Profile

Xylotek was founded in 2018 by directors Charley Brentnall, Oscar Emanuel and Martin Self with the aim of bringing together our diverse experience and shared passion for wood, to serve projects seeking high ambition for the application of timber in architecture. We operate internationally with a remote design and management team, and a design and workshop hub in Bristol UK.

Our clients include cultural and academic institutions, commercial developers and private individuals. We are typically appointed as specialist consultants within design teams; as subcontractors to main contractors on large projects; or as design-build contractors in our own right. We are able to design, fabricate, assemble and install – in both conventional and unusual contexts.

Our specialism is in the delivery of non-standard timber structures that need innovative solutions. For every project we formulate the correct technologies, processes and supply chain for that job – working with industry partners to ensure the best offering of value and expertise in the market.  Some projects are prototyped or fabricated in our workshops; others – often at a larger scale – are procured through our fabricator partners. In all cases, we seek to bring overall control to delivery through our expertise.

In seeking a well-designed low-carbon future, our driving motive is to change the world with wood.

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Charley Brentnall 1956-2024

It is with great sadness that we share news of the passing of Charley Brentnall. Charley was a founder of Xylotek, a passionate advocate of wood, and a uniquely generous and caring character. He will leave an immeasurable legacy in the people whose lives he has influenced through his practice and teaching, and in the many projects he has been part of. He died at home following a period of illness.

25 February 2024.

Clients & Collaborators

Royal Exchange Theatre
Foster + Partners
Expedition
Netflix
ARUP
Forestry England
Argent
Haworth Tompkins
University of Reading
Orange Telecoms
British Land
Abba
Mamou-Mani
ISG
Format engineers
bam

Team

Oscar Emanuel

Oscar Emanuel

Managing Director
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Oscar Emanuel

Oscar Emanuel

Managing Director

As Xylotek’s Managing Director, Oscar brings a deep knowledge of the international structural timber industry gained over the last twenty years of working in the UK, Canada, US and France. His passion for the role of wood in the future of sustainable construction has driven a career dedicated to advancing timber applications. Through a combination of hands-on experience – gained through major self-build ventures and on international projects – and project management, Oscar has a long track record of delivering design-build projects from start to finish.

He was a founding director of EmanuelHendry Ltd in 2008 which successful grew as a design-led timber construction firm delivering to the UK market, and has worked as a consultant to US and European architects and timber construction companies.

With this holistic understanding of design, delivery and management – and a strong material and market knowledge and commercial network – Oscar is leading Xylotek’s development as a company seeking to benefit society by contributing to the transition to a low-carbon future.

Martin Self

Martin Self

Design Director
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Martin Self

Martin Self

Design Director

Martin Self is an engineer, geometer and educator who has specialised in innovative timber structures since 2005. Following a background in aerospace engineering, he was a founder member of Arup’s Advanced Geometry Unit (2000-2006) and Director of Hooke Park (2010-2018), the Architectural Association’s woodland campus for experimental timber architecture, where he continues to teach.


Key previous projects include the 2005 Serpentine Pavilion, for which he developed a pioneering application of geometric scripting for robotic fabrication; the form-finding for the Pompidou Metz timber roof at its concept design stage; and directing the design and construction of a series of timber buildings at Hooke Park that radically explore the use of locally grown wood.

He is a founding director of Xylotek and leads our design activities.

Adam Indge

Adam Indge

Operations Director
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Adam Indge

Adam Indge

Operations Director

Adam Indge joined Xylotek as an Operations Director in mid-2023, bringing with him over 20 years of valuable experience in the construction industry. Starting his career in a trades background, Adam truly understands the industry from the ground up and he ascended the ranks to lead construction firms to extraordinary accomplishments and growth.

His strong team ethos and belief in bringing people together to realize their full potential make him an asset to Xylotek and the complex projects and challenges. Upon discovering the impactful work that Xylotek does, Adam was immediately drawn to the sustainable mission. His fervent passion and alignment with Xylotek's mission make him a dynamic and invaluable asset to the team.

Elli Bate

Elli Bate

Head of Finance
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Elli Bate

Elli Bate

Head of Finance

Elli is a chartered accountant with 10 years’ experience helping SMEs to grow their businesses. She has recently studied for an MSc in Green Building at the Centre for Alternative Technology to pursue her love of timber and other sustainable construction materials.

