Winner | aspiration Award for Emerging Talent in AT

Ryan Davies MCIAT, Chartered Architectural Technologist

Words by Richard Roberts, Director, Rio Architects

Ryan joined Rio Architects four years ago after graduating with a First-Class Honours degree in Architectural Technology from Cardiff Metropolitan University, where during his studies he demonstrated a high level of passion and technical ability, rightfully being awarded the CIAT Wales Outstanding Graduating Student Award. This early recognition set the tone for Ryan’s professional journey, where he continues to demonstrate the same drive, commitment and technical excellence in practice.

One of Ryan’s standout qualities is his ability to seamlessly switch between multiple projects at short notice, maintaining a high standard of work while always meeting deadlines. His flexibility plays a crucial role in maintaining project momentum and supporting the successful delivery of complex, fast-paced schemes, upholding the practice’s reputation for technical excellence and quick delivery. His consistent dedication and willingness to support others have earned him the respect of colleagues and senior leadership.

Showing a sharp understanding of the growing responsibilities of Architectural Technologists with the introduction of the Building Safety Act, he is actively pushing to build his knowledge, lead coordination on complex projects, and champion the clear, accountable technical information the profession now demands.

While specialising in RIBA Stages 3–5, Ryan has a wide-ranging skill set that extends well beyond technical delivery. He is highly proficient in producing striking visuals through real-time rendering software. He has used this software to walk clients and planners through our schemes earlier in the process. This ability to communicate design intent in this way has proven invaluable in securing client buy-in and approvals. Helping them fully understand and connect with the vision behind each project.

He has been a key contributor to a wide range of our projects, including a large college in Bridgend featuring a unitised façade system, a high-rise student accommodation tower in Leeds, fire remediation works to hospitals and many others. Whether working collaboratively or leading a project, he consistently takes on greater responsibility and delivers strong results, no matter the challenge.

One of the current schemes he has been leading is a refurbishment of a Grade II* listed Victorian arcade in Cardiff, transforming an abandoned space hidden behind the units into a vibrant, modern food hall. His leadership and vision from developing the spatial arrangement to the Stage 4 tender package demonstrated his ability to navigate the complexities of working within a sensitive historic environment. Being heavily constrained, he expertly balanced the preservation of the arcade’s unique heritage with the demands of a contemporary commercial use.

His consistent presence on site has fostered a strong partnership with the contractor. This allowed him to respond quickly and effectively to any unexpected issues, particularly during the soft strip phase, where hidden conditions demanded immediate and flexible solutions. His adaptability ensured that challenges were resolved thoughtfully and efficiently, minimising delays and preserving the integrity of the design. With completion expected towards the end of the year, Ryan has led the design team through this complex project, demonstrating dedication to achieving the highest quality outcome.

Not only contributing to the company through project work, Ryan is also a strong power user of Revit within the practice. He is the youngest member of our BIM team, specialising in our visualisation software plug-ins.

Ryan also prepared and delivered an internal workshop open to all our technologists, most of them being his seniors, where he walked them through the full CIAT chartership application process. He created an open forum where colleagues could share experiences, discuss the evidence they had, and explore how best to use it for their submissions. Even for those not yet applying, the session proved to be invaluable, providing clarity, encouraging early evidence gathering, and helping them take meaningful first steps.

Outside of work hours, Ryan is highly active within the industry. Regularly attending networking events, where he has built a strong professional network, connecting with industry leaders across the city. Ryan is an excellent young ambassador for our company, consistently representing the practice with professionalism, enthusiasm, and a genuine passion for promoting Rio Architects and Architectural Technology within the wider built environment.

His role at CIAT has allowed him to make a meaningful contribution to the profession. While he has only been the aspiration Chair for the Wales Region for 8 months at the time of writing, what he has accomplished in this time sets him apart alone. He is extremely passionate about bridging the gap between industry and education, creating opportunities that give students experience-led insights beyond the classroom, exposing them to industry expertise. Ryan has led the development of many new initiatives aimed at strengthening this connection, his vision ensuring the next generation enters the profession better prepared and technically confident.

The best example was the Technical Showcase event he organised for Cardiff Metropolitan University, designed to boost students’ technical understanding through live construction demonstrations. The real-time installation of a section of a rainscreen façade and roofing systems, while having the contractor and manufacturers talk through design considerations alongside, allowed students to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. This was also supported by CPDs on the products that were installed and industry-led talks, helping the students gain a clearer understanding of construction sequencing, technical detailing, and the practical considerations that informs their detail drawings.

The university’s feedback was outstanding, praising both the relevance of the topic and the manufacturer’s willingness to engage with students. The completed display is still in their studio today, where current and future students will have access to it, and is set to be the subject of future early detailing exercises.

From the event’s success, it was featured in aspiration Magazine and will be recreated again this academic year. Ryan has also been working with other aspiration chairs about the possibility to bring this event model to other Regions in the future.

Ryan also organised a technical support session for final-year students at Cardiff Metropolitan University, bringing in some of Cardiff’s leading architectural technologists to offer expert advice; aimed at strengthening the students’ technical submissions and boosting their confidence ahead of deadlines. He also gave up his own time during lunch breaks to host one to one Teams calls for those unable to attend in person and for those at universities further afield, going above and beyond to make sure no one was left without support.

Additionally, Ryan sparked the idea for a second-year student technical competition, which has now been developed with the Aspiration team and is being implemented this academic year. Designed to strengthen students’ technical skills and their ability to clearly present and communicate design decisions without an over-reliance on presentation boards and visuals, the competition is already being recognised for its potential to raise the profile of emerging student talent, improve technical confidence, and better prepare students for placement opportunities and professional expectations. They expect it to significantly boost student engagement with CIAT and student membership numbers, and provide universities with a valuable opportunity to showcase their students’ technical capabilities on a larger platform.

Ryan has shown outstanding commitment and ambition in Architectural Technology. He has developed the skills and mindset to handle projects of all sizes and complexity, contributing to some of the practice’s most technically demanding work. His forward-thinking approach and dedication to excellence mark him as a future industry leader.

With a strong drive to grow, he actively embraces digital tools, pursues professional certifications, attends industry events, and engages with professional bodies, all whilst serving as group chair for CIAT aspiration Wales, where he is redefining industry engagement with universities.

Working well beyond his years, he is rapidly becoming a highly respected and influential Chartered Architectural Technologist. Rio is proud to have him as part of the team.