Pippa Nissen is a Director and Founder of Nissen Richards Studio. She studied architecture at the University of Cambridge, gaining first class honours, returning to teach as a Design Fellow, and also led a museum design unit at London Metropolitan University. Pippa additionally studied for an MA in Theatre Design at Slade School of Fine Art, graduating with distinction.

Her unique fusion of architecture and theatre design and deep understanding of both space and scenography are amongst the many elements that set Nissen Richards Studio apart. In the 15 years since the studio was founded, Pippa has become one of the international museum sector’s most experienced and awarded designers, with projects completed for many of the world’s greatest cultural institutions. In 2024 and 2023, these included the major refurbishments of the UK’s National Portrait Gallery and The Courtauld, both of whose teams were shortlisted for The Stirling Prize, with The Courtauld going on to win The People’s Poll Award.

Cultural sector clients have included The British Museum, The Natural History Museum, Historic Royal Palaces, The Tate, The British Library, National Trust, The Imperial War Museum, Chatsworth House, the V&A and The Fitzwilliam. International clients include MUNCH, Kode, The National Library of Norway, The National Gallery of Norway, D.A.G, Sarawak Brooke Dockyards Museum and Iceland’s Vatnajökull National Park. The studio has also completed theatre work, under Pippa’s direction, for The Actors Touring Company, Aldeburgh Festival, Albany Theatre, Basel Opera and Teatro Orientación in Mexico.

Pippa speaks and writes widely on architecture and interpretation, including on subjects such as sustainability, accessibility, taking risks, the artful use of colour and the importance of lighting. She has been published in The Architects’ Journal, The RIBA Journal, Art & Museums, Architecture Today, Architecture Magazine, The Museums Journal, FX, Design Week, Design Insider, DARC and ARC amongst others.

In 2020, Pippa was invited by the RIBA to bring together the ‘Civic and Cultural’ chapter of the RETHINK book, which considered post-pandemic architecture, assembling submissions from within the studio, as well as from academics and curators at The British Museum and The Natural History Museum. Pippa enjoys supporting the work of rising talent and has been an awards judge for the Blueprint Blue Riband Student Awards, Design Week Awards, Architects Journal Student Prize and The FX International Interior Design Awards.