Its position as ninth largest firm, by number of qualified architects, is the result of rapid growth and acquisition during the past 12 months, when almost half as many architects again were added to its number, making it the second fastest riser in the country.
The AJ100 Survey, a key indicator of trends within the industry, shows healthcare work to be a major factor in many practices' growth. Nightingale Associates' decision more than a decade ago to concentrate primarily on healthcare projects has been highly successful. It is one of the fastest risers in the UK by fee income, ranking sixth, and consolidates its position for several years running as the largest practice in the Midlands.
It is also one of the few architectural firms to employ a significant number of women, in a profession which still has a low reputation for equality. Female architects make up 37 per cent of the total number of qualified architects within Nightingale Associates. The practiceÕs significant growth over the past year was boosted by the acquisition of Welsh-based practice h2M Architects in September 2002, and the move into new, larger premises of its Brighton and Cardiff offices. It is shortly to open a new office in the Northwest, with plans to expand further within the UK during 2003.
Nightingale Architects now one of the country's top ten architects
Nightingale Associates is now one of the major league architects in the UK, according to a key industry survey. The practice, which specialises in healthcare architecture, has leapt into the top ten from number 17 last year.