History & Legacy

Roderick James founded Roderick James Architects in 1974, and soon became a pioneering force in sustainable timber frame architecture.  With roots in eco-conscious innovation - Roderick was the first Director of the Centre for Alternative Technology in Machynlleth, Wales - the practice has consistently championed green oak framing, natural building materials, and renewable technologies. Roderick has now stepped down from the practice, but his work continues to be an inspiration to us all.

We carefully support our clients through the self-build process and place good service at the top of our practice aims. Although our philosophy is rooted in natural and traditional building methods, we are also continually exploring and pushing the boundaries of timber frame design.

Over the years, the practice has helped over a thousand clients to design and build their timber-frame dream home and although regulations governing the design and construction of buildings continue to evolve - becoming ever more rigorous as expectations around performance, sustainability and safety increase - we are constantly adapting our practices to meet these rising standards, ensuring our work maintains its harmonious blend of traditional craftsmanship and contemporary construction techniques.

As the practice continue to progress forward, as seen through ‘Our Work’, we also look back at our inspiration - by revisiting and showcasing a selection of past projects through a new series of case studies, celebrating the enduring quality and character of the buildings we’ve designed over the years: