Purcell and S T Walker & Duckham join forces in unique collaboration

Purcell and S T Walker & Duckham are pleased to announce a unique collaboration that aims to raise the profile of both architectural practices in the West Midlands. The agreement to share resources, skills and experience will also help them to provide a comprehensive service across key sectors. The aspiration for this collaboration is to facilitate a merger between the two practices.

S T Walker & Duckham is headed by David Duckham and based in Worcester. The practice is best known for their conservation work for clients including the National Trust, English Heritage and Local Authorities.

Key current and recently completed projects include a major roofing scheme at Attingham Park near Shrewsbury, a visitors’ building at Weoley Castle in Birmingham, a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rated extension to Grange Court in Leominster and restoration works at The Church of St John the Evangelist, Shobdon in Herefordshire.

Like Purcell, S T Walker & Partners was set up over 60 years ago by Maurice Foreman and S T Walker in Birmingham. David Duckham’s practice was founded in Worcester in 1990 in succession to earlier practices. Over the last 14 years, the practice has completed repair and refurbishment projects for numerous schemes including Kenilworth Castle, Tamworth Castle, the Chapter House at Westminster Abbey and the Royal Naval College at Greenwich. The practice has also designed high quality new buildings such as the RIBA Award winning Technology Building at Malvern College and visitor centres for Upton House, Banbury and Peveril Castle, Derbyshire.

Purcell has 15 regional studios across the UK and one studio in Hong Kong. In 2013, the practice opened a Nottingham studio to serve the East Midlands region which has gone from strength to strength, securing new clients and projects and engaging two new members of staff. Purcell has been operating in the West Midlands for many years, with projects including Wolverhampton Art Gallery, CoRE (the Centre of Refurbishment Excellence) in Stoke-on-Trent and Weston Park in Staffordshire.

Mark Goldspink, CEO and Partner of Purcell, said: “Our practices have a natural synergy in that we are both known for our conservation work but also have a desire to enhance our reputations for architectural design. We are pleased to be working with S T Walker & Duckham and look forward to developing both businesses through our joint efforts”.

David Duckham, Architect, S T Walker and Duckham, said: “Purcell is a first class practice and I am extremely pleased by this development”.

David Duckham is working closely with Purcell’s CEO and Partner Mark Goldspink to lead business development activities in the West Midlands with the support of key members of staff from both practices.