Exploring culture through its built history 

From a young age, Katie Gilhesby has been passionate about architecture, a practice that best merges her interest in art and design with mathematical problem-solving. A traveller at heart, she loves exploration, always admiring buildings along the way. 

Katie graduated from Leeds Beckett University in 2025 and joined SPACE Architects in her first professional role as part of the 2026 graduate cohort. Before joining SPACE, Katie worked on a community centre project in Leeds, which challenged her design thinking and honed her collaborative skills. She also travelled to Jinja, Uganda, to help work on a playground school, gaining invaluable first-hand experience in a new cultural context and further broadening her perspective as a designer. 

Now, as part of SPACE Architects, Katie is working on retail projects within the region, while adjusting to new software and processes, with the hope of applying them in both the education and residential sectors. Already settling into the team, her dependable nature is evident to colleagues. 

Beyond the office, Katie leads an active lifestyle; she enjoys weightlifting and fitness, and hiking with her dog. Her determined spirit is also reflected in her love of travel; she aspires to visit 30 countries before she turns 30, embracing every opportunity to experience new cultures.