Member Article

Shropshire architects practice casts aside Brexit doubt with £1m of new appointments

Nearly £1m of new appointments in the last six weeks has helped a Bridgnorth boutique architects practice get off to a flying start in 2019.

Johnson Design Partnership, which employs 10 people at its headquarters in Station Lane and satellite office in London, has seen a major surge in the number of clients looking to tap into its ‘Grand Designs’ expertise.

The practice’s ability to combine the latest design techniques with innovative sustainable materials to create unique lifestyle and living spaces has attracted projects from all over the West Midlands despite fears that Brexit would cause a lull in activity.

It has also seen renewed interest from the educational, healthcare and industrial sectors after delivering on milestone jobs for schools, major manufacturers and some of the most prestigious hospitals in the UK.

“We have enjoyed our best ever December and, just two weeks back into 2019, we have already been appointed on three new projects…that’s a great start,” explained Vic Johnson, who founded the business in 2001.

“People still want special one-off grand designs to reflect their unique living styles, whilst even online businesses need great offices and exemplary design showrooms to display their products and services.”

He continued: “Manufacturers need hyper-efficient spaces to maximise performance and this also applies to education, where headteachers want to create schools that offer the best in education and the NHS, who need hospitals designed for best practice and patient experience.

“As a relatively small architects practice, we have the agility to embrace and explore the latest design techniques and can push forward innovative ideas that create the ‘wow’ factor. That’s definitely played a role in the latest success.”

Johnson Design Partnership offers a complete project management service from feasibility work and planning to detailed design, project monitoring and contract administration.

The practice operates a four-point strategy when working with clients, focusing on ‘Understanding, Exploring, Resolving and Delivering’.

To cope with the increase in new appointments, the firm has recently expanded its team with the appointment of Italian architect Giovanni Agro and Mubashir Ahmed, a design-oriented graduate from Dudley.

Matt Spinks, Director, concluded: “2019 promises to see the further development of eco-friendly architecture and a surge in open-space designs, two trends that are evident in our early appointments this year.

“Our team are also looking at multi-purpose spaces and the ‘Japanisation’ of design, not to mention how we combine indoor and outdoor design to deliver buildings and facilities that can unlock community spaces.”

“There is also an Open House planned for later this year, where we’ll be opening the doors at our Station Lane office so that existing and new clients can meet the team, discuss future ideas and enjoy some of our models that help bring our designs to life.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Russ Cockburn .