Graham Handley (1955 - 2025)

Graham was the founder and director of the practice from 1988 to 2025. He passed away in November 2025 shortly after being diagnosed with cancer.

After being part of, and directing the expansion of, another architectural practice, he decided to set up on his own, and founded GHA in 1988, with one of his first projects being the conversion and re-modelling of a Listed flour mill into an office space, still our practice's home.

With his knowledge of commercial property – including shop-fitting, warehousing, a car showroom and an equestrian centre - and his first-hand experience in residential property development, Graham had a particularly good insight into the commercial needs of our clients, in a career that spanned over 40 years.

His residential projects ranged from converting and restoring derelict and Listed buildings, obtaining planning permission for development in their often-extensive grounds, through to bespoke, very high-quality new houses, in both rural and urban settings.

Graham always believed that good design is essential to the success of any project, and he enjoyed working with our clients to tailor the design to their needs. He was particularly enthusiastic about the quality of light and the honesty of building materials: our offices are full of samples of bricks, stone, timber, ironmongery and light fittings!

Outside the practice, Graham loved running, and completed 10 London Marathons, starting in 2002, raising over £30,000 for charity. He learnt freestyle swimming and trained to swim from Padstow to Rock across the Padstow Estuary. In 2024 he completed the Land’s End to John O’Groats journey by bicycle (enduring numerous adventures along the way, including losing his wallet!). Graham’s other interests ranged from ceramics and glass-making, to cars. His last project – the restoration of an elderly Mercedes Benz – was continued by his family.

Graham had a great passion for architecture and design – he loved nothing better than getting deeply involved into the details of a project, to understand how the materials, light and space might be combined in new ways, to bring about the transformation of a home for a new era; and hundreds of clients now enjoy the results of that passion.

It is his spirit of architectural exploration that we hope to continue in our work today.