Watson Batty Architects has announced that it has successfully secured a place on two significant university frameworks for architectural services.
After a competitive procurement process Watson Batty is one of just three architecture firms to secure a place with The University of Leeds to provide services for projects under the value of £2 million during the next four years. This includes the provision of sustainable, innovative and cost-conscious solutions for refurbishments, reconfiguration and new extension works.
Watson Batty has also been awarded a position on the University of Sheffield’s architectural framework to support its major investment and improvement to facilities across the estate. The four-year contract will include new project briefs as well as enhancement to existing facilities across the campus. As one of just four practices appointed to the framework Watson Batty will provide architectural services to the University as well as lead design in collaboration with other consultants.
Watson Batty has extensive experience of higher education projects having already worked with the University of Sheffield on the design and delivery of the flagship International College in Velocity Village. In early 2019 they secured their first commission of the new framework, the refurbishment of New Spring House. Watson Batty are currently due to complete the new Wolfson Centre for Applied Health Research for the University of Leeds; a collaborative partnership between the University of Leeds, University of Bradford and Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. This adds to the extension and internal alterations to the School of Earth and Environment completed late last year.
The practice has a specialised team dedicated to the education sector with other successful projects completed for the Sheffield Hallam University, University of Hull, University of York, De Montfort University, University of Huddersfield, University of Bradford, York St John University, Loughborough University and Liverpool Hope University. Its learning sector expertise also extends to nursery, primary, secondary schools, special schools, free schools, academies, and further education colleges.
Projects across the education sector currently account for almost 30% of clients for Watson Batty which has deliberately embarked on a business drive, making itself a reliable resource for the Department for Education (DfE) funding and procurement processes.
Mark Sidding at Watson Batty said,
“We are delighted to be appointed to these two university frameworks as they continue to invest in major improvements to their respective estates. We are a long-established practice with considerable skills in all manner of education projects and in recent years we have honed our ‘learning’ sector knowledge in line with new DfE procurement to best position the practice to advise clients and form strategic partnerships with a number of contractors.”
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, leisure centres, distribution facilities, residential developments and transport hubs.