Collaboration nation

What an interesting time we live in! Absolute uncertainty coupled with sheer determination to make it work and the realisation that we’re all in it together. What a heady mix! The lessons we are learning on a daily basis at the moment might have taken years to realise under normal circumstances.

At the end of January, we launched the re-branding of our business with an event at our bespoke studio in Chipping Norton and our new re-branded website. Barely six weeks later and we are facing a very different reality. Reflecting back over these few weeks, leaves us in awe of the sense of community, of togetherness we’ve experienced from those around us.

So today, we want to use this opportunity to celebrate our business community to help us to keep the wheels turning.

First of all, a huge thank you to our staff who has taken the transition to remote working in their stride. Home workstations were set up in no time and it is all systems go. Our daily virtual meeting keeps us connected and the office Whatsapp group jokes keep us laughing!

With remote working comes the need for additional software licences. Our suppliers have more than stepped up to the plate and have provided us with all the additional licenses we needed to ensure we can service our projects seamlessly during the transition. We would like to give Masterseries, AllPlan and Civil Designer Software a special mention, all going above and beyond the expected to keep us operational.

The third group of people we want to celebrate is all our industry colleagues out there. In just over a week, we have already held key project team meetings. The RIBA Stage 4 cost plan was signed off for Abingdon Prep School with West Waddy ADP, Bidwells, QODA. We all presented our Stage 4 reports virtually after which it was signed off by Abingdon Prep School. On Radley College’s Chapel extension, a workshop was held with Purcell, Beard Construction and Campbell Reith Engineers to coordinate some very tricky brick vaulting support details.

This week, we have taken part in a multi-disciplinary team bid and presentation for a potential new £14m project in Oxfordshire. All preparatory work was carried over video conferencing links along with the actual presentation and interview

The team response from the different companies showed a new way of working which was highly efficient. It used the best of the technology available, involved no travel time, allowed some creative collaboration and an insight into different peoples new personnel office spaces! The end result was delivered with clarity and we hope the judging panel was able to see our real commitment to the project.  

We are excited about the future, watch this space!