Robinson Design Group eyes up new opportunities

A DEMAND for modular buildings in the education and healthcare sectors is providing opportunities for Yorkshire building design consultants Robinson Design Group, one of its directors has said.

Alan Soper, who is managing director of Robinson Design Group’s architecture division, said the group was looking to exploit new opportunities as a result of the downturn, including winning work in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and in Libya.

Robinson Design, which is based in Shipley, near Bradford, and offers services including architecture, interior design, 3D presentation and engineering, has completed a number of contracts to design modular buildings to provide extra space for hospitals and schools through Healthcare Design Partnerships.

Mr Soper said Robinson Design’s recent acquisition of specialist healthcare architects Healthcare Design Partnership out of Robinson’s joint venture with Rance Booth Smith would allow it to further expand in the sector.

Hospital acute units providing extra beds and medical areas have been supplied to the Bradford Royal Infirmary and a hospital in Lincoln, while the company is also working on a project in Sunderland.

Other markets which Robinson Design, which underwent a restructure two years ago and now employs 50 people in Yorkshire and around 20 at its Chinese operation in Chengdu, sees opportunities in include care homes and academies and free schools.

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Mr Soper said several manufacturers were also redeveloping their existing premises and that developers were active in the retail and leisure markets.

In the education market, Mr Soper said many schools were facing a ‘bulge’ year in which education authorities were having to find space for increased class sizes, giving an opportunity for Robinson Design to come up new designs for extra space.

He said the company was also in discussions with the leading players behind the applications for academies and free schools who will need buildings to house their educational establishments.

“It’s very much a growing area but what we’re trying to do is get a foot in the door so we’ll be ready to be called on at the appropriate time.”

Mr Soper said Robinson Design’s Chinese operation, which includes architecture, landscape design and 3D, had been hit by both the recession and the effects of an earthquake in the country, but was now starting to win new work. 

On the general state of the economy and construction sector, Mr Soper said: “I hope the October spending review brings some good news for the health and education sectors in particular. At least it will bring some clarity.

“In the medium term we know there will be some spend in those sectors but it’s knowing how that will come out.

“The next 12 months will still be tight and you could argue we’ve entered a double dip (recession) in the construction industry.

 But if we can pull work in abd develop these other schemes, in 12 months time we’ll be in a good position when things really start to move.”