Liverpool architecture practice Falconer Chester Hall unveils three senior promotions as its expertise in designing tall buildings generates extra work. Tony McDonough reports

New rules governing the design and specification of higher-risk buildings (HRBs) has led to more work for Liverpool architecture practice Falconer Chester Hall (FCH).

Amid this new growth the firm has announced three senior promotions: Gareth Jones, director (Manchester studio), Robert Brym, director (Liverpool studio) and Jack Farrell, associate director (Liverpool studio).

Following the introduction of the Building Safety Act there has been what FCH director Adam Hall describes as “wholesale change in the architecture sector”. And the firm has long-standing expertise in the design of HRBs.

“The skills, systems and technology required to deliver tall buildings under the new regime have essentially divided our sector in three,” said Adam.

“There are those who can design a project up to planning approval, those with the expertise to work with construction and engineering partners to deliver a compliant building and those, like FCH, who can do both.

Our promotions acknowledge how colleagues have embraced these changes and helped position us as one of the UK’s foremost designers of tall buildings.”

READ MORE: Sciontec in pre-let talks for £69m HEMISPHERE

READ MORE: Martins Bank Building’s owner submits new plans

All three staff act as ‘principal designers’, a statutory duty-holder in the new, post-Grenfell design regime, appointed by the client to oversee, manage and co-ordinate design work and regulatory compliance.

“Promoting from within has always been key to our growth and I’m delighted for Gareth, Rob and Jack that we can recognise their tremendous contribution to the practice in this way,” added Adam Hall.

“We will continue to invest in our team so that we can meet our clients’ needs for both architectural and principal designer services.”