FEATURE
Growth – the Create team has now expanded to sixteen, including, for the first time, three apprentices.
Innovation – the firm has successfully pivoted into the high-tech world of AI data centres, including facilities here on Teesside.
and deliberate. While the firm still handles smaller domestic tasks as a choice for existing clients, the focus has shifted toward larger residential developments, multi-dwelling schemes and executive housing.
The diversity of its portfolio is staggering, ranging from a £ 3m executive housing project to a massive retail and leisure destination in Bishop Auckland.
That retail park is a project Craig has been involved with since 2003 and the firm recently secured planning permission for phase two, which will sit alongside the retail and leisure park in phase one, consisting of a cinema and bowling alley.
Beyond commercial success, the firm remains grounded through its work with local charities.
One standout project involved Five Acres in Darlington, where Create Architecture secured planning for a change of use on agricultural land to help the charity support young adults with disabilities in gaining vital life skills.
This commitment to the community is mirrored in its environmental ambitions. Create Architecture delivered the first zero-waste, carbon-negative residential scheme in London, proving that Teesside talent can lead the way in sustainability on a national stage too.
As the workload has expanded, so has the team.
Two and a half years ago, Create
Project – CGI image of phase 2 of Fieldon Bridge in Bishop Auckland.
Architecture consisted of 10 people, but that number has grown to 16 today, driven by an open-door recruitment policy. If someone believes they are a fit for the culture, the firm will listen.
This growth isn’ t just about numbers; it’ s about building a technical powerhouse where staff support one another to do what is right for the client and each other.
Create Architecture is also tackling the industry’ s looming skills gap head-on by investing in young Teessiders. For the first time, the firm has taken on apprentices.
Harvey Main and Sam Sutherland, apprentice technologists studying at Hartlepool College, and Dylan Condren, an apprentice architect from Northumbria University, are impressing at Map House.
Craig says that while there is expertise in the region, the skills shortfall is the biggest issue the industry faces.
By“ growing our own”, the directors and associates – including Emma Kipling, Andrew Arthur, Matthew Nevitt and Lee Robson – are ensuring the firm has the specific skills needed for the decades to come.
This local focus is reflected in the makeup of the office, where almost everyone is Teesside-based, and there is genuine excitement about the growing number of opportunities in construction and design, while the office boasts an inhouse façade designer too.
Create Architecture is now delivering“ first-of-their-kind” projects in the North- East – the type of work that in years gone by might have required a move to Manchester or London.
While Create Architecture is proud of its history, it has its sights set firmly on the future. The firm has successfully pivoted into the high-tech world of AI data centres, a sector that is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of the modern global economy.
It is currently delivering full AI data centre facilities starting right here on Teesside, with 20 further sites to deliver beyond the region.
Craig said:“ It is a really exciting, albeit relatively new, sector. We don’ t yet know where that is going to stop or take us.
“ The firm sees AI as a massive growth opportunity, not just in terms of buildings, but in how it enhances other sectors we work in, such as manufacturing and pharmaceuticals.
“ There are ongoing conversations about how these facilities will support smart cities and retail advancements, using AI to enhance human experience rather than replace it.”
From the first sketches in a small office 14 years ago to designing the high-tech AI hubs of tomorrow, Create Architecture has remained true to its roots.
By combining its approach to developing talent from within and embracing new technology, Create Architecture is designing the economic future of the Tees Valley.
As it continues to expand its work with tier-one contractors and international manufacturing companies, its message to the region is that the expertise it needs is already here.
Visit createarchitecture. co. uk
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