Pictured above: Kevin Singh
Ambitious Birmingham interior designers The Space Studio is
going for gold, targeting new contracts in London as it gears up
for the greatest show on earth.
The company believes there are golden opportunities to get
involved in prestigious projects as the capital drives out of
recession and counts down to the London Olympics 2012.
With the keen eye and attention to detail expected of
accomplished architects and interior designers, directors Kevin
Singh and Tony Kerby have plotted the rise of their Jewellery
Quarter-based business over the last 10 years.
They now believe that, despite the tough economic climate and
continued pressure on the property sector nationally, The Space
Studio is in a strong position to secure new interior design
contracts for London projects. Its new studio is in Old Street,
Clerkenwell.
Kevin said: "We've launched The Space Studio in London because
we want to be well positioned to win new projects as the economy
recovers. We recently worked on a Government agency office project,
beating some London practices including one of the top workplace
designers to the contract, so we feel like we've got some
credibility.
"Our concept is to deliver London projects at Birmingham prices.
We think we have a really good product and service to sell. Our
strategy is to build on our existing relationships. We work with a
lot of companies in Birmingham that are actually London based, so
we want to feed back down these channels. We are focusing on some
key companies to begin with and seeing where it takes us.
"We like to partner with people and invest long term with them
and the London strategy is part of that. We have earned our stripes
with the Government agency work and we have become a practice with
a lot of friends and a lot of people who speak highly of us. People
kept asking us if we had a London office and you could say we have
responded to that demand."
With a step-by-step blueprint for success, prestigious projects
have been won in the UK and abroad in locations including Russia
and Cape Verde. While in the last 12 months alone turnover has
doubled and the workforce increased by around 50% to a team of
11.
Though it now has a London base, it's a success story that is
truly made in Birmingham. The company is based in the city's
Jewellery Quarter, and every member of the team is a graduate of
Birmingham City University, formerly University of Central England
(UCE). An adopted Brummie, Kevin lives just a stone's throw from
his studio and teaches design at the Birmingham School of
Architecture.
Kevin added: "We are a company that has almost doubled in size
in the last year. Staff numbers have increased and we have opened a
London studio at a time of recession when the construction industry
has been obliterated. Having ridden the recession well so far, I
think the next five years will see us really push on but keep our
character and identity."
The Space Studio is currently working with a wide range of
clients including Premier League football club Manchester City FC,
MCD Developments, Upward Developments, JM Homes and several housing
associations.