FWP spreads wings to Birmingham
The North West-headquartered architect, best known for its work on sports stadia, has recruited Joe Clarke to head its expansion into the Midlands.
Having originated from Preston and now boasting further studios in Manchester and London, FWP has built up a reputation in architecture, design and masterplanning.
The roster of projects it has worked on in the Midlands includes the redevelopment of Leicester Tigers’ rugby stadium at Welford Road, while it is currently working on a community stadium in Leamington Spa and a sports scheme in Nuneaton.
FWP is now targeting further growth in the Midlands and South West after delivering a number of projects in both regions.
To lead on that, it has reached out to Clarke, a Birmingham native who has worked in the heritage and museum sectors for a decade, managing projects across the UK, Europe and the Middle East. The operation will run from 1 St Paul’s Square, Birmingham.
Clarke’s CV involves working on The Light and Peace Museum in Abu Dhabi, as well as projects at Tate Modern, the Victoria & Albert Museum, The Box museum in Plymouth and RHS Garden Wisley.
David Robinson, managing director of FWP – originally Frank Whittle Partnership – said: “Opening an office in Birmingham is the next natural step on our growth journey as we see major opportunities across the Midlands and in the South West.
“We’re already involved in several ongoing sports projects in these areas and we believe this is an ideal time for FWP to bring its expertise to the continuing transformation of Birmingham and the wider regeneration of the West Midlands. Our strong track record in delivering heritage projects such as the award-winning Rochdale Town Hall will also be invaluable.
“We’re delighted that Joe is joining our team. He is passionate about Birmingham and brings impressive experience in project management to his new, key role within our organisation.”
Clarke added: “Working currently with FWP on a couple of large-scale projects, I’ve developed a strong appreciation for their ethos, technical expertise, and collaborative approach. It is great to now be part of their team.”
He continued: “I’m proud to bring both a strong local connection and a genuine passion for Birmingham’s future direction to my new role.
“My experience in delivering high-profile visitor attraction projects complements FWP’s multidisciplinary strengths, creating a well-aligned offering to support the region’s continued growth and ambition.”
An FWP project familiar to many will be Westmorland Group’s £40m sustainability-forward Gloucester services on the M5. Design and delivery were overseen by FWP as project and cost manager.
Headcount at FWP now stands at 45 across all aspects of construction, from project and cost management to architecture and masterplanning services.
The firm is perhaps best known for its work on football grounds including the reshaping of Deepdale in its home city.
