BA (Hons) (First Class), Dip Arch, ARB, RIBA

Matthew joined WDA in 1999 and is an innovative designer with extensive experience in traditional and contemporary design across many sectors, including residential, commercial and education and has received many awards for his designs.

His project management and contract administration skills, coupled with his in-depth knowledge and experience of building construction enable him to coordinate multi-discipline teams, delivering successful projects. Matthew is responsible for design and project management on small, medium and large-scale projects and oversees all HR and financial issues within the practice.

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• Hobbies/Loves Skiing

• Secret skill Painting / caricatures

• Favourite design movement or building Modernism

• On your playlist Nicki Minaj - Starships

• Favourite city Paris

BA (Hons), Dip Arch, ARB, RIBA

Jonathan joined us in 2011 having relocated to Dorset from Ireland. In 2015 he became a Director due to his wealth of design experience, professionalism and active interest in marketing. Jonathan is currently responsible for managing and running a range of master planning schemes across the south coast and is influential in the practice’s marketing strategy.

As a Christchurch resident and member of the Bournemouth Borough Council Design Review Panel Jonathan has a personal interest in the locality and its developments, seeking innovative design solutions and sustainable place making.

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• Hobbies/Loves Playing squash and foreign travel

• Secret skill Cooking

• How do you relax Cycling in the New Forest

• Favourite design movement Bauhaus

• Favourite city Singapore, incredible melting pot of cultures, architecture, food and fashion

CA, Dip Arch, PG Dip (conservation Sciences) ARB, RIBA

Phil established the practice in 1986 after working on building sites for 5 years and has been constructing his own designs since the 1970s. He has over 50 years’ experience in the profession. He is passionate about architecture and building.

As an RIBA accredited Conservation Architect and a member of SPAB, he specialises in historic buildings and works in Conservation Areas. He mentors aspiring Conservation Architects and students at the Arts University Bournemouth.

Phil has lived in rural Dorset most of his life, knows and loves its countryside, coast, towns and villages.

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• Hobbies/Loves Sailing, running & spending time in the countryside

• Secret skill Fixing things & building

• Greatest achievement My children & founding WDA

• Favourite design movement or building Arts and Crafts, Art Deco, Musee D'orsay

• Favourite cities Luang Prabang, Havana, Berlin, Lucca

BA (Hons), Dip Arch (Hons)

Matthew joined us in 1999 and became a Director in 2004. He has won numerous awards for his designs, with work published in numerous Journals and Books. The majority of his experience is in the residential sector having designed many of our outstanding houses.

He has also worked on many listed buildings and sensitive sites in conservation areas and has been project leader for a number of flat developments converting Public Houses into apartments. Matthew lives in Blandford having converted a small garage into his family home.

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• Hobbies/Loves Camping, Wife, Kids, Family

• Favourite food Something spicy

• On the box News, history and current affairs

• How do you relax Sleep

• Favourite place In nature, trees and mountains are good!

Lucy joined us in June 2022 as Practice Administrator and will be the first point of contact you make with WDA. She works closely with Gemma to assist with the day to day running of the office and is responsible for updating our social media platforms. She ensures that the office can run smoothly and keeps us all in check.

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• Hobbies/Loves Family, walks in the countryside, watching football.

• How do you relax Nights in, watching TV with a glass of something pink

• Favourite building Taj Mahal Palace

• Fears Spiders

• On the box The vampire diaries

BA (Hons) Arch

Matteo joined WDA in 2019 and has worked on a variety of projects, ranging from one off luxury houses, conservation schemes through to master planning from the early design stages through to technical detailing and construction. His energy and enthusiasm is infectious which has made him very popular with clients and staff.

He has a particular interest in sustainable and productive architecture, helping communities to live in a cleaner and better world, where buildings provide a real benefit to the lives of the people that inhabit them.

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• How do you relax Surfing
  

• Favourite food Pizzaaaaa (or Nasi Goreng)

• Secret skill I am a very good chef

• Greatest achievement Graduating and winning a few water polo championships

• Favourite design movement or building Productive Architecture, Shigeru Ban, Nine Bridges

James began his architectural studies at the Arts University Bournemouth and since 2013 has worked in a number of technical design roles across the UK and Italy, joining Western Design in 2022. His strong drawings skills and understanding of construction has quickly made him a valuable member of the design team.

James is currently pursuing qualification as an Architect through the RIBA Studio working with important figures, and is passionate about the conversation between architecture and context, believing that architecture should enable relationships and become more beautiful through this process.

