ONE of the region’s best known firms of architects has promoted four of its best to become new associates.
Newcastle-based Jane Darbyshire & David Kendall (JDDK) says the moves reflect the increasing contributions by staff to the 25-year-old business as it looks to grow.
Two of the new associates are architects: Stuart Franklin, a Newcastle University graduate, and Adam Vaughan, a Sheffield University graduate, who joined JDDK in 1999 and 2005 respectively, and bring a wealth of design flair to their new roles.
The promotion of technologists Andrew Rutherford and Matthew Holmes, who joined the practice in 2000 and 2004 respectively, reflects the equal focus on design quality and delivery of projects embracing the latest digital technology.
JDDK director Nicky Watson said: “We’re delighted to promote our four colleagues to associate status in recognition of their major and increasing contribution.
“All four bring very different but complementary skills. Stuart and Adam have both built up very strong relationships with their own clients and it’s entirely correct that these clients deal with senior staff.
“In addition to general architectural design work, Stuart has tended to specialise in education and health projects, while Adam’s specialisations have recently included sustainability, housing and work with historic buildings, for which he is RIBA accredited. Andy Rutherford has consistently produced superb work in the technical development of designs ever since he joined the practice and now also handles the management of our day-to-day IT systems.
“His fellow technologist, Matt Holmes, has an architectural background to his education and now specialises in building information modelling, an expertise in this digital information processing that we believe is fundamental to the growth of our practice.”
Watson said Holmes was the only North East candidate who has achieved 100% in certification of use of the BIM software and added that the appointments of the four new associates were “an important step for the practice” that build on its strengths in design and delivery, and help make it even more competitive and “able to react to the challenges of client and industry requirements more efficiently”.