HAMILTON Architects is to open its first office in London ahead of a five-year growth plan centred around winning more business in Britain and beyond.
The practice, which has bases in Belfast and Derry, recently won its first contract in the UK capital with a deal to design a housing estate for Ealing Council.
The firm, in business for more than 40 years, has also won a share of £30 million worth of contracts on three education projects in the north.
It is investing £750,000 in its new London operation, expected to open within months.
The company, which currently employs 27 staff, has plans to more than double that number by 2020.
Partner Paul Millar said the company had started 2016 "on an extremely positive note".
“These wins coincide with the initiation of a plan aimed at driving a strong growth surge which will see our business expand across the UK and into Europe over the next several years," he said.
“Our first contract in London, to design social housing for Ealing Council, is a modest but significant one which has already led to further opportunities.
"Our new offices, in Old Broad Street, will officially open in the spring and will give us a permanent presence in the city."
Mr Millar added: “In Northern Ireland, we are very pleased to have secured new contracts in the primary, secondary and higher education sectors, underlining our success in delivering exciting and innovative learning environments.”
The firm will work on a new campus for South West College at the former Erne Hospital site in Enniskille, a new Irish-language primary school and nursery unit at Gaelscoil na gCrann Primary School in Omagh; and a new 600-pupil secondary school for St Joseph’s High School in Crossmaglen.
It also recently completed the £12m SPACE building for South Eastern Regional College in Bangor.
Mr Millar said the firm was "very lucky to have some of the most talented young architects on the island of Ireland in our practice".
"However, looking ahead, as the economy continues to recover we foresee shortages developing in the skill sets we need to operate successfully as a business and a sector," he added.
“Northern Ireland needs to support and invest in its young people if we are to nurture the talent and ambition that will ensure our place as a significant player in the knowledge economy of these islands and beyond. We want to play our part in that.”
Other projects delivered by Hamilton in recent years include Kingspan Stadium, Dundalk Race Course, Riddel Hall, Crumlin Road Gaol, Ulster Museum, Mersey Ferry Terminal and greyhound stadia in Cork and Dundalk.
