We don’t design houses.
Together, we create homes.
About
Brightman Clarke Architects is a small team of award-winning architects. We are passionate about well-designed and contemporary homes. We work regionally throughout Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire from our Sheffield office in the village of Dore.
Founded in 2016 by Christopher Brightman and Jonathan Clarke, the practice has steadily expanded, and our reputation for delivering a high-quality design service has grown.
We are a close-knit team of highly skilled and dedicated architects and designers. As a practice, we are large enough to tackle any residential project yet purposefully small enough to provide you with our undivided attention, offering a highly bespoke personal service.
As a team, our range of skills and experience complements each other. So you can be confident that you will always have the right person on hand to guide and assist you through each stage of your project.
As our reputation has grown, so too has our standing within the construction sector. We are the preferred architects for several consultants and builders in the region, which is excellent testimony to the quality of our technical expertise, drawings, and documentation that you can expect from us.
What drives us is a belief that a well-designed home can truly enhance and transform the quality of family life. We prioritise getting to know you and understanding your needs and aspirations.
We promise to work collaboratively with you. We never forget this is your home, not ours. We don't dictate an architectural style; we are here to guide, advise and support you throughout the project.
Christopher Brightman - Director, Architect
Jonathan Clarke - Director, Architectural Technologist
Founders Story
Our motivations for starting an architectural practice together.
Our vision. To create a design-oriented architectural practice where we could combine our years of education and post-qualification experience together, offering clients a genuinely bespoke design service with an authentic, open and collaborative working culture.
Having spent several years working for large commercial architectural practices, we had earned invaluable experience delivering a high level of professional service for corporate clients such as IKEA, Sainsbury’s and Virgin Active. However, we both began to feel disconnected from the people we were designing for. We missed the genuine, one-to-one connection that comes from working with individuals who are personally invested in their projects and care deeply about the quality of design.
We believe architecture works best when it comes from a truly collaborative design process. It starts with understanding the people behind the project: learning about their lifestyles, aspirations and ambitions, then working alongside them to creatively solve problems and deliver thoughtful, tailored designs.
With that in mind, what started as freelance work for family and friends soon led to larger commissions. We each set up our own independent practices, but frequently helped one another on projects. The next natural step was sharing rented office space.
“We want to stay small to stay personal”
Finally, in 2016, we formally joined forces and created one practice: Brightman Clarke Architects.
After working independently for a while, one of our biggest surprises was discovering how often clients felt they had not been properly listened to before coming to us. Some had met other architects or designers and come away feeling that their own needs, aspirations, and way of living had not been placed at the centre of the design process.
Time and again, new clients tell us this is why they choose to appoint us. From the very first meeting, they feel we listen first, take the time to understand what they want to achieve, and only then offer advice.
That insight stayed with us. After all, we created our practice to get closer to clients, to work collaboratively with them, and to ensure they feel fully included in the design process from the very beginning.
Culture
We will put you at the centre of our design process and listen to your needs and aspirations.
What drives us is a belief that a well-designed home can really enhance and transform the quality of family life.
Working collaboratively with our clients, we help them realise the true potential of their property and help turn it from just a house into a real family home.
A skilled, motivated and knowledgeable team member is key to serving our clients. We believe in self-development and lifelong learning.
We offer in-house apprenticeships and online training, regularly turn away from our computers, and have ‘inspiration’ presentations and open project reviews together. Everyone contributes; all thoughts and ideas are encouraged and welcome.
How we work; what you can expect
As architects and designers, we confess we conform to some stereotypes, like probably wearing a little too much black. But, we like to shatter others:
We also embrace the idea of seeking a little discomfort, stepping outside our comfort zones, trying new things, experimenting, and actively applying what we learn.
Building trusted and friendly working relationships has been critical to our success. Not just within the team but with our clients too. Thankfully, we've made lasting connections with many of our clients, which continue long after the builders have left.
We've seen new babies brought home, children leave for university, and retirement parties celebrated. All within the homes we've helped to create.
We all like awards - but nothing beats having a coffee with a client and seeing them relaxing in their new home; hearing them say, "I love this space". One day, maybe we will share that coffee with you?
