Practice

MSc, MRICS

Stefan is a Chartered Building Surveyor, having spent some 17 years in the industry so far. He started early in his career working for a Chartered Architects Practice whilst studying in Architectural Technology and latterly in Building Surveying. After 7 years of part time and distance learning study, Stefan became a Full Member of the RICS and established the company shortly after in 2015. His Masters Degree is in Conservation of the Historic Environment, through University of Reading, and he has particular interests in working to conserve and reuse buildings in the heritage sector, to help create a stronger sense of place and regenerate communities.

Sustainability in design, construction, and use of buildings is also important to Stefan, who believes strongly that we need to do more to improve our lives for tomorrow, and that architecture should be a contemporary reference to the present time. Approaches to sustainability include consideration to both fabric first principles and low carbon energy solutions. Stefan has become a leading expert in this field, and has also helped to couple this passion with his expertise in heritage buildings to lead the way for decarbonising the heritage sector. One project of great significance is Athelhampton Zero, which has won multiple National and European awards, including the AJ Retrofit & Reuse Award 2024.

Stefan thoroughly enjoys building client relationships to delve into their brief, and develop the design and project to surpass expectations. He is passionate for his work and driving a successful and enthusiastic team in architecture.

Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with family.

BA (Hons) DipArch ARB RIBA

Erin is a qualified architect who undertook her professional studies at Oxford Brookes University. She joined the SPASE team in 2019 and has over 10 years experience in the industry across Dorset, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Warwickshire. Her experience lies predominantly in the residential sector varying from domestic extensions, refurbishment of listed properties and bespoke new build homes for private clients, to multi-unit residential schemes for well-known national house builders.

She has found it rewarding working on a range of community projects such as village halls, a Girlguiding residential retreat and Quakers meeting space. A particular career highlight has been her involvement in the design and planning permissions for the contemporary pavilion at The Sherborne to become an arts venue. She also has a particular interest in how architectural design can enhance mental and social wellbeing, critically through connection to nature and the environment.

Outside of work Erin enjoys geeking out playing computer and board games, painting and drawing, and also loves walks in nature and travel adventures!

BA (Hons), Diploma in Architecture (Brighton), ARB, RIBA

Qualified for 25 years, working in a variety of sectors from public to private, housing to hospitals, with schools, art galleries, one-off dwellings and professional witness work along the way.

Two key highlights of his career were completion of two complex projects; Chesil Cove School on Portland and Sherborne House in Sherborne. Both projects had their complexities and challenges for various reasons. Both projects were also graced with committed teams of consultants and contractors. Moreover, both projects had passionate clients and end-users that were very hands on in their involvement, excited as much as Ian to see their visions being realised. They also served to demonstrate that artisanal craftspeople are still amongst us, taking pride in their work, with a diligent work ethic.

Outside of work, Ian volunteer’s for the Blood Bike charities and National Escort Group. Otherwise he is a keen cyclist and explorer; whether on two feet or two wheels. Study always keeps Ian engaged via extracurricular research into heritage projects culture and learning languages.

BA (Hons), Diploma in Architecture (UCL), ARB, RIBA, Passivhaus Designer

Sarah is a chartered architect with over 20 years of experience specialising in sustainable, low energy design. Sarah has a wealth of technical experience at job running, coordinating design packages and providing site supervision on large scale developments in the education and residential sectors.

In 2015 Sarah embarked on self-building her own family home on the outskirts of Weymouth in Dorset to the Passivhaus standards. The house is contemporary in style and constructed from a timber frame filled with recycled newspaper for insulation with a zinc roof. Sarah ran the build, managing local sub-contractors, ordering materials and proving detailed drawings. Sarah says ‘The hardest part of the build was ensuring every single sheet of the airtight membrane was lapped and sealed internally forming a super airtight layer which eventually tested at 0.37ach air changes per hour.’

Since achieving Passivhaus certification with her own home, Sarah supports the national network for low carbon open homes, and Dorset Greener homes by hosting open days to show case self-building and low energy design. Sarah also takes part in the international Passivhaus open days each year, opening her home to visitors interested in building to the Passivhaus standards.

For the last two years Sarah has been working as project architect on a refurbishment and retrofit school in Wimborne, upgrading a collection of Victorian school buildings into an SEN facility for 13-18 year old students.Beaucroft College was one of the first projects in Dorset to be awarded government SALIX funding due to the installation of renewable energy including air source heat pump, photovoltaics and heat recovery system along with thermal upgrades to the existing fabric. The retrofit project has been calculated to reduce annual C02 emissions by 76%. Sarah was thrilled to read in the news recently that the project has been selected as a finalist in the AJ 2024 awards in the retrofit and decarbonisation section.

