporary secondment as the Public Art & Architecture Officer for Arts Council England, North West. Following this, Ian launched Atoll, his self-styled ‘architecture and art collaborative’ in January 2005.