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Ryan Bennett, Managing Director of Solus, and James Hughes, Founding Director of Fabric Design & Build, join the Building Brum podcast to discuss their grand designs and the evolving market trends shaping the region. They delve into the rise of luxury, high-end residential projects across the Midlands, exploring the factors driving this growth. The conversation also highlights how Birmingham and the wider West Midlands are capitalising on opportunities created by London's land values.
The Building Brum podcast is kindly sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modelling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles, APIC UK Limited West Bromwich based Architectural Glazing specialists, EH Smith brick and façade specialists, and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment Sunbelt Rentals are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.
Ryan Bennett Managing Director Solus
Ryan is the Managing Director of Solus Ceramics, the UK’s largest privately owned distributor of sustainable porcelain, ceramic and terrazzo floor and wall tiles. Solus Ceramics has been supplying a carefully curated range of products to the commercial construction sector for 30 years from their head office in Birmingham. Solus has recently stepped into the prime residential market, offering their internationally sourced products to the builders, designers and owners of luxury property and landscapes across the UK.
Prior to joining Solus Ceramics, Ryan was part of the senior management team at Equip – the owners of the Rab and Lowe Alpine brands. An accountant by trade, Ryan enjoyed a long career in professional services working at both KPMG and BDO where he focused on corporate finance transactions.
James Hughes Founding Director Fabric
James is the founding Director at Fabric Design Group and is passionate and committed to delivering high-end Architecture.James first started out in life as a carpenter before studying architecture at Birmingham City University and furthering his studies with an Msc in Construction Project Management from the University of Birmingham, and a Pg Dip and MA in Urban Design from Oxford Brookes.
James possess a unique set of skills and experience making him equally comfortable in construction, as he is design. This depth of industry understanding gave James the ability to challenge convention and create Fabrics holistic design and build service in 2017.
James has an unwavering commitment to his profession, and is driven by creating meaningful, lasting architectural legacy alongside delivering a positive customer experience to all of his clients.
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Mike Lally, Project Manager, Founding Director, and Entrepreneur, joins the Building Brum podcast to discuss what it’s like running a business in Birmingham. Mike and his team at Cadence are pivotal to some of the city’s most ambitious projects, including Digbeth’s latest regeneration led by Steven Knight and Stanhope, featuring a new film studio and the iconic MasterChef set.
As the founder of Cadence—a true Birmingham startup success story—Mike shares insights on launching a business, securing projects, and building a team in the UK's first city Birmingham.
The Building Brum podcast is kindly sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modelling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles, APIC UK Limited West Bromwich based Architectural Glazing specialists, EH Smith brick and façade specialists, and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment Sunbelt Rentals are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.
About Cadence and Mike Lally:
Cadence Projects are experts in Project Management, Programme Management and Contract Administration. Founded by Mike Lally, a construction professional with an in depth understanding of the construction industry, Cadence work with clients who want a delivery partner who understands how to protect their interests, who gets what they do, and takes ownership for a project’s outcome. -
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Today’s podcast revisits our Placemaking Through Regeneration event recently held in partnership with the CIOB. Hosted by Howells in the heart of Digbeth our sold-out event featured some of some of the city’s leading business leaders, visionaries and construction and development champions who are helping to shape the city’s skyline.
As the city and regions grow, so must the communities within them. On today's podcast we explore the importance of regeneration from Great Charles Street to One Centenary Way. The session will focus on what needs to happen within the built environment sector to enhance and create communities through major regeneration projects across the region.
Event Chair: Sandi Rhys Jones OBE – Immediate Past President of The Chartered Institute of Building
Panellists:
Dav Bansal - Partner - Howells
Alison Kilby – Associate Director and Midlands Workplace Advisory Lead at Arup.
Selina Mason - Director of Masterplanning & Strategic Design - Lendlease
Tom Wraight MCIOB - Regional Director – Careys
All our guests today play a key role in placemaking across the city, and we will hear from Dav, Selina, Tom and Alison about the importance of placemaking in master planning and regeneration, from Smithfield to Paradise Birmingham and what needs to happen within the
Building Brum events are made possible thanks to all of the support from the Building Brum partners: reality capture and point cloud modelling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles, APIC UK Limited, West Bromwich based Architectural Glazing specialists, Eh Smith Architectural Solutions - Brick and Facade specialists and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK, Communications and PR Specialists Cavendish, Civil engineering and construction contractor Careys and Arup a global collective of designers, engineers and technical experts
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Executive Director of SuperTech West Midlands Hilary Smyth-Allen recently joined us on the Building Brum podcast to talk about all things technology, growth and collaboration. Supported by key organisations across the Midlands including Bruntwood SciTech, CBRE and West Midlands Growth Company. Hilary shared her insights into how SuperTech WM is fostering collaboration and innovation within the professional services tech cluster in the West Midlands, with a focus on building a vibrant ecosystem of ambitious companies.
We explore the origins of SuperTech West Midlands, How the organization supports Birmingham and the broader Midlands region what's next for the SuperTech team.
The Building Brum podcast is kindly sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modelling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles, APIC UK Limited West Bromwich based Architectural Glazing specialists, EH Smith brick and façade specialists, and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment Sunbelt Rentals are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.Hilary Smyth-Allen Executive Director of SuperTech West Midlands
Hillary Smyth-Allen is the Executive Lead at SuperTech, whose purpose is to spotlight the strength of the West Midlands Tech Sector. With a focus on FinTech, their purpose is to promote professionals and companies in this space to ensure the UK remains a strong player in global fintech.
As a Judge Hillary brings experience as a former Director of AECOM as well as having held influential positions at GBSLEP and WMCA Skills Commission.
