Paul Ferdinand undertook his training at the Oxford School of Architecture and qualified as an Architect in 1986. Since then he has been responsible for numerous and diverse projects at a senior level whilst working for large architects practices in Reading, Windsor and Yeovil, and also when operating as a sole practitioner. After moving to the South West in 2001, Paul has re-established his Practice in Sherborne. Oriel Architecture is therefore founded on 30 years of continuous involvement at a senior level on numerous projects varying greatly in type and size throughout the UK. Paul takes pride on providing an excellent personal and individual service to all his clients, and assures of his professional integrity. In his opinion the best approach to design is to work closely with the client, and in particular to invest time at the early stages of the project in order to gain a thorough understanding of the client’s aspirations. This, together with an appreciation of the site context and other factors, provides a sound basis for the creation of a successful building design.
Helen Ferdinand qualified as a town planner in 1984 and became a member of the Royal Town Planning Institute in 1985. Helen has worked for much of her career in Local Government as a planning officer within the planning policy and development control sections at both county council and district council levels. Helen worked for South Somerset District Council for 10 years dealing with a range of planning applications for both small and large development projects in the local area. Previously Helen has also worked in the private sector, and for a number of years as a planning consultant for the Environment Agency. At Oriel Architecture Helen takes care of the planning aspects of each project by submitting and monitoring applications, and negotiating with the relevant local planning authority when appropriate.
Who We Are
Oriel Architecture is an architectural practice which was founded in 2007 in Sherborne, Dorset. As architects, we are proud to be part of the only profession which is specifically trained to design buildings. We take the responsibility and role very seriously, mindful that careful design must sit at the very core of the complex range of skills which an architect must bring to any project.
The Director, Paul Ferdinand, has been registered as an architect with the Architects Registration Board since 1987 (all architects must be), and Oriel Architecture is an
The service which Oriel Architecture is able to offer clients is complemented and strengthened by the planning expertise and knowledge which Helen Ferdinand can offer. Helen has spent many years working as a Planning Officer within Local Government and the private sector.
As qualified architects and planners we provide a very professional, friendly and personal, high quality service to firms and private individuals, and if you entrust us with your project we will work hard to ensure that it is designed and built to the highest standard and to your complete satisfaction. We conduct our business with integrity and honesty, and the main source of our work is on the recommendation of previous clients (
Being a small Practice our fees are competitive, and we always tailor our fees to meet our clients’ particular needs in respect of the level of service that they require. The initial meeting is usually free of charge, after which we provide a comprehensive written quotation detailing the service we can offer and the costs involved. In this letter we also endeavour to identify and set out all the other services that the project might need to draw upon such as a structural engineer, ecology surveys, flood risk assessments, etc, so that the client has a clear overall picture of what the project entails.
An architect can help a client maximize the value of their property.
