About us
--I have been designing buildings on Exmoor and beyond for 40 years now. Starting after school with Clive Jones and Associates where we were designing eco-buildings before they were trendy. Clive was a student of the great Walter Segal and his teachings are deeply ingrained into how I design buildings.
After ten years when Clive moved his practice to Appledore I became self employed and took on more of my own work (and my Dads work whenever there was a roof that needed doing in foul weather or a ladder to climb on a windy day).
A two week job for Jonathan Rhind Architects turned into ten years of working on Historic Buildings with a really great team there; I learnt a lot working on many Historic properties for private individuals, English Heritage (Berry Pomeroy Castle was fascinating) and The National Trust. I left to pursue a different project for a while and for the last 20years have been working on my own projects.
I like the 'old ways' where a building breathes and is built to suit its surroundings, as The King once said 'Let where it is be what it is made of'. Local stone walls or render colours to match the local stone make a huge difference to how a building blends in. Building proportions and scale that match neighbouring properties and fenestration that is period correct are extremely important in my opinion. Plastic window companies have a lot to answer for for the way our streets and terraces have become a mess.
I like to look at a building as a whole at the start of a project. Often people want an extension because part of their house is too small. I have talked myself out of a job on several occasions by pointing out how people are using the space they have all wrong; If you are having a new kitchen it doesn't have to be where it is now, quite often just moving a door will free up space in a poorly laid out room.
I have been lucky to work with some great craftsmen over the years, some of them since I started and we are still working together. The building industry is notorious for starting disagreements so it is vital you have trust in those you work with. Having an ongoing work relationship with Contractors means you learn constantly from each others experience and can design things from day one to suit the experience of a particular Contractor you know is likely to do the job.
I try to work close to home but am happy to travel for an interesting project. Projects do tempt me as far as the valleys of Wales and bright lights of London.
Outside of Architecture work I am a Director of our Local Sailing Club - Lynmouth Sailing Club CIC and Chairman of The Friends of Hoaroak Cottage . I also manage ExmoorCentre.co.uk on behalf of The St Mary Lyncombe Exmoor Trust
After ten years when Clive moved his practice to Appledore I became self employed and took on more of my own work (and my Dads work whenever there was a roof that needed doing in foul weather or a ladder to climb on a windy day).
A two week job for Jonathan Rhind Architects turned into ten years of working on Historic Buildings with a really great team there; I learnt a lot working on many Historic properties for private individuals, English Heritage (Berry Pomeroy Castle was fascinating) and The National Trust. I left to pursue a different project for a while and for the last 20years have been working on my own projects.
I like the 'old ways' where a building breathes and is built to suit its surroundings, as The King once said 'Let where it is be what it is made of'. Local stone walls or render colours to match the local stone make a huge difference to how a building blends in. Building proportions and scale that match neighbouring properties and fenestration that is period correct are extremely important in my opinion. Plastic window companies have a lot to answer for for the way our streets and terraces have become a mess.
I like to look at a building as a whole at the start of a project. Often people want an extension because part of their house is too small. I have talked myself out of a job on several occasions by pointing out how people are using the space they have all wrong; If you are having a new kitchen it doesn't have to be where it is now, quite often just moving a door will free up space in a poorly laid out room.
I have been lucky to work with some great craftsmen over the years, some of them since I started and we are still working together. The building industry is notorious for starting disagreements so it is vital you have trust in those you work with. Having an ongoing work relationship with Contractors means you learn constantly from each others experience and can design things from day one to suit the experience of a particular Contractor you know is likely to do the job.
I try to work close to home but am happy to travel for an interesting project. Projects do tempt me as far as the valleys of Wales and bright lights of London.
Outside of Architecture work I am a Director of our Local Sailing Club - Lynmouth Sailing Club CIC and Chairman of The Friends of Hoaroak Cottage . I also manage ExmoorCentre.co.uk on behalf of The St Mary Lyncombe Exmoor Trust