Spear's Review

Leading Classical architect George Saumarez Smith was inspired to pursue his career by his grandfather. 'It's in my blood,' he tells Spear's.

One of five design directors at ADAM Architecture, he works on new buildings, extensions and repairs to historic properties, and offers a design consultancy, with his timeless and elegant style threaded throughout each project. Saumarez Smith has worked on several large-scale schemes, including hundreds of houses in Poundbury, the Dorset development spearheaded by King Charles III when he was the Prince of Wales. 

Most of his homes are designed with geothermal or solar energy sources, making them more sustainable. 'People generally come to me for houses that are going to last,' he notes. 'They're building for themselves but also for their children.'

In 2025, he began overseeing the UK's most expensive home renovation: the £175 million refurbishment of hedge fund billionaire Chris Rokos' home in Wiltshire involves remodelling 200 rooms across 80,000 square feet.