D5 embrace innovation and celebrate the uniqueness in any project regardless of size. The practice is an open organisation embracing the ambition of its staff and harnessing this to the benefit of the client.

The team at D5 bring commitment, enthusiasm and experience across a broad range of sectors to the service of the client.

The client is central to the D5 approach. The quality of our architecture is a reflection of our understanding of the client, their organisation and their needs.

The team at D5 constantly aim for the responsible and considered use of materials, compositions and form to create a rounded environmental response. We aim to drive a sustainable agenda through reduced capital and revenue costs to clients to minimize the impact of development upon the environment.

We bring design quality to all projects to give the client and community the established added value good design bestows. We believe in a responsive, contemporary and inclusive built environment embracing democratic and humanistic values for the good of all who interact with the architecture.

Standards

Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)

Architects Registration Board (ARB)

ISO 9001 Quality Management System

ISO 14001 Environmental Management System

Insurance

D5 Architects provide a fully indemnified architectural service. The practice carries £10m Professional Indemnity Insurance, £5m Public Liability Insurance and £10m Employers Liability Insurance.

Equal Opportunities Policy

D5 Architects welcome all job applicants, irrespective of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, religion or beliefs.

Educational Links

D5 Architects have a strong relationship with the Birmingham School of Architecture and Design at Birmingham City University. The practice encourages staff to take an active role in architectural education as visiting critics and tutors.

D5’s connection with the School not only gives the opportunity for qualified staff to give something back and support architectural education, it also benefits the individual and the practice to remain current with developments in architectural design theory.  Team members are encouraged and supported to both teach and act as critics at all levels of the course.

D5 also supports other educational programmes that rely on contact with live projects through practice, and annually offers work experience opportunities to school students and visits local schools through the RIBA education programme.

We actively support part time student staff with a commitment to provide a range of experience and support in preparation for professional practice qualifications. This includes seminars, mentoring and whole office reviews to bring a wide range of experience to relevant topics.

The Team

The head, heart and hands of the practice are the staff. We believe in the nurture, development and exercise of aptitude and talent. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts and all staff are encouraged to connect with and realise their potential at every level.

Joel is passionate about Architecture and the built environment and aims to provide an attentive, enthusiastic, professional and creative service to clients. Following his studies at Birmingham City University he joined D5 in 1996. He’s since completed an extensive portfolio of work across multiple sectors including transportation, education, community, workplace, leisure and residential. He values time with his family & friends, enjoys music, changing of the seasons, cycling to work in the sun and generally getting out and about.

Joel Kempsey-Fagg RIBA
Partner

The client is central to the D5 approach. The quality of our architecture is a reflection of our understanding of the client, their organisation and their needs

Ian Saunders
Partner

Joe joined D5 as an Architectural Assistant in 2015 following completion of his undergraduate studies (RIBA Pt.1) at Birmingham City University (BCU). While continuing to work at D5, he then completed his MArch Course (RIBA Pt.2) and RIBA Pt.3 to qualify as an Architect. Joe is interested in the emergence of new technologies and how these can be utilised within the architectural discipline. Aside form work and his studies, Joe is a keen traveller and festival goer.

Joseph Bowman
Associate

Ian is a founding partner of D5 Architects, which was established in 1989. The practice was formed by a 5-strong group of friends to maintain and progress the design debate they had enjoyed as students at the Birmingham School of Architecture. D5 is now an established independent practice operating internationally and through-out the UK and continues to promote talented designers. Ian has an insatiable passion for Architectural practice in addition to his wife and kids, old cars, fast bikes, intuition and inventiveness.

Ian Saunders RIBA
Partner

Savita completed her degree in Architectural Design & Technology in 2015 and since then has gained valuable key experience in BIM, client engagement and producing detailed drawings. Savita is focused on efficient working methods and day-to-day problem solving to meet project and client needs. She believes successful delivery relies upon open communication, collaboration and co-ordination between a design team, which is her aim on every project. She also aims to become MCIAT, travel more and continue to make the most out of every experience.

Savita Patel
Senior Architectural Technologist

“Gadgets are great, but for me you still can’t beat a filofax and a good pen.”, were Martin’s words when he joined D5 Architects in 2009.

Whilst still appreciative of a good pen and notebook, Martin is now firmly focused on using technology to work collaboratively in delivering projects to recognised BIM standards. Achieving a paperless office would also be nice, and is something that Martin is attempting to do one gadget at a time.

Martin Rennie RIBA
Partner

An enjoyable working environment to create mutually rewarding business relationships

Phil Russell
Associate

Phil has many years office management experience and thrives on day-to-day challenges that the modern business world brings. Phil believes in ensuring relationships both within and outside the office are maintained and enhanced to provide both an enjoyable working environment and a mutually rewarding business relationship. Phil believes in promoting a healthy work/ life balance and enjoys life outside of work spending time with his wife, grown up children, sports, music and socialising.