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• Hobbies/Loves Hiking, cycling, exploring new places, football

• Favourite place Beaches of Sardegna

• Greatest achievement Learning the Italian language

• Favourite building Shatwell Farm Barn by Clancy Moore Architects

• Favourite city Venezia

HNC Building Design

Steve has been with Western Design since 1998 and is an integral part of the technical team, with a particular interest in producing technical drawings for contemporary builds. Steve has extensive experience with large housing schemes, affordable housing and the conversion of existing buildings.

Steve’s roles include all aspects of construction and detail drawings as well as preparing tender packages. His wealth of knowledge and experience has made him an invaluable member of the team and has earnt him the reputation of technical wizard in the office.

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• Hobbies/Loves Sailing, love my dogs

• Secret skill Cut and colour wife's hair

• On your playlist 90's Indi and dance

• Favourite design movement or building Arts and Crafts

• How do you relax Walking

• Favourite city None, cities are too busy

Gemma joined Western Design in early 2015, her role as practice manager is vital as she gives support to the Directors and architectural team in all aspects of HR, finance, office procedures, health and safety and communication and oversees the admin team. Her role ensures the practice is managed productively and helps us to be more efficient and serve our clients more effectively.

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• How do you relax Painting, reading and listening to music

• Secret skill Juggling

• Favourite building Salisbury Cathedral

• Greatest achievement Getting to where I am in life

• Fears Thunder & lightning

BA (Hons), MArchD, ARB

Rachel first joined WDA in 2012 during her placement year and has been a qualified Architect since 2017. She is a skilled member of the team having worked on projects ranging from large scale housing layouts to one off contemporary dwellings, making use of her excellent abilities in design, 3D modelling and graphic visualisation.

She is a talented designer, seeking out innovative design solutions to complex projects and is always keen to help others which has made her a very popular and respected member of the team.

• How do you relax Family time

• Secret skill Lets pretend I play netball

• On your playlist Bonobo, Annie Lennox

• Greatest achievement My children and gaining 4 stone in 9 months

• Favourite place My garden in the sunshine

BA (Hons) Arch

Jordan joined WDA in 2022 and has quickly adapted to his role, bringing with him a passion for architecture and a willingness to take on new challenges. His knowledge of software such as Revit, Photoshop and Lumion have made him a valuable asset for producing our 3D visuals and renders.

During his studies, he connected with the minimalistic style of Japanese Architecture, particularly the way shadows and natural lighting are used. He believes that the relationship between light and architecture are intertwined, shaping the future of our built environment.

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• Hobbies/Loves Football and Gym

• Secret skill Cooking (Even with just a microwave!)

• Greatest achievement Graduating during Covid

• Favourite design movement or building Minimalism

• Fears Trypophobia

BA (Hons), MArch

Tom first joined WDA in 2017 during his placement year. He returned to us after successfully completing his masters with distinction, winning the Bradford Prize for the most sensitive design within an established historic environment.

Tom has since qualified as an Architect after gaining valuable experience working on a wide range of projects at WDA, utilising his knowledge of BIM software and excellent graphic skills. When he is not at work, you might find him volunteering in the Fiji Islands, aiding with the construction of a new community facility.

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• Loves Arsenal FC and playing the trumpet

• On your playlist Anything jazzy

• Favourite building The Guggenheim Museum, NY

• Fears Getting stuck in a lift

• Favourite place Fiji, Paradise on earth

BA (Hons) Arch (First Class)

Rianna has been a dedicated member of the WDA team since 2015. She has been involved in various projects ranging from bespoke luxury homes through to large master planning schemes taking them from sketch scheme through to completion.

Excellent 3D visuals and graphics are just a couple of the ways Rianna presents her designs to make them come to life for our clients. She is also a key member of our marketing team and assists in raising the profile of WDA through social media, events organisation and mentoring programmes.

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• Greatest achievement Experiencing one of the 7 natural wonders of the world, The Northern Lights

• Secret skill Break dancing (but haven't tried in a while)

• Favourite building Van Dusen Botanical Garden Visitor Centre

• Fears Lizards

• Favourite place My family beach hut

BA (Hons) (First Class), MArch, ARB, RIBA

Daniel joined WDA as a qualified Architect in 2021, bringing with him extensive experience in the residential sector. He enjoys working across a range of projects and has quickly become well known for his hand sketches, a skill that won him the Architect Journal sketch competition in 2011.

His passion for architecture stems from a desire to see integration between building and landscape, which was the focus of his postgraduate thesis, nominated for the Silver RIBA President Medal award. Daniel is also involved in mentoring current part 3 students at WDA.

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• Favourite city? Barcelona, Tokyo, Singapore

• Loves cars, planes, trains, F1, cycling, visiting new places

• Secret skill Flying a plane

• Favourite architect Luis Barragan, Carlo Scarpa

• Fears Deep water

BA (Hons) Arch

Hannah joined us in 2019 after returning to her home town of Poole. She studied Architecture and Planning at university and has worked in practices across the UK, involved with high profile schemes including schools, housing developments and private residences.

She has a particular passion for the collaborative relationship between client and designer, working with them to realise their aspirations through a holistic design approach, focusing on the experience of spaces. It is this approach that allows her to create highly personal and bespoke designs for our clients.

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• How do you relax Sailing, gardening whilst listening to my favourite podcast

• Loves All the watersports, live music/festivals and strength training

• Secret skill My commitment to fancy dress costumes

• Favourite place The Greek islands – each is unique in character, architectural style, influences and things to do

• On your playlist Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Bring Me The Horizon, Foo Fighters, Maximo Park, Vukovi and Avril Lavigne

BA (Hons) Arch

Rebecca joined us in 2018 and quickly earnt a reputation for her attention to detail and ability to multitask. She enjoys working across a range of sectors, including luxury homes, heritage schemes and commercial projects, from conception through to construction.

Her passion for collaboration saw her win the Deans Prize as well as the Nicholas Durbridge Award at undergraduate level, and in 2022 she was awarded an RIBA Wren Scholarship. Rebecca also helps deliver our mentoring programmes, career events and regularly helps with the Arts University Bournemouth and Dorset RIBA.

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• How do you relax DIY or woodwork

• Greatest achievement My daughter

• Hobbies / Loves Painting, thunderstorms

• Secret skill RAF Marksman

• Favourite building Barcelona Pavilion by Mies van der Rohe

BA (Hons) Arch (First Class)

Elina first worked with WDA in 2019 for a university work placement, returning in 2021 after graduating.  She has quickly become a dedicated member of the team, well known for her enthusiastic and hardworking work ethic and high level of professionalism.

She is a talented designer who actively seeks out new challenges which has seen her involved in numerous successful residential and commercial projects, where she has utilised her skills in detailed drawings and beautiful 3D visuals to bring projects to life for our clients.

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• Favourite food EBI Tempura Maki

• Hobbies/Loves The gym and catching up with friends

• Secret Skill PADI open water diver

• Favourite city Paris

• Favourite Place My home and the beach

BA (Hons) Interior Design

Kathryn has multiple responsibilities at Western Design. She manages all aspects of the IT and office technology. Most importantly she oversees the practice marketing and website working closely with Rianna and the marketing team.

She works to raise the profile of the practice by writing material for the practice brochures, updating and production of images for the website, social media and preparing press releases. Kathryn is responsible for awards submissions documentation and organising exhibitions.

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• How do you relax Walking in the forest and along the coast

• Hobbies/Loves Road cycling, organising, skiing

• Secret skill Being a Beaver Scout leader / Girls welsh under 10's chess champion

• Fears Butterflies and stickers

• Favourite city Hobart, Tasmania

Cecily joined Western Design in 2018 and has since become a valued and reliable member of the team. Her role involves methodically and meticulously digitising past projects currently held as hard copies. She also supports the marketing team and other staff members with their day-to-day tasks and brings humour and vibrancy to the office.

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• Favourite city Arusha, Tanzania

• Hobbies/Loves Travelling, walking Susan my whippet, fishing

• Secret skill Driving tractors, plucking chickens, lambing

• Favourite place Kariba, Zimbabwe

• Fears Crocodiles, airplane toilets

Please send us your CV and Portfolio to recruitment@westerndesign.co.uk

GDPR: WDA will retain a copy of your CV and enclosed documents for up to 12 months for the consideration of future opportunities. Please state in your covering letter that you give permission for WDA to retain a copy of your CV.

Lola is a friendly and cheerful member of the team. she brings fun and energy to the office and brightens everyone’s day.

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• How do you relax Big stretches

• Hobbies / Loves Ball is love, I love ball. Live, laugh, ball

• Secret skill I can make everyone fall in love with me

• Fears The window cleaner

• Greatest Achievement Caught my tail once

Pippa has been a part of the WDA team since she was 12 weeks old. Her main role within the WDA family is to make sure everyone gets their daily dose of cuddles and in return she wouldn’t mind if you could throw her ball once in a while for her to chase.

Fact File

• How do you relax Endless cuddles and tickles

• Hobbies / Loves Walkies

• Secret skill Puppy eyes to get away with everything

• Favourite Food Cheeeeese

• Favourite Place Forests with crunchy leaves on the floor