About

Thursday Works is a design-focused architectural practice. We care about building strong relationships with the people we work with and creating great projects that positively impact the people who use them. Our process is based on finding and creating value in projects, working on a range of building types, landscapes, and strategic projects to extract the most impactful project from the given constraints. Through a close understanding of what is most valuable, our projects are more attuned to the needs and ambitions of our clients and their communities.

We are known for our thorough and personable approach to working with clients, whether community groups, homeowners, developers, or councils. We love working for the same clients again and again, to see the positive impact of our projects materialise. We obtain most of our work through recommendations from former clients, which speaks to the positive relationships that we build through the quality of our service.

Collectively, we hold a depth of experience in residential and domestic projects, as well as community and arts-focused schemes. Our work includes new buildings, alterations and extensions, urban strategies, and placemaking advice, all underlined with a keen eye for sustainable design. We have experience in and are able to provide, full architectural services, feasibility studies, strategic advice, as well as policy advice, and the writing of design codes.

We are always on the lookout for interesting new people to engage with, whether new clients, consultants, or collaborators. Get in touch if you think we could work together.

Lee Jesson

ARB, PgDip, MArch(Hons), BA(Hons)

Lee has gained experience in a range of architectural practices, working in both the public and private sector. He is interested primarily in how buildings and places can improve the way we live. His interest draws from his experience in working with clients to rework their homes, whether for growing families or adapting to new circumstances, as well as from larger strategic housing developments in excess of 500 homes, where building a new community becomes critical.

He spends part of his time teaching architectural design at Masters level, where he explores with his students how we use and experience space, and the way that it impacts and influences our lives. He is interested in the quite different ways that people live, in what makes somewhere a great place to live, and what creates strong neighbourhoods and communities. His experience in this area has meant he’s led projects of many scales, including policy advice and consultation projects.

His ideas are typically guided by a strategic and rational approach to understanding the fundamental issues at play. His decisions are therefore legible, well-considered, and efficient. Several projects that he has led and worked on have been recognised with architectural awards, and he was awarded the Ross Jamieson Prize for academic achievement in his studies.

Matthew Rust

ARB, RIBA, AdvDip, ProfDip, MA, BA(Hons)

Matthew brings to the practice a pragmatic, creative mindset, with wide experience ranging from strategic masterplanning to hands-on carpentry. He is interested in how built projects come into existence, from helping to develop a brief, to initial concepts and all the way through to construction and occupation.

To support his interests, prior to setting up Thursday Works, Matt sought to broaden his experience and knowledge through a variety of different roles, project types, and scales. From constructing bespoke kitchens, and developing a community-led brief for a new public square, to working in a local authority planning department, his experience contributes to an understanding of how wider systems can enable and shape projects.

His process is driven by a love of craft and communities, leading to a research-led approach that is informed by locality and vernacular. He has a keen interest in arts-based projects, with a sensitivity to how things are built, enabled, and enjoyed.