Our People
We are architects, place makers, interior designers, and historic building advocates. We are cyclists, runners, arts enthusiasts, and eaters of cake.
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Abdul Aqil
Senior Architectural TechnologistAbdul is an experienced technologist, who provides support across a diverse portfolio of work. He has recently been involved in the development of designs for a large commercial fit-out, and is currently providing technical input on a project set within a significant historic site.
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Abigail Patel
Architectural AssistantAbigail is a Part II Architectural Assistant who joined Buttress after graduating with distinction from the Manchester School of Architecture.
Abigail has been involved with the RIBA since 2015 and is currently a student representative on the RIBA North West regional council as well as previously holding the role of Co-Vice President of students and associates on the RIBA National Council. She also helped established the Future Architects Network- a representative student body that will create, drive and deliver an agenda that sets out how architectural education should be focused in the UK.
Abigail is particularly interested in the topic of mental health and wellbeing within the industry; a passion that is supported by her role as an ambassador for the Architects Benevolent Society.
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Adam Lewis
Architectural AssistantAdam is a Part II Architectural Assistant currently working within the practice's ecclesiastical and historic building teams, supporting projects that involve the conservation and adaptation of heritage assets
He is passionate about dynamic and user-focused architecture, and its ability to enhance people’s lives. His Part II project, a self-sustainable masterplan for the arctic island of Tromsø, was nominated for the RIBA Presidents Medal Award 2018.
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Adam Southern
Senior TechnicianAdam is a skilled architectural technician, with experience spanning multiple sectors. He joined Buttress in October 2019 and is currently involved in a number of residential projects.
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Alex Scrimshaw
Senior TechnologistAlex is an experienced Architectural Technologist working within the historic buildings team. He has worked on many projects assessing condition and drawing technical detail for repairs, and manages technical design on significant adaptation and re-modelling of listed buildings projects including, museums and heritage sites.
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Alison Abbott
Accounts ManagerOur Accounts Manager, Alison manages credit control and supports our accountants and finance manager. A founding member of the practice's running club, she also organises our annual staff trip and social events.
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Andy Avery
DirectorAndy graduated from Oxford School of Architecture in 1986 with honours in both architecture and in urban design. He has operated at board level within the profession since 1996 and has specific involvement in health, community, education and residential sectors.
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Ben Tabiner
AssociateBen is an experienced architect within our education team. He leads projects from concept and detailed design, to management and delivery on site. Prior to joining Buttress, Ben was involved with concept and sample school design within the BSF process and applies that knowledge and experience to live projects for our clients.
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Chithra Marsh
Associate DirectorChithra joined Buttress's senior management team in early 2018, bringing more than 20 years' experience in commercial practice. She has specialised in business development and client liaison roles and, in addition to running her own projects, she is responsible for developing and delivering the practice's business development strategy.
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Christopher Nils-Shaw
Architectural AssistantChristopher is a Part I Architectural Assistant and recent graduate from the University of Huddersfield.
A talented designer, Christopher received recognition during his studies with a number of academic and design awards. This includes receiving the University of Huddersfield's Highest Achievement Award in his first year, the Nicholas Ulanowsky Award for Detail in Design, and the Third Year External Examiners Prize. He was also shortlisted for the RIBA’s North East & Yorkshire Student Award for his final year project.
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Christopher Whelan
Studio PrincipalChris is one of our senior design team. His extensive experience includes designs for some of the country’s leading independent schools, various community, sports and leisure projects, residential designs, and urban design/masterplanning exercises.
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David Coulson
Senior ArchitectDavid joined Buttress in 2002 and has a wide mix of experience with a focus on education, commercial and cultural projects. He is a talented designer and his rigorous attention to detail has been applied with considerable success to several important commissions. These have included new build projects and contemporary adaptations of historic and sensitive sites.
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Edward Kepczyk
AssociateEdward works within the studio's ecclesiastical and heritage teams. He has extensive experience of projects involving the sensitive repair, refurbishment and reuse of listed buildings, which includes some of the country's most significant historic sites.
He is also a member of SPAB, a full member of the Ecclesiastical Architects and Surveyors Association, and a Churches Conservation Trust Term Architect.
