We are proud of our experienced, qualified and developing team who provide the complete design and project package to suit all types of projects for Hayward Clients.

Lee has worked on many varied Residential projects, from small house extensions through total remodels and one-off new-builds to larger housing developments ranging from 2 – 750 homes. He has also worked on many heritage buildings, including Grade I properties. Lee has also delivered buildings in the commercial and industrial sectors with everything from manufacturing business to a roller-skating rink covered in his varied career to date. Lee, along with Zoe, took over from Jeff Hayward in 2019, and they continue to diversify their work and the client base they deal with through building lasting relationships with their clients.

Zoe is a fully qualified architect who has previously worked in the Isle of Man, Leeds and Birmingham and has been working in practice full-time since 2005. Zoe moved to Hayward Architects in 2013 and became a director of the practice alongside Lee Ward in 2019.

Zoe has worked for various practices varying in size from a “one man band” to an international firm of over 500 employees. This has resulted in a wide breadth of experience working on projects of varying scales nationwide. Previous experience includes:

Residential including private domestic work from small house extensions and loft conversions through to complete remodels of existing houses, barn conversions, one off house designs, small infill sites of up to 10 houses, detailed planning of up to 100 houses, master planning developments of up to 2000 houses, conversion of existing buildings into residential, new build apartment blocks and dedicated housing for adults with specialist needs.

In addition to residential experience, Zoe has experience working on educational, conservation and MOJ buildings. She worked on the Birmingham BSF (Building Schools for the Future) programme where she was heavily involved in the conceptual design which helped to win the contract for a large new build primary, secondary and SEN school in Birmingham and went on to develop the design through to planning. Zoe was also involved in work on Sure Start children’s centres in Birmingham and the new build Criminal Justice Centre in Northampton. She has also worked on many heritage projects including Grade II listed buildings and extensions and new builds within conservation areas.

Jane is a fully qualified architect with experience in a variety of sectors and sizes.
One off houses which take someone’s dream into reality are as just exciting as large mixed use schemes which transform a run down area.

Jane loves a challenge and approaches all jobs with equal enthusiasm and vigour, adding design flair to make each building really special.

Good design is about people and the client should be at the heart of all architecture.

Richard Davies has to date some 20 years of postgraduate architectural experience involving a variety of projects. With a further seven years’ experience as a Part 2 Architect, working on a variety of schemes and projects.

Throughout his career, Richard has worked on highly involved technical and conservation design work including Ministry of Defence, retail, industrial and distribution, Education and Prison sectors as well as private housing and residential care homes. Throughout these projects, Richard has been Lead Architect and has worked closely with a team of outside building professionals. He has also worked hard to be very considerate of any conservation issues of old buildings and to ensure that the new build was complimentary of the current building. Richard has also worked as a Site Architect on the £180m Library of Birmingham project.

SECTOR EXPERIENCE SUMMARY

2 years site architect (for the Library of Birmingham), Health, Libraries (Civic buildings), MOD, Prisons, Housing (social, private and student accommodation), Listed buildings conservation, Urban regeneration, Education (private and state), Theatres and Building energy upgrading, Distribution centres, Commercial projects.

David has been a director of his own practice previously before moving to the Midlands and was responsible for the management and running of the practice for 10 years. With over twenty years of experience, David has developed a specialisation in care homes and residential design and refurbishment, as well as listed and historic buildings. David has run numerous projects on-site as the lead consultant and liaised with all aspects of the design team, and delivered numerous successful projects.

David has worked on all areas of construction, from residential Care Homes and Residential private housing to educational, Ecclesiastical and Commercial

David is experienced in managing all levels of small and large scale projects, including budgeting and administration.

David has been the lead consultant to developers and in managing schemes for private clients. The extent of schemes includes delivering coordinated drawn information to the design team, chairing design team meetings, coordinating detailed construction solutions, and successfully running JCT contracts.

Sam Spencer is one of our Senior Chartered Architectural Technologists and has been with the practice since 2014, making him one of our longest-serving team members. Starting his career with us through the Apprenticeship program, Sam qualified as an Architectural Technologist in 2018 and went on to achieve his CIAT Chartership status in February 2023.

A highly dedicated and accomplished professional, Sam manages a broad range of construction projects from initial inception through to completion. His experience spans various sectors, including private residential extensions, new build homes, new build and converted care homes, commercial buildings, and barn conversions.

Throughout his tenure at Haywards, Sam has contributed to numerous award-nominated and award-winning projects, particularly in the field of small residential projects across Leicestershire. Notably, he played an integral role in the design and delivery of The Garden Cottage, which won a ProCon Award in 2024, and The Gatehouse, a ProCon Finalist 2025.

Sam thrives on collaborating with clients to turn their visions into reality, ensuring that each design meets their needs and creates a lasting home environment to be enjoyed for years to come.

Chris is a qualified Architectural Technologist from De Montfort University with experience in various sectors. Chris specialises in small- to large-scale industrial and commercial projects, residential schemes, and bespoke domestic projects, covering all work stages from initial strategic definition to handover and use. Chris has also obtained a PGCert in Design and Technology and is a member of CIAT.

Maisie an apprentice at Hayward Architects, currently studying at university to achieve her part 1 degree in Architecture. She enjoys using Revit and AutoCAD to create residential schemes for clients.

Maddox has construction and built environment level 3 qualifications and is in the second year of his architectural technologist apprenticeship. His experience consists mostly of residential projects, with some industrial experience.

Megan joined the practice in 2024 and is taking the apprenticeship route to becoming an Architectural Technologist. She supports the team with the day-to-day tasks around the office as well as learning on the job by working on the wide variety of projects.