At Arbor Architects, we design beautiful spaces that are holistically low energy, healthy and seamlessly integrated with their local environment.
Arbor Architects was founded by Elly, Matt and Rachel after spending 6 years successfully collaborating at Architype, where we discovered a shared passion for naturally built and carefully crafted buildings. Michelle joined the practice in 2021, and more recently, Oliver and Islay have consolidated the 6-strong team.
Together, we have a wealth of complementary skills and experience that enable them to work on projects of varying scales across a variety of sectors.
Arbor Architects is a RIBA Chartered Architects Practice in addition to being members of The Passivhaus Trust, The Association for Environment Conscious Building (AECB) and Timber Devleopment UK (TDUK/TRADA).
Matt Hayes
Director and Founder
Matt is passionate about design and creative solutions to design challenges. He sees sustainability as inherent in good design and that it should seamlessly blend into the background of spaces, letting the materiality and light do the talking.
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Prior to forming Arbor Architects, Matt was a Project Architect at Architype where he delivered projects from bespoke houses, schools through to co-working office buldings from concept design to completion on site.
As a certified Passivhaus Designer and Architect he has successfully delivered a number of exemplar Passivhaus projects including the first Passivhaus Plus public building in the UK, Bicester Eco Centre.
Matt has significant experience in seeing a concept through to delivery. His expert proficiency in the BIM software Revit enables highly coordinated designs.
Matt takes a hands on approach to construction and has recently completed a self-build retrofit and timber frame extension to his own house.
Outside practice, Matt has strong links to architectural education and has been a part-time unit leader at the Welsh School of Architecture in Cardiff and BCU in Birmingham.
Elly Deacon Smith
Director and Founder
Having worked at the forefront of low-energy architecture since she qualified in 2007, Elly is passionate about delivering low-impact, context-sensitive buildings, that both delight and perform.
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Prior to forming Arbor Architects, Elly was an Associate at Architype Architects, where she worked on a number of public buildings built to the Passivhaus standard.
Her focus on sustainability and her approach to building design encompasses both embodied and operational carbon reduction, circular economy principles and resource efficiency in material specification, as well as long-term community resilience.
Elly has a strong focus on the well-being and comfort of building users and works very closely with clients to create places and spaces that facilitate social interaction, healthy lifestyles and a connection to the natural world.
Elly maintains links to architectural education and has recently led post-graduate units part-time at both the Welsh School of Architecture in Cardiff and BCU in Birmingham.
Elly also sits on Herefordshire Council’s Climate and Nature Partnership Board where she is working with a 16-strong team of professionals and local businesses to establish a road map for the county to reach its zero carbon goal by 2030.
Rachel Hayes
Director and Founder
Rachel is a co-founding director of Abor Architects. She believes the very best architectural design is born form an understanding of how the trio of nature, people and site context work together.
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With an interest in designing in historic environments, she is able to use the unique qualities of the site and translate complex challenges into sensitive, coherent and enjoyable spaces.
Rachel sees each project as an opportunity to explore new, environmentally focused ideas to create unique and beautiful, low-impact designs.
As a hands-on kinetic architect, Rachel combines her time in the office with building her own house extension, gardening and co-leading a number of live-build student projects. She has previously taught at Bristol UWE, and gives talks and guest lectures.
A qualified Architect since 2015, Rachel has experience working on Passivhaus, low-energy and historically sensitive projects. She has worked across a variety of sectors, her most significant experience has been in housing; from community-led schemes to one-off residential projects, she uses her exceptional analytical and creative thinking to distil complex client briefs and deliver sensitive and truly life-enhancing design solutions
Michelle Gartside
Architechtural Assistant
Michelle joined us while studying for her final masters degree in Architecture at Birmingham City University. She brings her exceptional creativity, real attention to detail and passion for environmentally responsive architecture to her role with us here at Arbor Architects
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Michelle takes a sophisticated approach to designing spaces that celebrate and enhance the materials they’re made from. She often plays with the placement of natural and bio-based materials to create tactile and complimentary compositions that really bring her spaces to life.
In her spare time, Michelle enjoys being outdoors as much as possible and rock climbing locally. She also has a keen interest in jewellery design and making, having previously released a bespoke range of biobased earrings. She hopes to continue this into 2023, expanding her knowledge and skillset to include silversmithing.
Michelle recently finished her Part II Masters, graduating with a first-class degree in July last year. She now works with the Arbor Architects team full-time. Her final major project ‘Communal Remedy’ explored rethinking the high street through Passivhaus and retrofit design and the introduction of lichen to sequester carbon. This project won her a nomination for both the Architects Journal Student Prize and the Sustainability Award shortlist for 2022.
Oliver Taylor
Architechtural Technologist
Oliver is the newest member of the Arbor team, aiming to contribute his experience in residential design, where he has worked closely with clients to translate their visions into reality. His portfolio encompasses a range of energy-efficient residential projects.
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Growing up in a military family afforded Oliver the unique opportunity to travel the world, immersing himself in diverse cultures and experiencing a wide array of architectural styles. These experiences have influenced his design sensibilities, allowing him to draw inspiration from various cultural contexts tempered with his pursuit of Passivhaus design.
Oliver is an active member of the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technology. Passionate about advancing his professional expertise, he is now actively progressing to full membership, further developing his skills and knowledge with Passivhaus design.
A tech enthusiast at heart, Oliver has a keen interest in 3D design and rendering drawings. His proficiency in these areas showcases his ability to blend creativity with technology seamlessly. Additionally, he is passionate about integrating modern technologies into the workplace, particularly exploring the exciting realms of virtual reality, where innovation and creativity converge to shape the future of design.
In addition to his architectural work, Oliver's love for rugby remains a significant part of his life, having played for his university team during his academic years. His passion for the sport continues.
Say hello
Get in touch with our team today to start your next project, we’d love to hear from you!
