About Kura Architects

Thoughtful. Smart. Reliable.

Kura Architects is a design-led practice based in the West Midlands, working across residential, heritage and small-scale development projects. We create architecture of enduring value: measured, contextual and purposeful. Every project is guided by the belief that buildings should safeguard, enrich and endure — designed with care, delivered with clarity, and built to last.

Our name comes from the kura, the traditional Japanese storehouse. These were not defined by style but by purpose — robust, crafted buildings that stood for generations, protecting what mattered most. We take inspiration not from their aesthetic, but from their approach: clarity, restraint, material honesty and permanence. These qualities underpin our work — technically rigorous, carefully considered, and always designed to protect and enhance the lives of those who use them.

We listen closely, think critically and communicate with precision. Every scheme is shaped by its context and its brief, resolved with discipline, and delivered with integrity. We remain deeply involved through construction, ensuring the original intent is realised faithfully in built form.

Our experience allows us to bring both architectural vision and technical assurance to the process. Our clients — homeowners, developers and commercial end-users — value reliability, design intelligence and the confidence that comes with a practice grounded in experience. At every stage, our work reflects the ethos of the kura: thoughtful in approach, smart in resolution, and reliable in delivery.

Profile – Rav Kumar

Rav Kumar is an architect with over 25 years of experience delivering residential, heritage and mixed-use projects across the UK.

He began his career at Associated Architects, where he spent 13 years developing a broad portfolio, before joining Corstorphine & Wright to establish and lead their Birmingham Studio. Over the following decade, he helped grow the practice significantly, leading major projects and working closely with commercial developers.

Rav founded Kura Architects to return to a more meaningful kind of architecture — one that prioritises people, context and longevity. He brings rare perspective, having designed and delivered at every scale, as well as building his own home and working as a small-scale developer. This gives him an understanding of the architectural process from every angle — design, technical delivery and financial reality.

A RIBA Chartered Architect and RIBA-registered Principal Designer for Higher-Risk Buildings, Rav is recognised for his calm, assured leadership and his ability to balance design ambition with practical delivery. His work is rooted in the philosophy of the kura: architecture that is elegant yet robust, enduring yet adaptable, and always designed with care.