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Elliott Taylor
Architectural AssistantElliott joined Buttress as a Part I Architectural Assistant after completing his undergraduate degree at the University of Huddersfield. Since joining he has worked on a diverse range of projects from competition entries to feasibility studies for heritage sites.
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Emily Green
Architectural AssistantEmily is a Part II Architectural Assistant with experience that ranges from small residential schemes through to large scale industrial masterplans.
She has a keen interest in conservation and restoration work and is currently developing her skills and experience within the practice's heritage team.
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Fran Llombart
ArchitectFran works within the studio’s residential team where he has been involved in a broad range of schemes from city centre apartments developments to large scale urban renewal projects. This includes acting as a key member of the team for the regeneration of Brunswick, a £113 million scheme covering a significant area of inner-city Manchester.
He has a keen eye for detail and adopts a careful and considered approach, delivering work that creates something special for clients and end-users alike.
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Francesca Mainman
Marketing Communications ExecutiveFrancesca helps deliver our social media and communication plans. With experience working on large PR campaigns, she is responsible for raising our profile in the media as well as supporting with other marketing activity.
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Gavin Sorby
Managing DirectorGavin has been with the practice since qualifying in 1988. He has seen the practice grow from just eight people to the AJ100 listed practice it is today and has been Managing Director since 2011. He is an APM qualified project manager and has worked in a number of sectors within the Practice with a specific focus on commercial work and hospitality.
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Gemma Copp
Architectural AssistantGemma is a Part II Architectural Assistant working within the practice's residential team. Since joining, she has been involved in the design of a number of large-scale housing and regeneration schemes.
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Grace Avery
Studio ManagerGrace provides valuable admin support to teams across the office in addition to overseeing the studio's daily operations. Outside of the office, she runs her own online fashion business.
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Grant Prescott
AssociateGrant is an AABC accredited architect, who focuses on the restoration and redevelopment of historic and listed buildings. He has the ability to translate theory and design intent into practical and workable solutions and is experienced in working on complex historic sites.
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Gwenno Jones
AssociateGwenno is an experienced architect with a great balance of technical ability, project running and client management. She has worked on a wide range of projects from conception to completion and has significant experience of working with complex briefs and buildings such as law courts and listed building projects.
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Ilaria Braghiroli
Senior ArchitectIlaria is a qualified architect and masters graduate from the Bologna University, where she studied both architecture and engineering. She first joined Buttress in 2014 to complete a three-month EU-month funded placement at Buttress, later returning to become an integral part of the practice’s residential team.
Since working at Buttress, she has been involved in a number of successful housing schemes, most notably the development of Timekeepers Square, which received a prestigious RIBA North West Award in 2017.
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Jenna Johnston
Senior Heritage ConsultantJenna is a Senior Heritage Consultant whose work providing a range of research, insight and understanding of heritage and significance offers clients informed conservation guidance and design solutions on a range of historic building projects.
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Jennifer Evans
ArchitectJennifer is an architect with experience spanning the residential, retirement living, sports and leisure sectors. At Buttress, she is currently part of the team delivering The Depot, a large-scale housing and regeneration project in Manchester's Moss Side.
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Jenny Etheridge
ArchitectJenny is a recently qualified architect who works within our historic buildings team, dealing with projects that involve the restoration and creative reuse of heritage assets.
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Ken Smith
Studio PrincipalKen has a wide range of experience including new build and heritage, commercial, industrial and leisure projects. This includes leading a major programme of work to the Grade I listed St George’s Hall in his hometown of Liverpool.
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Kim Corrall
Senior ArchitectKim is an architect with experience of running significant projects in the UK and abroad. At Buttress, she works within our historic buildings team where she applies her skills in design and adaptation to projects, with the added complexity and value of listed buildings and sensitive sites.
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Kyle Entwistle
Architectural AssistantKyle is a Part I Architectural Assistant and recent graduate from Sheffield Hallam University. He is currently working within the practice's heritage team where he is supporting a number of projects that involve the creative reuse and restoration of historic buildings and places.
