This July, we’re celebrating a huge milestone at RRA: our Managing Director, Mark Powles, marks 30 years with the practice – 25 of those at the helm as a director. His journey has been full of interesting projects, business deals, awards, early starts, late nights, family moves, renovations (lots), and even the odd go-kart rivalry.
Below is a not-so-brief timeline of the story so far…
1985 – One summer’s day in 1985, an 11-year-old Mark Powles saw the local architect drive past in a convertible Mercedes. Being an impressionable boy with a love of cars, Mark assumed the route to his dream car was to become an architect!
1995, July – Having not long celebrated his 21st birthday and fresh out of university, Mark joined Rod Robinson Associates as a Part 1 Architectural Assistant.
1998 – Mark qualified as a Part 2 Architectural Assistant from the University of Birmingham School of Architecture.
2000 – At just 26 years old, Mark was made a Director of RRA Architects, reflecting his early leadership and ambition.
2001 – Mark passed the Part 3 exam, becoming a fully qualified, ARB and RIBA registered Architect.
2003 – Rod Robinson retired, leaving RRA with Mark and two other directors at the helm. The firm rebranded and became RRA Architects Ltd.
In the same year, Mark bought his first property – a ‘doer-upper’ – marking the start of his property investment journey alongside running RRA.
2004 – RRA bought a dilapidated storehouse on the banks of the River Wye, marking Mark’s first venture into commercial property investment, and began the restoration to create their own offices.
2006 – RRA completed the restoration of their landmark building and opened The Watershed, winning several awards for the work.
2008 – RRA infiltrated the London market, joining one of the early co-operative working spaces (a relatively new concept at the time) in Brick Lane.
2010 – Mark’s first daughter was born and the family moved from Hereford to Cheltenham to start up a Cheltenham office – and renovate another property, of course.
2011 – Despite the country still being in a deep recession, the Cheltenham side of the RRA business grew – along with Mark’s family, when his second daughter was born.
2013 – RRA acquired Garland Cornelius Architects in Hampton-upon-Thames, to increase their London presence.
2016 – Mark became sole proprietor and Managing Director of RRA Architects.
2017 – As the London side grew, RRA moved offices to the vibrant heart of Covent Garden.
Creativity must have been in the air, as 2017 also saw RRA sponsor a brand-new art fair in Cheltenham called Fresh: Art Fair, sparking a relationship that has thrived ever since.
2018 – Mark completed the QuoLux LEAD programme and revised his strategy for the business, moving to new offices at Elmbridge Court, Gloucestershire.
2019 – Mark sold the London branch of RRA to concentrate on work in the Three Counties.
2020 – Mark sold the RRA landmark offices on the banks of the River Wye, completing the relocation of headquarters to Cheltenham.
2022 – Under RRA’s sister company, Palmer Powles Commercial Investments, Mark purchased a rundown building on the prestigious Royal Crescent in Cheltenham. RRA began the renovation works.
2023 – RRA Architects moved into their new Head Office at 16 Royal Crescent, Cheltenham, with satellite offices in Hereford and Ludlow.
2025, July – Mark celebrates 30 years with RRA – 25 of those leading the company as a director.
During Mark’s time at RRA, the practice has won many awards, particularly for its conservation work, including the highest accolade in the architectural world: the RIBA Award in 1999. The company has evolved from an ambitious growth-focused business with national projects and a Covent Garden studio to a tighter, family-feel company – still award-winning – but more focused on quality of life for both the team and our clients.
Mark also runs two property investment companies. His hands-on experience renovating his own developments has given him the benefit of wearing the hats of client, investor, contractor and architect – allowing him to empathise with our clients due to his firsthand experience.
He is a fair and caring leader to his team, as shown by how many of RRA’s former employees remain in contact, still often calling for his advice, which he’s always happy to share. His down-to-earth, honest guidance – even when it’s not what the recipient wants to hear – is valued across the industry, consequently, Mark is rarely off the phone having been called for his opinion by one professional or another.
Mark is an excellent architect, an awful golfer, a formidible go-kart driver, an accomplished skier, a generous friend, a sympathetic ear to many, a business advisor to even more, a fair boss and a fun boss, a mentor, a proud father, a wonderful husband, a lego master, a Glos Rugby fan, …
…and so much more, the list could go on and on – but in short, Mark is an all-round jolly good egg (and not just because of his bald head 😉).
Also …
… we believe designing for tomorrow is the best way to celebrate a legacy, so, to commemorate Mark’s 30-year milestone, RRA is sponsoring the Interclimate Network Schools COP30 climate summit in November 2025, along with Precision Green Energy, Spirax Sarco, Cheltenham Borough Council and Gloucestershire County Council.
“Sustainability has always been part of RRA’s ethos, we were designing for energy efficiency when ‘green’ still referred to a colour! As I mark three decades here, I’m delighted that RRA can support such an important event as the schools COP30, helping the next generation of decision-makers with the goal of a more sustainable environment.” Mark explained.
#30YearsOfMark #30YearsOfArchitecture #Leadership #RRAArchitects #Sustainability #Gratitude #COP30 #Architecture #DesigningForTomorrow #30YearAnniversary #CSR #CheersTo30Years