Phil Russell
Associate

Marta is an enthusiastic designer who finds inspiration in the beauty of small details.

Marta Romera
Assistant Architect

Rachael initially completed an HPD in Interior Design before working as a residential interior designer involved in several major renovation projects in Listed Buildings. This inspired Rachael to complete a BSc in Interior Architecture at Wolverhampton University where she achieved a 1st Class Honours Degree and two CIAT awards. Rachael has since worked on student residential, education and leisure projects. Rachael joined D5 in 2018 after a two-year gap following the arrival of her son. In her free time she can be found pottering around at home or in her happy place….a tourer caravan sited in Brean!

Rachael Darby
Associate

Amanuel is an experienced Technologist working for over 24 years in the industry. He studied Architecture at Addis Ababa University and has worked across Africa before moving to the UK in 2011. He is very knowledgeable in BIM, enabling him to collaborate effectively and improve productivity throughout the design process. His abilities in Revit enables him to produce 3D visualisation work as well as parametric content databases and creation of office and project templates. He also enjoys cooking and loves world cinema.”

Amanuel Habtemariam
Architectural Technologist

Richard joined D5 in 2020, bringing his knowledge and experience of residential and commercial projects to the team. He has built-up a broad range of skills working alongside developers and private clients, delivering high quality design. He enjoys working through all of the work-stages and especially enjoys the technical and practical challenges of delivering projects on-site, on-time and on-budget. Richard is a sports enthusiast and spends most of his weekends on the cricket field or golf course. He has played international cricket for Gibraltar and is a one-time marathon runner.

Richard Colyer
Associate

Successful delivery relies upon open communication, collaboration and co-ordination between a design team

Savita Rolia
Architectural Technologist

Richard joined D5 as an Architectural Assistant, following his undergraduate studies (RIBA Pt.1) at Birmingham City University (BCU). He's now completing his Masters (RIBA Pt.2) at BCU on their part time Apprentice course. Richard appreciates the creative development of designing, while considering how architecture can be unique while relating to, and benefitting the local area. Outside of the office, Richard’s loves engaging in new challenges and hobbies, which has led him to attempt rock climbing, surfing, martial arts and even ice hockey.

Richard Robinson
Architectural Apprentice

Meera completed her RIBA Part 1 and 2 at the University of Lincoln following which she completed her RIBA Part 3 at Birmingham City University qualifying as an Architect in 2020. She particularly enjoys working with existing buildings and on heritage led projects where the blend of the old and new can create unique spaces, in addition to bringing a building back to life. Outside of work she enjoys anything she gets to make and craft, from cooking to painting, while enjoying the occasional glass of wine.

Meera Jackson
Architect

Peter joined D5 following completion of his RIBA Part 1 BSc (Hons) Degree in Architecture at Coventry University. He enjoys problem solving and creative solutions with a particular interest in the role that architecture can play in combating climate change. He devoted his dissertation to researching the importance of embodied carbon in Passivhaus design to reduce carbon emissions, through the use of Revit BIM technology. In his spare time Peter enjoys playing sport, particularly hockey and has an interest in electronics including building his own PC.

Peter Whitehouse
Architectural Apprentice

Jennifer qualified in January 2017 and has worked in the UK and New Zealand on private residential, school and commercial projects. Following completion of a Passive Haus course in 2021, she is interested in continuing to develop her knowledge of healthy and sustainable building construction. Jennifer enjoys collaborative working to create site specific design solutions, to budget, with lasting design quality. She loves playing sport, particularly hockey, and being outdoors exploring the countryside with her partner and dog, on bike or on foot.

Jennifer Moffat
Senior Architect

Nasir has joined D5 as an Architectural Technologist in 2021. Completed a BSc (Hons) Interior Architecture & Property
Development, with a 1st class honours degree. He is an MCIAT member and has developed a keen interest in BIM and 3D
Modelling software programmes. He's particularly experienced in healthcare, ecclesiastical, residential and transportation projects.

Nasir Gamba
Architectural Technologist

We relish the excitement of a new project, where we have the opportunity to save and recraft an old building, develop a new building and enhance its location, or improve the functionality and efficiency of an existing building.

Joel Kempsey-Fagg
Partner

Hayley graduated from Leeds College of Art and Design with a BA (Hons) Interior Design in 2007. She has since worked in practice on projects with particular experience in Education, Government Buildings, Libraries and Workplace, as well as in the Leisure and Hospitality sectors. Hayley enjoys working within creative teams on challenging projects to ensure design work takes account of all constraints and opportunities to provide clients with the best possible outcome for their needs and those of the buildings users. In her free time Hayley enjoys swimming and holidays in the sun!