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Liam Briggs
Architectural TechnologistLiam is a architectural technologist working within the practice's residential team. He is currently supporting on the development of a large mixed use scheme which forms part of the ongoing redevelopment of Chapel Street in Salford.
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Liz Jackson
AssociateLiz leads our marketing and bid management process.
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Lucy Ashcroft
ArchitectLucy is a creative architect who combines her lifelong passion for drawing, in particular urban space and the built environment, with her in-depth knowledge of building conservation and urban regeneration. Joining Buttress in May 2016, Lucy is part of our heritage team and supports conservation projects.
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Lucy Brackenbury
Senior ArchitectLucy is an enthusiastic and creative architect who works on residential and commercial projects. She has a broad background experience and applies strong technical ability to all that she does.
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Martin Kirkpatrick
AssociateMartin is an Associate whose rigorous design ethos is applied to all projects from inception to completion. Experienced in most sectors, he has focused on high end and multi-unit residential as well as commercial office and, more recently, hospitality projects, including the interior architecture of the Innside Manchester on the First Street development and the Cransmontana hotel in Switzerland.
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Matthew Burl
Associate DirectorMatthew is a skilled designer with more than 20 years' industry experience. During his career, he has delivered numerous new build, refurbishment, strategic masterplan projects both regionally and internationally, developing a specialism in the design of academic and research led environments.
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Neal Charlton
DirectorNeal joined Buttress in 1999 and is an AABC accredited architect who has undertaken a series of projects with modern interventions to historic settings that include Scheduled Ancient Monuments.
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Nicholas Rank
DirectorNick is recognised as one of the leading architects on historic and ecclesiastical buildings in the country and holds a number of individual consultancy roles including, Architect and Surveyor to Lincoln Cathedral, St Marie’s RC Cathedral in Sheffield, Carlisle Cathedral and Southwell Minster.
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Patrick Boyd
Architectural AssistantPatrick is Part II architectural assistant working within the practice's residential team.
He is interested in the balance between historic architecture and contemporary design. During his Part I experience he worked on a large masterplan scheme in East London, looking at the sensitive redevelopment of existing heritage buildings with the addition of contemporary residential and commercial units.
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Paul Thornborough
BIM ManagerPaul joined Buttress with more than 20 years' experience in the industry. During his career, he has developed particular expertise in the use of new technologies within architecture and has previously held BIM co-ordinator roles within some of the UK’s largest architecture and property firms. At Buttress he is responsible for developing and implementing the practice's BIM strategy and capabilities.
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Samantha Gill
ArchitectSamantha is a bright and focused architect working within our historic buildings team and currently assisting with the development of a major heritage project. She has a particular interest in the application of sustainable design principles to historic buildings projects, which follows her year out at Hill Holt Wood where she set up and ran a design practice specialising in eco-structures and existing building adaptation.
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Shaadi Karimi
Architectural AssistantPrior to joining Buttress, Shaadi worked for a number of large architectural practices where she was involved significant new-build office, housing and mixed-use schemes; experience that she is currently applying within the practice's residential and workplace teams.
Shaadi has a keen interest in travel and international design. During her masters degree she completed design and masterplanning projects based on a study visit to Porto Alegre in Brazil.
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Stephen Anderson
DirectorStephen, an architect since 2003, also holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Architectural Conservation and is a National Lottery Heritage Fund Mentor. He is a key member of our historic buildings team and has promoted the adoption of BIM in the practice; applying this in his own team to existing and historic building redevelopment projects.
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Stephen Welsh
Studio PrincipalStephen will be a familiar face to many of our ecclesiastical clients, with whom he has worked for over 30 years' on restoration and conservation projects. He has exemplary attention to detail and leads the technical detail and delivery of conservation and restoration projects to churches and Cathedrals of all grades.
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Tammy Welz
ArchitectDuring her time at Buttress, Tammy has gained experience working across a broad range of projects from hotel developments to city centre apartment schemes. To each project, she brings a passion for well-executed, beautiful and practical design.
Prior to joining the stuido, Tammy spent three years in South Africa, working for a practice that specialised in luxury family homes, an experience which she credits with her interest in the cultural and environmental influences on design outcomes
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