Watson Batty Architects in Loughborough has reached its 10th anniversary having successfully delivered development projects worth in excess of £125m across the UK.
Whilst Watson Batty was established in Leeds over 40 years ago, the strategic move to set up a Midlands presence has significantly boosted its success over the last ten years providing a more nationalised service to clients.
The 10th anniversary celebrations also coincided with this year’s Leicestershire and Rutland Society of Architects ‘Love Architecture’ festival for which Watson Batty contributes significantly to support local activities and other initiatives within the East Midlands.
The practice also actively supports the next generation of architects via local universities through RIBA student mentoring, student projects, careers support, professional examinations and leading the RIBA’s regional Education Group.
Office founders Richard Crowson and Rima Yousif have together built a strong reputation for the practice, initially through a specific expertise in sport and leisure and in more recent years developing a multi sector capability within the Midlands region. Notable highlights include a £19m leisure centre in Surrey, Newark’s new £11m leisure centre, a new £5m community leisure facility in the Leicestershire, £8m of development at Loughborough and De Montfort universities and £20m of public sector projects on the national Scape Framework.
Richard Crowson, Regional Director, said, “Whilst Watson Batty operates successfully as a national consultancy, we are very proud to have established a long term presence and recognised capability in the Midlands. We actively recognise the contribution that we can make within our communities and are currently working with Loughborough University and a local primary school to help deliver a new teaching and community space and have also helped to initiate the first ever architecture ambassador design programme in Leicestershire schools via the RIBA national schools programme.”
“Commercially we have carved a niche within the practice for sport and leisure in the advent of significant local authority investment to support wellbeing and combat obesity, but have also grown our expertise to deliver education, emergency services, residential, care and transport projects. We are proud to have made such a tangible impact on the local landscape and look forward to the next ten years of steady growth for the practice.”
Watson Batty Architects is a future focused business offering architectural, interior design and master planning solutions for all sectors. It is credited for a number of major public and private sector projects including schools, universities, sport and leisure, distribution facilities, commercial, masterplanning, residential and care developments and transport hubs.