Richard Turner

Richard Turner

Chairman
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Richard Turner

Richard Turner

Chairman

Richard began his career as an economist working with the World Bank and IFAD, then became a  partner at KPMG. In 2000 Richard formed Catalyst Venture Partners, a boutique  investment advisory company specialising in early-stage growth companies, and  in 2020 he founded Ruffena Venture Finance, a venture debt investor.  He has been a strategic advisor to Xylotek since its foundation, and became Chairman in 2021.

Tim Hoggins

Tim Hoggins

Head of Design & Engineering
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Tim Hoggins

Tim Hoggins

Head of Design & Engineering
Danielle Raghuwan

Danielle Raghuwan

HR Manager
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Danielle Raghuwan

Danielle Raghuwan

HR Manager
Ellen Oliver

Ellen Oliver

Practice Supervisor
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Ellen Oliver

Ellen Oliver

Practice Supervisor

Upon her graduation with a BA Hons in English from The University of Sussex, Ellen pursued and successfully attained a Level 3 RHS Horticulture qualification, a testament to her deepening commitment to sustainability. Drawing from a background in healthcare administration, she simultaneously fostered a profound fascination with architecture that treads lightly on the environment.

Ellen's journey brought her to Xylotek in 2021, where her primary focus centered on enhancing practice management. Since then, her influence has rippled through the organization, becoming an indispensable linchpin for both company culture and collaborative teams. Through her dedicated efforts, Ellen has not only enriched Xylotek's operations but has also paved the way for a thriving and harmonious work environment.

Liam Chanter

Liam Chanter

Lead Carpenter
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Liam Chanter

Liam Chanter

Lead Carpenter

Liam is based at our Bristol carpentry workshop and takes the lead for projects being fabricated there.

Nate Crosby

Nate Crosby

Senior Designer
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Nate Crosby

Nate Crosby

Senior Designer

After graduating in Product Design Technology, Nate has spent several years building experience and developing his knowledge as a Technical Designer of high-end bespoke furniture.

Then, in the summer of 2020 Nate moved to London, taking on the role of a Senior Designer with a large-scale developer of compact city living studios. Xylotek’s previous and future projects, as well as their collaborative working environment, led Nate to join in August 2021.

Alex Fitter

Alex Fitter

Lead Carpenter
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Alex Fitter

Alex Fitter

Lead Carpenter
Jake Foster

Jake Foster

Quantity Surveyor
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Jake Foster

Jake Foster

Quantity Surveyor

Jake's background in quantity surveying spans many forms of construction projects; from the traditional to the modular. He takes pride in taking the whole process through from tendering to final accounts and enjoys building strong relationships throughout. Jake joined Xylotek in summer 2023 to pursue a new challenge and develop his knowledge of bespoke timber projects.

Wilf Handy

Wilf Handy

Junior Install Manager
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Wilf Handy

Wilf Handy

Junior Install Manager

Wilf has ten years of practical experience in a range of projects including large-scale stage set productions for UK and European festivals, music videos, adverts and awards ceremonies, as well as traditional joinery. He holds qualifications in carpentry and joinery as well as a BA Hons in Fine Art from Brighton University. Wilf has previously worked on projects with Greenpeace, Timberland, The BBC and Glastonbury Festival.

Steve Jenkinson

Steve Jenkinson

Workshop Manager
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Steve Jenkinson

Steve Jenkinson

Workshop Manager

Steve studied Design at Brighton University, later working in antiques restoration, joinery, carpentry and prop fabrication. He has previously worked on art and architectural installations in Trafalgar Square, The V&A Museum and St Ann’s Hospital. Steve has a passion for detailed joinery and both modern and traditional methods of woodworking. He joined Xylotek in September 2021 to contribute to the running of our Bristol Hub workshop.

Brendan Jenner

Brendan Jenner

Estimator
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Brendan Jenner

Brendan Jenner

Estimator
Olga Kedrova

Olga Kedrova

Finance Assistant
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Olga Kedrova

Olga Kedrova

Finance Assistant
Ayotunde Lawal

Ayotunde Lawal

Assistant Project Manager
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Ayotunde Lawal

Ayotunde Lawal

Assistant Project Manager

As a graduate of the University of Lagos with a B.Sc & M.Sc in Architecture and M.sc Project Management in Construction from the University of Salford, Ayotunde has gained a wide range of experience in designing and managing the delivery of residential and commercial buildings in Africa. His passion for the use of sustainable materials in creating innovative designs led him to join Xylotek in 2023 to work on advanced timber construction.

