Initially joining us as an Apprentice Business and Marketing Coordinator, Ava is working towards her Level 3 Business Administration qualification. After finishing school, Ava gained valuable experience in business administration and hospitality which have helped her understand the direction she wanted her long-term career to take.

With a growing interest in the architecture and design industry, Ava chose to pursue her career in marketing within the architectural sector. She is eager to develop her skills, grow within her role, and contribute creatively to a wide range of marketing activities. Ava has a strong passion for design, and she is excited to combine her administrative background with her enthusiasm for visual and digital storytelling.

Ava is also confident using digital tools, and she is developing her skills in industry-specific platforms used for marketing coordination. She is motivated, adaptable, and committed to growing her knowledge within the architectural marketing space.

Outside of work, Ava is dedicated to an active lifestyle. She enjoys rowing, has a keen passion for running, and brings the same determination and energy to her professional development.

Following over twenty five years in high street banking, Donna McDarby co-founded Gradon Architecture in 2009 with husband and co-director Graham. As Finance Director, Donna ensures our finances are in order, pays our bills promptly, and manages payroll and HR matters. She is the pragmatic decision maker in the directorship and in short, keeps our creative people in check.

Donna prides herself in being the “homemaker”, often working behind the scenes but in a flexible manner which enables a good work-life balance which is integral to our business ethos and approach. She loves to see our team exceeding our company objectives as a result of months of hard graft by the team, underpinned by considered financial management, and as reward, organises our full team annual study trips to locations such as Venice, Prague, Krakow, Palma and Malaga to experience excellent architecture complimented with great food and drink.

Outside of work, Donna enjoys extensive travel, recently returning from a trip to Mongolia, as well as cooking.

Being the son of a painter and decorator, Graham’s approach to architecture is pragmatic and born from the experience of working on building sites with his father at an early age, where he quickly gained an understanding of the industry while studying architecture, initially in London before graduating from Sheffield University in 1993.

Following an architectural tour of Europe in 1993-94 he went on to work for a number of architectural practices within the NE of England including Faulkner Browns and Ryder Architecture where he became a Director in 2003 before leaving in 2009 to set up Gradon Architecture with his wife Donna, to pursue his own developed thoughts in architecture and offer a more personal, hands on service and approach to his clients.

Working closely with all the team, Graham McDarby has ultimate responsibility for the design direction and strategic development of Gradon Architecture, which to date has seen the progressive growth of the business since its inception in 2009.

Outside of the studio, Graham enjoys “hands-on architecture” and is always busy building something or doing something DIY related, from which he continues to develop his practical understanding of delivering architecture. Graham says, “Before we draw something, we must understand how the tradesman can actually build it!”

Graham is passionate about giving something back…to the community, to the youth of the future and to those who are less fortunate than others. This has seen the implementation of the Gradon Architecture Apprenticeship scheme and regular fundraising for charities such as Teenage Cancer Trust, MS Society, The Percy Hedley Foundation, The Calvert Trust, The Wider Mhabara Orphange in Uganda and The Christina Noble Foundation in Mongolia.

Outside of architecture, Graham enjoys extensive travel across the world, large format modernist painting, photography, following Newcastle United and socialising with a close group of friends and family which mean everything to him.

Kayleigh has been an integral member of our team since joining as a Newcastle University graduate in 2022. With our support, she swiftly embarked on the Architecture Degree Apprenticeship at Northumbria University, which will ultimately see her achieving her master’s degree and architectural chartership.

She is experienced working on a wide range of projects spanning RIBA stages 1 to 7, both throughout the North East and internationally. Kayleigh is proud to adopt a person-centred approach, always eager to listen to and learn from the perspectives of end-users, to help guide her design development.

Kayleigh is deeply committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion through design. In her recent master’s thesis, she investigated how flexible architecture can support the sensory needs of neurodivergent adults in the workplace.

She has a strong passion for promoting ecological enhancement through thoughtful architectural design. Her knowledge and enthusiasm for ecological protection has made her our in-house specialist in Biodiversity Net Gain legislation.

Outside of practice, Kayleigh enjoys wild swimming, long walks with her dog, and exploring new restaurants.

After achieving his undergraduate and master’s degrees in architecture at Northumbria University, Aaron joined our team as an Architectural Assistant. Most recently he completed the Part 3 qualification at Newcastle University to become an ARB chartered architect. Having worked on site as a labourer from a young age, he brings a strong practical understanding of construction to his architectural approach. This hands-on background shapes his ability to think realistically about buildability, and he often excels in solving complex technical details with clarity and confidence.

Aaron is a diligent and highly creative member of our team. With experience across a varied range of projects, Aaron particularly enjoys working within RIBA Stages 3 and 4, where concept development begins to meet technical resolution. He is highly skilled in delivering comprehensive masterplanning and feasibility studies, carefully balancing site constraints with creative opportunity. His analytical mindset enables clients to explore a range of informed and viable development options.

Aaron also has a strong passion for digital design, specialising in 3D modelling, visualisation, and photorealistic rendering. His high-quality digital outputs communicate design intent with clarity and help bring our work to life at the highest standard.

Aaron is confident using industry-leading software, including AutoCAD, Revit, SketchUp, Adobe Creative Suite, and visualisation tools such as Twinmotion and Enscape. Always seeking new challenges, Aaron continues to develop his skills and expand his architectural knowledge.

Outside of work, Aaron enjoys exploring creative interests, staying active, and finding inspiration beyond the built environment.

Olivia joined our team in 2023 with a strong foundation in both the design and technical delivery of high-quality residential developments. In her time with us, she has broadened her experience to include work in the education and masterplanning sectors. Alongside her work in practice, Olivia currently working towards becoming a chartered architect via the Architect Degree Apprenticeship at Northumbria University.

Her architectural interests include high-quality residential design, inclusive education environments, and creating user-focused spaces that prioritise wellbeing. Olivia is excellent at maintaining clear and consistent communication, ensuring clients are well informed throughout every stage of the design process. She is confident across both design and technical workflows and is experienced with key industry tools such as Revit, AutoCAD, Adobe Creative Suite, and visualisation software.

As part of her Architect Apprenticeship at Northumbria University, Olivia conducting a research project investigating how design guidance for SEN schools could be improved to better support Autistic students. Her commitment to inclusive environments informs all her work in practice, and she strives to provide above and beyond the requirements of Part M wherever possible.

Outside of architecture, Olivia enjoys staying active at pilates classes and travelling to new places.

With over 30 years of experience, Graeme is our Technical Director and a highly respected Architectural Technologist whose knowledge and expertise is invaluable to our team. He brings exceptional depth of understanding across a wide range of building types, with a particular passion for sports stadia and large-scale technical design.

Graeme is a creative and analytical problem solver with an exceptional eye for detail. He is known for anticipating challenges early in the design process and working diligently to develop practical solutions. His experience of working as a Design Manager on projects nationwide have provided him with extensive insight into contractor requirements, construction methodologies, and the technical realities beyond RIBA Stage 3.

As Technical Director, Graeme has led the technical design and delivery of numerous residential projects across the UK, from small domestic extensions to multi-million-pound specialist care developments. His leadership ensures projects are delivered with technical excellence, buildability, and a strong alignment between design intent and construction practicality.

Graeme’s skillset spans technical detailing, stage 4 coordination, complex problem solving, and project delivery. He is experienced with industry-standard software, supports team development, and continually seeks new challenges to advance the technical quality of our work.

Graeme is passionate about football and enjoys coaching a local youth team in his free time, bringing the same commitment, mentorship, and enthusiasm to sport as he does to his professional role.