Blackwood Architects

Blackwood Architects was established in June 2000 by Paul Swart and Nick Wood who had worked together previously for a London practice. Both have worked on a broad range of projects and have 20 and 15 years of experience as qualified architects respectively. The principles that govern the way we practice are as follows: A high level of client care... especially listening to what is required and seeking the most appropriate ways of improving their environment. Good design which is appropriate. We like to see design that fits in with its surroundings, complimenting the past yet looking forward. Our aim is to design buildings that will age well and not go out of fashion. Be flexible. We do not want to dictate the type or style of work we do but enjoy the variety of projects a practice of our size deals with. Direct responsibility. We are directly involved with every project in the office and see projects through from start to completion. Ethical. We believe in being honest with our clients especially with regard to cost and time. No excuses. Technology. We use the appropriate technology for the project. We operate a CAD system and use Word and Excel for all our administration. We aim to look after our current and future staff including providing a stakeholder pension. We are committed to a gradual increase in staff size to suit the size of projects undertaken. Project sizes range from the £10,000 project to £1,000,000 and we maintain a flexible approach to building procurement such as partnering. We work with a number of established builders and obtain competitive quotations often with the advantage of knowing the builder well. As a new practice we start all projects afresh and evaluate the requirements without being influenced by the pastwe listen and learn from our experience rather than allowing it to dictate to us.Read More