FCH adds staff over summer months

Falconer Chester Hall has hired six new architects over the summer period, benefitting from a series of locally based architects choosing to no longer commute to Manchester, but seek jobs closer to home.

Four recruits have joined the Liverpool office from Manchester-based practices.

Architects Ryan Jones and Paul Gardiner have moved from SimpsonHaugh, while part two assistants Stephen Ball and Emily Simpson have joined from Stride Treglown and Leach Rhodes Walker respectively.

Also in Liverpool, Jack Farrell, part two assistant, has returned to FCH after a stint with K2 Architects, and Vladimir Nedyalkov, also a part two assistant, has been hired directly from his Bulgarian family practice.

In Manchester, Gareth Jones, another SimpsonHaugh recruit, has been appointed as an associate, to work alongside office head David George. George joined FCH from AEW Architects last year, to establish the new Manchester studio.

Falconer Chester Hall now has around 70 employees, 55 of which are based in the Liverpool office. This is up from 30 members of staff five years ago.

According to managing director Adam Hall, the growth of the practice has come as its workload has shifted from largely national hotels, to residential developments, mainly large-scale apartment blocks intended for private rent. The work is largely in Liverpool, but projects are increasing across the country.

Current schemes include Moda Living’s 300-flat 34-storey tower at Princes Dock in Liverpool, while in Manchester the practice is the delivery architect on Elliot Group’s 34-storey project at Greengate, both for the PRS market.