PRACTICE PROFILE

Craig Hamilton Architects is an award-winning, progressive Classical and traditional architectural practice, with offices in Hampshire and Radnorshire, established in 1991 by Craig Hamilton and co-Directed with Gail Kenton since 2022. Projects are undertaken throughout the UK and abroad.

The practice portfolio includes estate master planning and town and country houses of different scales, as well as chapels, memorials, pool houses, equestrian properties, and garden buildings. The practice has experience of designing new Classical buildings in urban contexts and has worked on large commercial projects, most notably in the US in recent years.

Country Houses form a significant, award-winning component of their work. New build projects are undertaken, as well as extensions and works to historic properties. They have a successful track record of achieving planning consent, including works to Grade 1 Listed buildings and National Policy Planning Framework Paragraph 79 (formerly Paragraph 55) submissions, under which homes of exceptional design are occasionally approved to be built in rural areas.

Sacred and monumental architecture is very important to the practice, particularly the design of chapels and mausoleums, for which it is renowned. The practice is involved with every aspect of the design of these buildings including fabrics, furniture, and fittings. In this way the practice embraces a way of making architecture that is unusual in the 21st century.

ARCHITECTURAL TEAM

CRAIG HAMILTON

DR GAIL KENTON

  • BArch, RIBA

    Craig Hamilton is the founding Director of Craig Hamilton Architects. He was Architect to The Duchy of Cornwall for more than 12 years and was commissioned by Their Royal Highnesses The Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall (now Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla) to create their Welsh residence on a small historic Estate in Carmarthenshire.

    He is renowned for his design for a range of building types from country houses to large commercial buildings but also for his special interest in sacred and monumental architecture. He has designed numerous sacred buildings and mausoleums which demonstrate his belief in the importance of the integration of architecture and sculpture.

    In 2018 he received the ICAA Arthur Ross Award for a lifetime achievement in Classical Architecture and in 2023 he was given a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Traditional Architecture Group.

  • B Arch, DipArch, MPhil, PhD(Cantab), RIBA

    Dr Gail Kenton is Managing Director of Craig Hamilton Architects Ltd.

    Gail has delivered projects all over the UK in both rural and urban locations.  She has extensive experience working on new and existing country houses and estates, listed and period buildings, new buildings within sensitive historic settings and urban residential development. She is highly skilled at managing the design and construction process, while fostering close relations with clients and design team professionals to deliver high quality, finely crafted buildings.

    Gail qualified in 1998, and after working in architectural practice on a highly sustainable university building, returned to education gaining an MPhil and PhD in environmental design from University of Cambridge. She has consulted and lectured on sustainability and is a Certified Passive House Designer.

EDMUND BROWNE

AKSEL ERVIK

Senior Associate

Architect

PETER FOLLAND

MADDIE SARAIREH

Architectural Assistant

Architectural Assistant

Director

Founding Director

  • PGDip RIBA

    Aksel joined Craig Hamilton Architects in 2018 following his graduation from Bergen School of Architecture in Norway. He has studied restoration at the Izmir Institute of Technology and gained experience from studying and working abroad both in Switzerland and Hong Kong. His enthusiasm for traditional architecture brought him to the INTBAU’s Summer School in Classical Architecture, where he began his career as a Classical Architect.

    After joining the practice, Aksel went on to graduate from Cardiff University and is a chartered member of the RIBA and a member of the Traditional Architecture Group (TAG). When not creating beautiful country houses, Aksel is likely baking or touring historic properties for inspiration.

  • MArch PGDip RIBA

    Edmund Browne joined the practice as a student in 2013, gaining its Travel Scholarship, before qualifying and becoming an Associate Architect in 2018. He became a Senior Associate in 2023. During that time he has had experience of a wide range of projects of different types and scales, including both new-build and listed country houses, new commercial buildings, sensitive conservation projects and ecclesiastical buildings.

    This has involved engagement with a variety of different clients, consultants, conservation professionals and specialist craftsmen. He is committed to continuing the classical language and other traditional languages of architecture, with particular interests in historic buildings, churches and liturgical design, and vernacular architecture.

  • BScArch, Architectural Assistant

    Maddie is a dedicated and versatile architect with a passion for designing buildings that inspire, function, and endure, she has had the opportunity to work on diverse projects worldwide, and her expertise spans across multiple sectors, including commercial, residential, hospitality, healthcare, and educational buildings, where she has consistently delivered designs that balance aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability.

    Maddie takes pride in her ability to navigate the complexities of each project, balancing creative vision with technical precision. At the core of Maddie’s work is her belief that architecture is more than just buildings—it’s about shaping the way people live, work, learn, and connect.

  • BA(Hons), M.Arch, Part 2 Architectural Assistant

    Peter is a skilled Architectural Assistant with extensive experience in guiding projects from their initial concepts to final completion. Throughout his time at the practice, he has contributed to a diverse array of projects, including the design of new country houses, garden structures, and chapels. Over the past decade, he has honed his skills under the mentorship of Craig Hamilton, cultivating a design philosophy that honours the classical tradition.

    His work is greatly influenced by a deep appreciation for historic architecture, coupled with a strong commitment to using classical design techniques while embracing contemporary design tools. Over time, Peter has come to regard drawing as an essential tool in his design endeavours. His large-scale hand-drawn presentation drawings and models have garnered acclaim on a national level, with several pieces being featured in exhibitions.