GRAHAM COLLINGRIDGE
Graham Collingridge
BA(Hons) Arch Grad Dip (Arch) PG Dip Arch Prac ARB RIBA CPHD
While studying, Graham worked for the ‘commercial’ wing of Studio BAAD working on projects ranging from interior design to large urban scale shopping complexes. In between Graham worked on private houses, nurseries, hospitals, night clubs, arts centres, offices and warehouses.
Graham took part in a variety of competition entries, including Limavady Arts Centre; and Britannia Basins, with Buro Happold, a new build housing competition for Urban Splash in Manchester.
Later, Graham took part in the preparation of a planning application for a £300 million urban retail complex at Chavasse Park, Liverpool (in collaboration with Philip Johnson Alan Ritchie Architects and Cecil Balmond of Ove Arup amongst others).
Graham was also central to the development of the detailed designs for Warrington Arts Centre, a RIBA competition won in 1996 to transform the redundant law courts into a cultural hub, with performance spaces, workshop spaces and so on. Through closely working with Warrington Borough Council, The Pyramid project was a catalyst to improve Parr Hall, and Palmyra Square. We presented proposals to various stakeholders in Warrington, and assisted with material for lottery and public art funding.
Graham was invited to join Foster + Partners in 2000 where he initially worked on No.1 London Wall, assisting in the design and co-ordination of a Design and Build project, which included complex boundary wall situations; preserving a part of the London Wall; link bridges to the Museum of London and a new public realm along London Wall and to St Paul’s Cathedral, all achieved via meetings and presentations with the Corporation and the Museum of London.
Graham has worked on many office, residential and mixed-use developments, including Hermitage Plaza in La Defense – two large towers (Immeubles de Tres Grande Hauteur) with apartments, a hotel, offices, retail, art galleries, student housing, nightclubs and an auditorium; Principal Place in Hackney – 600,000ft² offices occupied by Amazon, a 50 storey residential tower and 46 affordable apartments; and The Corniche on the Albert Embankment – three towers facing the River Thames comprising apartments, retail etc. All required public consultations following close work with various stakeholders.
Graham was also Project Architect for the Patent Office Building Roof Enclosure project for the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. As well as leading the design, Graham ran the Architect / Engineer Contract, and organised regular presentations to the multiple museum and Washington D.C. stakeholders, including the Commission for Fine Arts, and the National Capital Planning Commission.
Graham joined with Phil Smith in the Spring of 2012, transforming the listed South Fulham Conservative Club into an early learning centre in Parsons Green, London.
Initially conceived as a nimble and lean office working collaboratively 24 hours a day across the world (Graham works in the English Lake District and Phil works in Auckland, New Zealand), CASA had some early success as runners up in the RIBA sponsored York Guildhall refurbishment and extension project. A joint venture between companies and individuals working out of Canada, Spain, Israel, London and New Zealand, each individual member brought a skill complementing the others’ specialities.
Collaborative working has been a theme throughout Graham’s time at CASA. Graham worked for The Macallan, who were looking for an Architect with the right credentials to build them a new £120 million distillery. Graham wrote the brief for the international architectural competition, and subsequently managed the process of inviting Expressions of Interest, shortlisting interested parties, organising design charets and assisting the Edrington Group board choose their preferred Architect, Subsequently Rogers, Stirk, Harbour and Partners won the competition and designed the current facility in Speyside. The project was subsequently shortlisted for the Stirling Prize.
Graham has also worked with Harris Calnan, high-end contractors in London, both on Design and Build projects, and assisting with the co-ordination of Contractor Design Portions on particularly sensitive projects. This has included Fleet House, designed by Stanton Williams. Graham helped Harris Calnan co-ordinate their proposed sub-contractors’ works, and designed many of the bespoke packages with specialist sub-contractors.
Similarly, Graham has worked with Lister + Lister, an interior architecture company based in Leeds, who were expanding rapidly while working on large residential and mixed use projects throughout the UK. In particular, Graham helped Lister + Lister put together their Stage 3 and 4 documentation for the amenity spaces at Deansgate Square in Manchester. The main lobby spaces, concierge, bars, etc. opened in March 2021.
Graham also continued to contribute to CASA’s own catalogue of award-winning work, including domestic and commercial projects until 2023. The projects focussed mainly on early years education and childcare, as well as volume housing for developers in New Zealand. Of note is Graham’s work at Little Doves, for Kristin Private School in Auckland; Chrysalis in Avondale (both Design Institute of New Zealand award-winning projects); and New Shoots’ recent development in Kerikeri, in the North Island; as well as 106 Hobsonville Road for LEP.
Since 2020, Graham has collaborated with Align Property Partners on a number of projects. Notable projects include a new building for HM Coroner in Cumbria; and Earnse Bay Outdoor Centre for Natural England and Westmorland and Furness Council. Earnse Bay Outdoor Centre was one of several projects submitted as part of Barrow’s successful bid for £25 million from the UK Government’s Town Deal regeneration fund. Both projects were granted planning permission in 2023, with detailed design for HM Coroner’s accommodation completed shortly after. The HM Coroner’s accommodation has been designed with a ‘fabric first’ approach in mind. This, combined with its 120 photovoltaic panels will result in a building that produces more energy than it uses, saving the client running costs over the building’s lifetime.
In 2023, Graham established Collingridge Architects to concentrate on opportunities and projects in the North West of England.
Graham has long had an interest in designing buildings that are comfortable and use as little energy as possible. For this reason, Graham qualified as a Certified Passive House Designer in 2023.