Hayley Jennison
Interior Designer

Marta completed her studies qualifying as an Architect at Granada University in her native Spain. She has experience working on various projects in different sectors including commercial, education, industrial and residential. Marta is an enthusiastic designer that finds inspiration on the beauty of the small details. Marta worked at D5 Architects in Birmingham, full time for 4 years, before returning to Spain, where she now works with us a regular freelance Architect.

Marta Romera
Freelance Architect

D5 are change agents, creating desirable inspiring places, homes & spaces.

Joel Kempsey-Fagg
Partner

Adrian studied Architecture at the University of La Salle, Mexico City, before obtaining a Master's Degree in Digital Design and Built Environments from the University of Sheffield, where he graduated with distinction. He’s interested in understanding how things work, which has led him to explore various algorithm-based design tools for BIM. He also enjoys entering architectural competitions and, in his free time, watching movies and hiking. Using his years of practice experience, he’s currently working on his RIBA Part 3 accreditation so he can register as an Architect.

Adrian Fuentes
Architectural Assistant Part 2

Gerard has particular experience working in residential, student residential and master planning sectors including a number of large-scale projects across RIBA work stages. He studied at Birmingham City University for his RIBA Part II & III qualifications. Social architecture, sustainability and urban design are his key areas of interest. He has been on trips to cities, across six continents, to experience different cultures and ways of living. Outside of architecture, his main interests are music and football.

Gerard Evans
Architect

Having graduated Lancaster University in 2023 with the award for Most Outstanding Academic Achievement, Katie is excited to experience real-world challenges associated with practicing architecture and achieving sustainable design. Her main driver is sustainable architecture that can grow and adapt to the climate emergency, and she aspires to become a Passivhaus certified designer. In her free time she is an avid rower, having competed and placed well at a national level, most recently finishing second at Henley Women’s Regatta.

Katie Phillips
Architectural Assistant Part 1

Isobel graduated from Liverpool John Moore’s in 2018 with a 1st in Architectural Technology and has been working in practice ever since. In this time she has gained experience across a variety of sectors including residential, commercial, and industrial and I has a particular interest in conservation. She’s now making the transition from Technologist to Architect, and is currently completing her RIBA Part 2, part-time, at Birmingham City University. In her spare time she enjoys reading and music.

Isobel Barrett
Architectural Technologist

Passion for crafting high-quality contextual solutions, transforming designs through an engaging narrative.

Jake Mace
Architect

Rob gained a 1st in Architectural Design & Technology from the University of Wolverhampton in 2015. While studying he worked part-time developing his Revit skills creating content for the National BIM Library. Rob was also the student representative for the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologist and plans to gain Chartered status in the future. He’s a keen eye for detail, enjoying the process of construction and has led the technical development of several multimillion-pound projects. Outside work Rob enjoys family time, baking and cricket.

Rob Simmonds
Senior Architectural Technologist

Jake has a passion for crafting high-quality contextual solutions, transforming his designs through an engaging narrative. He has experience on projects from private residential and community-led initiatives to large commercial mixed-use masterplans. He studied at UWE Bristol, and University of Bath, achieving firsts for both his degree and master's degree. He was nominated for both the Presidents Medal Bronze Award 2018, and Silver Award 2021, and has won RTPI Urban Planner of the Year 2018 and Norman Fosters Urban Design of the Year 2021.

Jake Mace
Architect

Stefan is motivated by innovation, design and BIM integration. Before joining D5, Stefan spent three years in diverse architectural fields including work for a BIM service provider on international projects. He’s aim is to develop sustainable, impactful designs from intricate concepts to bold, large-scale ventures. He relishes collaboration, thriving in synergizing with architects, clients, and experts, nurturing shared visions to realise inspiring projects. Stefan is also a visiting tutor at Birmingham City University, where he enjoys delivers BIM training modules.

Stefan Fratila
Architectural Assistant Part 2

Join Us

Applicants should be highly motivated, be able to work within a team and have excellent design and communication skills. We aim for staff to be involved throughout the duration of a project to provide a sense of ownership for project staff and continuity of service to our clients.

We actively support part time student staff with a commitment to provide a range of experience and study tuition. We offer a range of benefits including paid RIBA & ARB subscriptions, and Part 1, 2 & 3 fees within a tailored salary.

Our office is an open and friendly working environment. Weekly whole office meetings provide a forum for debate and everyone is encouraged to comment on competitions and projects. Another area of much debate is the office play list with nearly all forms of music enjoyed!

To be considered for vacancies at the practice, please send us your CV including examples of your work, by post or email (in pdf format).

 

CURRENT VACANCIES