Pierre Wassenaar became Chair of Stride Treglown in 2022. Before that, he led our Technology and Innovation sector and headed up our award-winning Cardiff studio. In 2021, Pierre steered us through the process of becoming the first AJ100 practice to achieve B Corp certification—a big milestone that verifies our commitment to high social and environmental standards. More recently, in 2025, he helped guide our transition to full employee ownership, and he now represents the Board on our Employee Forum.
Pierre specialises in the strategic alignment of building design with clients’ business goals. He brings a strong background in client-side briefing and design development, with experience across the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, and Japan. Over the years, he’s led a range of complex, new-build education and research projects in the science and tertiary education sectors.
Outside the practice, Pierre has served as a Board Trustee of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and is a Past President of the Royal Society of Architects in Wales.
Pierre, what is your favourite project to date?
It’s also my most hated project, but it’s the one I cut my teeth on and learnt the most from: the new offices for Pringle Brandon Architects in London. Being project architect for the new home of a firm of architects is a stress fest, but it taught me a huge amount (not least to check that the drains aren’t filled with builders’ rubble before the grand champagne opening).
Best book you’ve ever read?
On architecture it would be Christopher Alexander’s A Pattern Language because it puts people at the centre of design thinking. And then there’s Austerlitz by W.G. Sebald; it is the truest account I’ve ever read of what it feels like to fumble around for meaning in life.
Who is your biggest career influence?
John Worthington, co-founder of DEGW, because he was wonderful to work with, has never lost his curiosity, and is so good at encouraging people to follow their path.
What advice would you give your 20 year old self?
Stop blimmin’ overthinking everything. Work on your resilience – good and bad stuff will happen to you, and none of it defines you. The only thing that defines you is how you pick yourself up from setbacks.
Industry Bodies:
- Pierre writes and speaks regularly on design issues
- He has been a judge for RIBA, Civic Trust and Constructing Excellence Wales Innovation awards
- RIBA Client Design Adviser 2021- present
- CBI: Southwest Regional Council member 2021- present
- B Corp Ambassador 2022-present
- Quality of Life Foundation: Associate, 2022-present
Awards:
- 2023 Building Magazine Employer of the Year (Stride Treglown)
- 2019, 2020 and 2021 Architectural Firm of the Year, Insider Property Wales (As Director of Stride Treglown’s South Wales office)
- 2016 RICS Regeneration project of the year, Bay Campus, Swansea University, Swansea
- The General Offices, Ebbw Vale, RICS Conservation Project of the Year 2012
- Swansea University Constructing Excellence Wales Integration and Collaboration Award 2012
