In any line-up of architects being considered for a racecourse revamp, Katie Craggs will be a front-runner, if not the outright favourite. In the past decade she’s designed grandstands, weighing rooms, entrances, hospitality suites, offices, bars, stables and vet boxes at the majority of the Northern racecourses, including Catterick, Thirsk, Ripon, Wetherby and Pontefract. It’s a fair bet, too, that not many architects’ plans will include a doping control area.
Katie is the founder of KCA Architecture, which she established in 2020 after spending 20 years in private practice. With extensive experience across diverse sectors such as residential, commercial, healthcare, and education, she has built up a versatile portfolio. Her unique specialisation lies in equestrian projects, particularly racecourses, where her expertise in design and execution has placed her out in front as one of the country’s leading racecourse architects and designers.
Over the past 12 years, Katie has collaborated with numerous Yorkshire racecourses, and others further afield, gaining an in-depth understanding of their specific operational requirements.
Katie Craggs of KCA Architecture. Photo: CLAIRE_HIRST A recent project was the Horseshoe Café and Bar at Catterick Racecourse, opened by MP for Richmond and Northallerton and former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on New Year’s Day. ‘I started working on some of the Yorkshire racecourses doing PR on racedays while I was at university,’ says Katie. ‘I got to know management and when I qualified as an architect in 2013, I approached them about working together.
‘They gave me the opportunity to tackle some long-term strategic masterplans for improving facilities and I’m still in the process of helping to deliver these projects.’
The skills she’s learned along the way are wide ranging. ‘You have to understand all aspects of how a racecourse works, from the horses arriving and their safety through to how the jockey and their facilities work,’ she explains. ‘The BHA (British Horseracing Authority) brought out new standards for the jockeys’ changing rooms following the pandemic, and I was commissioned to work on eight of these.
Katie also has substantial experience in residential architecture, working on a range of projects from bespoke new-build homes to small-scale housing developments. This breadth of knowledge ensures that she approaches each project with a comprehensive perspective, aligning with her clients’ needs and visions.
‘At the core of our philosophy at KCA Architecture is a commitment to listen, interpret, invent, inspire… make it happen,’ she says. Katie, who lives at Middleton Tyas with her seven-year-old son Lukas and Labrador Brook, admits she rather fell into architecture, but is passionate about her profession.
She gained experience working for architects’ practices in Darlington and Richmond, including Harris Irwin Associates at Aske Stables, near Richmond, before being made redundant during the pandemic.
‘It was sink or swim, so I set up my own business,’ she says. ‘My old practice, Harris Irwin Associates, helped me and I stayed at the Aske Stables offices where I still reside. I’ve worked at Aske for 12 years now. ‘The practice has steadily grown over the past five years, but more in the scale of projects, rather than type. We are working on some million-plus schemes, both residential and commercial, and a couple of multi-million commercial racecourse projects, which are at concept stage. I employ one member of staff , but aim to grow the practice this year.’
The clients’ brief called for opening up as much of the ground floor as possible to create an airy, cohesive space, as well as building a two-storey extension to create more spacious, usable bedrooms on the first floor. ‘The owners were heavily involved with the design and interiors and together we formed the finished article,’ she says. ‘My clients’ daughter played an integral role in the interior design process and their vision has resulted in a stunning interior, blending functionality with beauty and ensuring that Primrose Cottage is not only practical, but a delight to live in.’
Other projects in the region have included transforming a dated 1980s bungalow into a modern, eye-catching family home with enhanced kerb appeal, and a contemporary, glazed kitchen extension that sits beautifully next to the historic old stables building that it’s attached to. At present, Katie is working on a large barn conversion and a new-build, both of which will be finished later this year.
This can be particularly challenging with old buildings and conflicts between conservation officers and building control are commonplace, she admits. Since the pandemic, the price of building materials has also increased massively. ‘And they’re still going up. This is definitely slowing down and, in some cases, stopping development, as are prolonged planning procedures, but this is something the new government has promised to tackle.’
Based in the heart of North Yorkshire and on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales National Park, KCA Architecture regularly work with challenging sites and conditions. ‘We specialise in working within sensitive locations, such as residential neighbourhoods, conservation areas and natural landscapes, ensuring that our designs are sustainable, environmentally conscious and harmoniously integrate with their surroundings,’ says Katie. ‘
Katie’s own home is a modest three bedroom house in the village of Middleton Tyas. It sits on a large plot with ample parking and a large garden and the draw was the potential to extend it into a large family home. ‘I’ve only lived there 18 months, but have plans to transform it over the coming years,’ she says. She also has her own horse, but admits she’s so busy being a working single mum that he’s become a bit of a ‘field ornament’.
So when she does manage a bit of down-time, does she head on down to the racecourse? ‘I tend to go to the races more for work than pleasure,’ she says. ‘Also, I’m quite hopeless at betting!’