As an architect Sarah prides herself on the value she brings to both client and site, through sustainable, high quality and efficient building designs. Sarah says ‘I believe that buildings and places should be designed to encourage healthy lifestyles and help people to reduce their environmental footprint. I design with future generations in mind, aiming to support biodiversity and make the best use of resources. I am looking forward to working with the team at SPASE, where I can integrate my design skills and experience into more zero carbon projects.’

Sarah is a keen sailor and enjoys walking the Dorset coast path.

BA (Hons), MA-RCA (Architecture+Interiors), ARB

Stuart is a qualified Architect with over 25 years’ experience across most sectors including residential, healthcare, education and hospitality.

He undertook a foundation year in the built environment prior to completing his architectural degree at London’s South Bank. He worked for his undergraduate tutor in Clerkenwell during his year out, gaining experience on projects including a subterranean nightclub inspired by sixties air travel.

He went on to complete an MA at the RCA which included a field trip to Japan where he was inspired by visiting seminal works of the celebrated architects Toyo Ito, Tadao Ando and SANNAA.

Stuart then returned to his native Brighton working for small, medium and large practices along with the local authority and had the privilege of designing and extending buildings including schools, hospitals, houses, a new build playgroup and a sports centre in his hometown.

He was also involved in the design and delivery of the Kings House project on Hove seafront through all RIBA stages, undertaking the original feasibility while at the council, and going on to contribute to the design and successful delivery on site of this 180-unit development: converting an 18^th Century former hotel and council offices into luxury apartments along with the construction of two new build contemporary housing blocks.

Stuart is passionate about sustainable living and renewable technologies which he has utilised in several projects and is keen to continue this at Spase. He enjoys exploring the British countryside while taking in some bird photography or an ancient monument along the way. He also plays the piano, swims in open water and is still inspired by Japanese and also Korean culture including the cuisine which he cooks on occasion.

Originally trained as a design engineer and worked in the automotive and pneumatic industries on novel and emerging technologies. Gareth changed careers in his late twenties and has been an architectural designer for over 30 years. He has held senior positions with several prominent national practices and has won many architectural team awards.

Gareth’s foremost objective has always been to create designs for his clients that perfectly fit their needs and that are carefully considered with an appropriate design. He always considers local context to be a precursor to the design process and that buildings should not be designed in isolation, they should relate to the environs in terms of scale, mass and materials. This shouldn’t negate the design of contemporary buildings, but they must connect to the immediate surroundings and wider landscape.

In his spare time Gareth enjoys creating building studies of vernacular and historical building forms, photography, practices Goju Ryu karate and is fond of walking with his dog in the countryside.

Nick has been studying and working in the architectural field for over 25 years and has experience working on varying building projects across Dorset & Somerset, including Listed Buildings, agricultural units, specialist care homes and bespoke homes for a housing developer. His expertise is in residential design with domestic extensions and new build properties featuring heavily in his portfolio of work. It is also this area of architecture that he finds most rewarding, treating every opportunity to help a client achieve their dream project as an exciting new challenge.

Nick also enjoys detailed design work and has produced working drawing packages for multiple housing developments and country estates. He appreciates the value of 3D design and incorporates it into his design approach, often using it to help describe ideas from initial concepts to final presentations. His core beliefs for design is that it should always be honest, simple and where possible always take advantage of natural light!

For enjoyment beyond the office, Nick likes walking, nurturing house plants, and travelling as often as he can, with a new city break always on the horizon.

Peter has a Higher Diploma qualification in Building Studies and Architectural Design studies to Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologist (CIAT) standard. With over 30 years experience working for Architects, Housing Developers and Building Surveying practices in the Surrey and Dorset areas.

Peter’s production of working drawing packages for a number of prestigious projects, including multi-million pound luxury housing in Esher, Surrey for the Berkeley Homes Group; Passivhaus new build apartments in Exeter with sustainability in mind at the forefront; Technical co-ordinator / site supervision for 98no new build timber-framed Eco Homes, in Plymouth; involvement in a number of new-build sectors of the Poundbury Development, part of the Duchy of Cornwall Estates; new luxury swimming pool, sauna, steam room, gym room building for a private client in North Devon.

On a personal level outside of work, golf is his passion, striving to improve his handicap and aiming for that elusive hole-in-one!

Nicky and her colleagues at Rely Ltd provide HR support and advice to Spase Ltd with Nicky having over 20 years’ experience within HR and training. Nicky’s view is that HR isn’t just about policies—it’s about people. She enjoys working with clients to create thoughtful, inclusive practices that make work a better place for everyone.

In her spare time Nicky loves enjoying the beautiful Dorset countryside and walking her dogs.