WE APPOINTED architecture practice and tenant Chetwoods who were uniquely well-placed to Undertake The First Phase Of The Marshall’s Mill Retrofit.
We thought this would be a good moment to find out a bit more about the practice so we spoke to the Director of the Leeds office, Simon Baker, to give us the company lowdown…
Hi Simon, thanks for speaking to us, can we start by asking how long has the company been going?
The company was founded in 1988.
And how many of you are there?
Chetwoods has three core teams based in Leeds, London and Birmingham with a presence in Dubai. There are a total of 52 team members with 12 based in the Leeds office.
Can you tell us a bit about your business and what sort of work you do?
We are a nationally recognised practice providing architectural services to a wide ranging sector and client bank including SMEs and larger blue chip companies. Our built portfolio of £2.25 billion demonstrates our ability to deliver. With an emphasis on the environment and on sustainability, our services include brief development, interpretive planning, masterplanning, space planning, urban design, feasibility testing, concept design, detail design and contract management.
What is it you like about being based at Marshall’s Mill?
People in our office live all over the region and the location of the Mill near the train station and motorway make it convenient for travel. The Mill is a very special building and is historically significant for Leeds and this is reflected in its Grade II* listed status.
What else was important to you, and your team, when you were looking for a work space?
As an architecture company finding the right space was particularly important for us. We have been based in Marshall’s Mill since 2006 and have witnessed a lot of changes during that time. The office space is wonderfully light and open and the historic features including cast iron columns and vaulted ceilings which make for a distinctive yet comfortable workspace. We feel privileged to be involved in the current refurbishment project to bring out the best of this building and make other people aware of how great it is by offering a top notch suite of new office spaces.
And how are things going for you at the moment, it sounds like you’re very busy?
A number of projects came to a sudden halt during the recession, which allowed us to step back and assess how we work internally. Additionally, it provided the opportunity to up-skill our team, so we have invested in our staff and in technology and have identified new ways to add value to our clients. As a result, we have grown stronger. Two years later, we are thrilled to be supporting a number of clients and stakeholders in moving forward with their pre-recession projects that were originally put on hold. Our passionate team in Leeds are actively engaged in pursuing the architectural and environmental agenda outside of their daily office responsibilities. As a result of their dedicated commitment, we have made several internal promotions including two new associate appointments and one regional director.
That’s great to hear, so what are you working on to keep all these new recruits and promoted staff on their toes? (aside from MM)?
We have a number of projects due to start construction in the coming months including a project in Lichfield for affordable housing and a hotel, and a small project for Yorkshire Water. We are currently working on a number of food retail projects in the West Midlands including Dorridge, Leek, Cannock and Wolverhampton. The Derwent Business Centre is an old bonded warehouse building in Derby that is part of the Igloo family. It was converted to a business centre in the 1980s and we are working with the client to establish a road map for its refurbishment and relaunch.
Lots of interesting projects there, and we’re especially excited about plans for the MM refurb – but finally can you tell us, other than your office of course, what do you like most about being in Holbeck Urban Village?
There are lots of local amenities in Holbeck Urban Village that the staff can enjoy and there is a great community atmosphere between local businesses in the area. Out of the Woods and David St Café are our favourite foodie destinations.
If you’d like to find out more about the company or are thinking of using any of the services Chetwoods offer, contact: simon.baker@chetwoods-leeds.com or visit their website www.chetwoods-leeds.com. Don’t forget to tell them you heard about them here in Bleat.