Who we are
AQN Architects (“AQN”, “we”, “us”) is an architecture and interior design studio working with clients across the GCC, the UK and Europe. For any question about this policy or your personal information, contact us at info@aqnarchitects.com.
What we collect
- Contact enquiries: your name, email address, phone number, the country and type of your project, and anything you write in your message.
- Messages on WhatsApp and email: the content of our conversation, your name and number or email address, and any files, photos, plans or briefs you send us.
- Job applications: your name, contact details, CV, portfolio and any information you include in your application.
- Website usage: technical information such as pages visited, approximate location (country or city), device and browser type, and how you arrived at the site. We collect this through cookies and analytics only with your consent where the law requires it.
We do not ask for sensitive personal information. Please do not send it to us unless it is needed for your project.
How we use it
- To reply to your enquiry and arrange meetings.
- To prepare proposals, agree a scope and fee, and deliver design work if you become a client.
- To review job applications and contact candidates.
- To understand how the website is used and improve it.
- To keep records required for accounting, legal and tax purposes.
We rely on these lawful bases: taking steps at your request before entering into a contract, performing a contract with you, our legitimate interest in running and improving our studio and website, your consent (for non-essential cookies and analytics), and legal obligations.
We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use it for automated decisions about you.
Cookies and analytics
The website uses strictly necessary cookies to work properly. With your consent, we also use analytics cookies (Google Analytics) to measure visits and see which pages are useful. You can accept or decline non-essential cookies in the cookie banner and change your choice at any time. You can also block cookies in your browser settings, though some parts of the site may then work less well.
Who we share it with
We share personal information only as needed, with:
- members of our design team working on your project, who are bound to keep it confidential;
- service providers that host and run our website, email and analytics (for example our hosting provider, Microsoft for email and Google for analytics);
- WhatsApp (Meta), when you choose to contact us there;
- local consultants, engineers or licensed offices, only when your project requires it and with your knowledge;
- authorities, when we are legally required to.
International transfers
Our team works remotely from different countries, and our service providers may store data outside the United Kingdom and your own country. When we transfer personal information, we take reasonable steps to protect it, such as working with reputable providers and using appropriate contractual safeguards.
How long we keep it
- Enquiries that do not lead to a project: up to 2 years after our last contact.
- Client and project records: for the duration of the project and up to 6 years afterwards, for legal and accounting reasons.
- Job applications: up to 12 months, unless you agree that we keep them longer.
- Analytics data: according to the retention settings of the analytics service, up to 14 months.
Your rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:
- ask for a copy of the personal information we hold about you;
- ask us to correct or delete it;
- object to or restrict how we use it;
- withdraw your consent at any time, where we rely on consent;
- receive your information in a portable format.
To use any of these rights, email info@aqnarchitects.com. We will reply within one month. You also have the right to complain to the data protection authority in your country (in the UK, the Information Commissioner’s Office).
Security
We use reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect personal information, including encrypted connections (HTTPS), access controls and regular backups. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Children
This website is intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The latest version will always be on this page, with the date it was last updated.
Contact
AQN Architects
info@aqnarchitects.com