Christof Lemka

Christof Lemka

Workshop Lead
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Christof Lemka

Christof Lemka

Workshop Lead

Christof Lemka is experienced in the processes and logistics of workshop production. He joined Xylotek in 2020 to set up and run our Bristol workshop facility, before which he had led set-building and artwork fabrication and installation projects, including for a major scuplture at Tate Modern.

Ollie Lewis

Ollie Lewis

Head of Sales
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Ollie Lewis

Ollie Lewis

Head of Sales

Ollie joined Xylotek in Spring 2023 and brought along with him a diverse skill-set and extensive sales experience. Ollie's passion for sustainable construction design and the many benefits of using timber as a building material enables him to advocate with certainty for Xylotek as a company. Along with a creative mindset, Ollie has a drive to deepen his knowledge of the timber industry as a whole.

Ollie Ley

Ollie Ley

Marketing & Client Relationship Manager
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Ollie Ley

Ollie Ley

Marketing & Client Relationship Manager

Ollie has a unique background in creative marketing and keeps a finger on the pulse. He joined us from the technology industry and studied the consumption of augmented technologies. Armed with a passion for sustainability, he hopes to expand the industry's access to timber construction.

Phoebe Mitchell

Phoebe Mitchell

Project Manager
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Phoebe Mitchell

Phoebe Mitchell

Project Manager

Phoebe graduated in Quantity Surveying from Heriot-Watt University and has gained a wide range of experience working in cost and project management in both consultancy and contractor settings. Her passion for sustainability and innovative architecture led her to join Xylotek to work on pioneering timber projects.

Lucia Morais

Lucia Morais

Finance Manager
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Lucia Morais

Lucia Morais

Finance Manager

Lucia has over 15 years of financial experience within the construction industry. She joined Xylotek in July 2022 in order to grow the finance department and explore her skills in management further. Lucia is currently enjoying finishing her CIMA qualification, as well as having a passion for architecture, nature and coffee.

Jules Peyre

Jules Peyre

Senior Project Manager
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Jules Peyre

Jules Peyre

Senior Project Manager

Jules joined us in 2023 to deliver sustainable and complex construction projects. From the conception of mass timber structures to offsite solutions, Jules enjoys the process and approaches projects rigorously and knowledgeably. He is particularly interested in low-carbon and future-proof buildings.

Luke Shaw

Luke Shaw

Site Installer
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Luke Shaw

Luke Shaw

Site Installer

Luke joined us from the timber construction industry, specialising in bespoke garden projects.

Al Smith

Al Smith

Workshop Carpenter
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Al Smith

Al Smith

Workshop Carpenter
Matt Tucker

Matt Tucker

Head of Production Design
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Matt Tucker

Matt Tucker

Head of Production Design

Matt joined Xylotek in 2023 to deepen his knowledge of the timber industry and enable the design function to work with increasing efficiency. Matt's professional background as a Design Engineer with First Class Honours in Product Design and Innovation gave him the tools to understand the software, processes and teamwork involved in successful production programmes. His broad experience of managing a large team in the technology industry led him to Xylotek.

Rachel Wagner

Rachel Wagner

Design Technician
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Rachel Wagner

Rachel Wagner

Design Technician

Rachel Wagner is an architecture graduate and has been working in timber design since 2016. Originally from São Paulo, she has a background in Glulam  fabrication, construction and engineering, as well as a passion for digital  fabrication and design. Rachel joined Xylotek in 2021 while finishing her  master's in timber architecture and construction at ENSTIB in France.

Ryan Walsh

Ryan Walsh

Install Supervisor
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Ryan Walsh

Ryan Walsh

Install Supervisor

Ryan graduated from the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL. Whilst completing his Undergraduate and Masters degree in Architecture, Ryan has worked as an architectural assistant in small and large practices in London. Further to this, Ryan has worked in workshops at ETH Zurich and supervised a self-build project. Ryan joined Xylotek in May 2022 as an Install Supervisor and is passionate about combining his design and workshop background with delivering the installation of projects.

Paul Wones

Paul Wones

Carpenter
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Paul Wones

Paul Wones

Carpenter

Paul Wones trained in Fine Furniture Design and Making at The Building Crafts College in London.