Berkshire may be a relatively small county, but its architectural landscape is impressively diverse. From rural cottages and conservation-area restorations to bold contemporary builds and adaptive reuse projects, the region is home to a number of standout practices that combine creative design with a deep understanding of local planning, heritage, and sustainability. Whether you’re looking to build a contemporary home, sensitively renovate a period property, or simply explore the possibilities of a plot, there are multiple architects in Berkshire worth knowing.
The following architectural practices all deliver in different ways in terms of style, specialism, and scale. Each is known for delivering a strong client experience and boasts a sizable portfolio of thoughtful, carefully considered designs, built on creativity and professionalism.
Gregory Phillips Architects
Gregory Phillips is one of the leading practices in Berkshire, operating at the intersection of art and engineering to create residences that fulfil both function and form at the highest level. Much of their work involves large-scale reconstructions or complete replacements of existing dwellings, transforming dated properties into modern sanctuaries of glass, stone, and light.
Offering both a competitive and complete service model, Gregory Phillips oversees architecture, interior design, and landscaping with the same meticulous care and attention to detail, ensuring coherence across every aspect of a project. From material junctions to lighting temperature, few practices demonstrate such consistent levels of organisation and craft – ideal for homeowners seeking distinctive designs that will uphold their value over the long term.
Fineline Architects
Fineline works out of a rural barn-studio near Henley-on-Thames, underscoring their lived-in sensibility when it comes to handling delicate restoration and conversion projects. Whether dealing with listed buildings, green belt properties, conservation areas, or designing from scratch, Fineline takes a flexible approach tailored to the site, the client’s needs, and the local character – rather than imposing a fixed brand aesthetic. Their portfolio reflects this, with a myriad of brilliant yet individual extensions, refurbishments, and new residential builds that align with the area’s architectural vernacular while retaining a sense of singularity.
Smaller in scale, the practice maintains a high standard through close engagement between clients and senior staff, all of whom bring decades of experience across design, budgeting, planning approvals, and expectation management. No matter how complex the brief, Fineline comes highly recommended.
Tait Architects
Based in Reading (Winnersh), Tait specialises in contemporary property developments – whether extensions, refurbishments, or new builds from the ground up. Founded over two decades ago, the practice has grown a loyal local following thanks to its pragmatic, client-focused approach. Their design language favours clean modern lines, clever use of glazing, thoughtful indoor/outdoor connections, and spaces that are predominantly filled with natural light.
What makes Tait particularly respected as a practice is their focus on accessibility, responsiveness, and delivering modern designs that feel rooted rather than out of place. As their many testimonials attest, for homeowners seeking substantial results delivered with sensitivity and care, Tait ranks among the top choices in Berkshire.
Philip Wadge Architecture
A smaller-scale practice, Philip Wadge Architecture tends to take on more bespoke residential projects – from country homes and extensions to interiors and small new builds. They’re known for producing designs that draw the outdoors in through light, vistas, and the use of natural materials, with many of their projects subtly shaped by the eponymous founder’s time in Peru.
Their work favours carefully considered forms over loud statements, delivering beauty through simplicity rather than bold or outrageous gestures. It’s this calm and thoughtful approach that has earned them strong recommendations for over a decade, creating spaces that feel truly lived-in rather than simply built. The studio is based in Cookham, Berkshire, and works primarily across the South East.
Edge Architecture
Edge Architecture is a smaller but well-regarded practice based in the Newbury area, focused primarily on residential design – including one-off house builds, extensions, and bespoke projects for private clients. With a compact team comes more direct input from lead designers, tighter control over detail and materials, and fluid, clear communication that keeps clients firmly in the loop at every stage.
Their work is stylish and contemporary, yet always sensitive to landscape, building history, and the local vernacular – a measured approach that has proven reliable across numerous projects. With a team that has worked together for over 20 years, Edge remains one of Berkshire’s most experienced and well-run bespoke practices – ideal for clients seeking a fully dedicated team to bring their vision to life.
Wargrave Design Consultancy
The team at Wargrave Design Consultancy is somewhat different in that they combine both architectural and structural engineering expertise as part of their service model. Based in Wargrave, Berkshire, the team works on projects ranging from domestic extensions and loft conversions to larger residential and light commercial builds – making them ideally suited for the planning and delivery of a larger modern home.
Having both the experience and technical skill required to oversee bolder projects, the team at Wargrave can be relied upon to propose solutions that are efficient, buildable, and less prone to surprises or cost overruns. For homeowners who want a smoother design-to-build journey, this level of integrated expertise is of immeasurable value to ensuring their ambitions are fully realised. The fewer the disconnects between vision and what is structurally feasible, the stronger the final delivery – and Wargrave are ideally placed to ensure many a grand vision reaches completion. The practice is also well-versed in navigating Thames Valley planning regulations and flood-zone considerations.
