Designing what’s next: how wienerberger’s in-house architects are helping create better places to live

Every great house build starts with a vision, whether that's creating sustainable homes, delivering greater social value or building spaces that better serve communities. Turning that vision into reality requires more than design expertise alone. It takes collaboration, forward-thinking and the right support from the very beginning.

At wienerberger, customers benefit from access to an in-house team of architects, technicians, ecologists and sustainability specialists who work together to help bring projects to life. By combining expertise across multiple disciplines, the team helps customers make informed decisions, overcome challenges and deliver better outcomes at every stage of the journey.

For Ceri Turner-Hill, Head of Architecture at wienerberger UK & Ireland, that collaborative approach is what makes the work so rewarding.

"I lead our in-house architectural studio and work with our team to help deliver high-quality projects for charities, housing associations and private developers across the nation.  

"Recently, I led the design team for the delivery of our Smeed Dean concrete tile factory in Sittingbourne, Kent, an absolutely huge project which has enabled us to bring our concrete tile products to market in recent months."

Having joined wienerberger from private practice seven years ago, Ceri was attracted by the opportunity to help establish and grow an in-house architectural studio that could combine traditional design expertise with access to a much broader range of specialist knowledge. For him, meaningful sustainability begins with understanding and addressing carbon impacts from day one.

"The best way to think about the services we offer is that we are an in-house architectural practice that benefits hugely from the experience provided by our in-house ecologists, sustainability specialists and technical teams. We always emphasise the importance of declaring our carbon impact, whether that's embodied or operational carbon, from the outset of any project we move forward with.

To help our clients deliver truly sustainable and carbon-sensitive designs, we engage with our in-house sustainability specialists very early in the process. They help us scrutinise the details of our schemes and projects as they move forward. This ensures we are considering embodied and operational carbon impacts from the very beginning of a scheme.

We also work with our in-house conservation specialists to ensure that conservation and heritage-sensitive schemes are properly assessed, appraised and considered throughout the design process."

Whether the goal is improving sustainability, enhancing user experience or delivering greater social value, asking the right questions early can often lead to stronger long-term outcomes.

"We thrive on challenging and developing our clients' briefs at the beginning of projects. We make sure we fully understand what they want to achieve while also pushing the boundaries of what can be delivered. Ultimately, this ensures they receive exactly what they are looking for in a well-designed, high-quality scheme."

That focus on people is particularly evident in the work the team carries out with housing associations. Increasingly, projects are being designed not just for future residents, but with opportunities for those residents to become part of the journey itself. 

"We also work closely with housing associations, many of whom have a strong focus on social impact. We're specifically tailoring our designs to allow tenants and future occupants to become integrated into the construction process. We are designing this into projects to help create a sense of ownership and pride in the finished development.

"We've rationalised designs to allow future occupants to be involved in the build process, whether that's laying bricks, hanging tiles, helping with landscaping or planting. It's important to us that this involvement is an integral part of the process rather than an afterthought, helping people feel connected to the homes they will eventually live in."

For those considering a career in the profession, Ceri believes finding a personal area of interest can be one of the most valuable foundations for success.

"My advice to anyone looking to pursue a career in architecture would be to find an area that genuinely interests you and develop your expertise in it as early as possible. Whether that's sustainability, ecology or another specialism, having a particular area of interest can help guide your professional development and decision-making throughout your career," - Ceri Turner-Hill, Head of Architecture at wienerberger UK & Ireland.

At wienerberger, building for what's next means looking beyond the immediate requirements of a project and helping customers create places that will continue to deliver value in the years ahead. Through integrated expertise, sustainable thinking and a commitment to people-focused design, teams like Ceri's are helping turn ambitious ideas into places where communities can thrive.