James studied Geography at the University of Exeter before going onto a Masters in Landscape Architecture at Edinburgh University. Upon graduating in 2016, he was awarded the Scottish Landscape Institute Best Student Award and UK Landscape Institute Student Dissertation prizes. Since then, James has spent time teaching on a part-time basis at the University of Edinburgh whilst working for rankinfraser Landscape Architecture LLP, before moving to London and working with architectural practice John McAslan + Partners. In this time, James has worked on a range of project uses and scales, from small coastal parks in Scotland to a new concert hall for Moscow. A particular interest in the perception and experience of landscapes and the approach of landscape phenomenology inform his work. James joined Tom Stuart-Smith Ltd in 2021 and is a Chartered Landscape Architect (CMLI).