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Seddon Director of Operations Andrea Wilson joined us on the Building Brum this summer to discuss all things preconstruction through to delivery. As Director of Operations for Seddon’s Property Services, Andrea leads the Midlands division delivering a wide range of schemes across several frameworks. We explore the importance of strong relationships within the industry and how this leads to successful projects through timely delivery by trusting your partners and mitigating delays and risks.
The Building Brum podcast is kindly sponsored reality capture and point cloud modelling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles, APIC UK Limited West Bromwich based Architectural Glazing specialists, EH Smith brick and façade specialists, and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.
Andrea Wilson Operations Director Midlands
Andrea Wilson is the Operations Director for Seddon Construction’s Property Services division, heading up the Midlands region. With 35 years of experience in the construction and engineering industry, she oversees construction and property service projects across various sectors, managing operations from planning to completion. -
Following the success of the inaugural Birmingham Housing Week launched earlier this year we caught up two of the key stakeholders behind the initiative, Simon Wingate, Lovell regional partnerships director, and Cabinet member for housing and homelessness at Birmingham City Council, Councillor Jayne Francis. Birmingham City Council and Lovell have come together to champion embracing inclusive growth, with Birmingham Housing Week designed to inform, inspire and involve young people and communities to get involved in all aspects of housing.
The Building Brum podcast is kindly sponsored reality capture and point cloud modelling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles, APIC UK Limited West Bromwich based Architectural Glazing specialists and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.
Simon Wingate Lovell Partnerships Director MidlandsSimon’s primary responsibility is to develop and nurture strategic relationships with key clients including Local Authorities, Housing Associations, Land Agents and consultants to unlock new multi-tenure housing developments.
Simon has extensive experience in acquisition of land for a variety of housing tenures including Affordable, Open Market, Build to Rent and Care. He has been extensively involved in forming partnerships to unlock stalled brownfield sites for multi-tenure housing across the Midlands regions.
Councillor Jayne Francis Harborne (Labour) Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness
Jayne Francis was first elected as a Councillor in 2016. Since 2018 she has been part of Birmingham City Council’s Cabinet – initially with a portfolio encompassing education and skills. In 2020 she became Cabinet Member for digital, culture, heritage & tourism. More recently, Jayne has been appointed Cabinet Member for housing and homelessness. This brief includes political accountability and oversight for housing management, capital investment, housing strategy and partnerships and major regeneration programmes.Jayne’s academic background is in the area of social policy. She has a Master’s in Public Services (Birmingham) and a post-graduate qualification in research methods.
Prior to becoming Cabinet Member, Jayne spent over 20 years working in research and evaluation, largely in Birmingham. Her areas of research (qualitative & quantitative) and evaluation expertise were in housing and regeneration, health inequalities and education. Clients included local authorities, regeneration partnerships and Sure Start where she was a consultant with the DfE.
Jayne is a Director with Harborne BID and holds directorships with the Ikon Gallery and Birmingham Rep. She is also a Trustee with West Midlands Arts and is a Regional representative on the Arts Council (Midlands). Outside of work her passion is food (cooking and eating) and Jayne enjoys travel (public transport as she doesn’t drive). Jayne has one daughter and one grandchild.
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This April, on the Building Brum podcast, we caught up with the organisers of the British Council for Offices (BCO) 2024 Annual conference taking place next month in Birmingham. It has been 10 years since the conference was last held in the UK’s second city and over the past decade, our city, famously known as the ‘workshop of the world’ has lived up to its name, quietly delivering a number of sizeable new developments, including 103 Colmore Row, Enterprise Wharf and Paradise Birmingham.
We caught up with Peter Crowther – Senior Vice President of the BCO, James Hall – Director at Associated Architects and Member of the BCO Midlands Chapter Committee and Rosie Cotterill – Director at Turley and Chair of BCO Midlands NextGen Committee to discuss what makes Birmingham a strategic place for the conference to be held and how ongoing investment and development has transformed the city.
The Building Brum podcast is kindly sponsored reality capture and point cloud modelling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles, APIC UK Limited West Bromwich based Architectural Glazing specialists and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK. -
This spring on the Building Brum podcast we discuss housing across the UK in 2024 . Following on from the March Spring Budget and ahead of the local elections, mayoral elections and the general election, we caught up with Chartered Town Planner Daniel Wilson who specialises in delivering sustainable developments that transform places and leave a positive, lasting impact on local communities through holistic, inclusive growth.
Joining Dan from our sponsors Cavendish is Tristan Chatfield who served as a councillor at Birmingham City Council and is now Associate Director at Cavendish specialising in Planning Communications and Public Affairs. Together they examine the 2024 spring budget and look ahead at the future of the housing sector.
The Building Brum podcast is kindly sponsored reality capture and point cloud modelling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles, APIC UK Limited West Bromwich based Architectural Glazing specialists and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.
Daniel Wilson:
Dan is a Chartered Town Planner who specialises in delivering sustainable developments that transform places and leave a positive, lasting impact on local communities through holistic, inclusive growth. Dan is experienced in delivering strategic urban extensions, a brand-new garden village, urban regeneration schemes, student accommodation, hotels, and more. Since graduating from Cardiff University (MSc in International Planning and Development), Dan has gained over 10 years of experience in both the public and private sectors.Dan previously sat on both the RTPI West Midlands Regional Activities Committee and the RTPI West Midlands Ball Committee. He also served as Junior Vice-Chair and Vice-Chair and, in 2020, was Chair of the RTPI West Midlands Young Planners Committee. That same year, Dan won the RTPI West Midlands Young Planner of the year award and, in 2021, was highly commended by the judges in the national Young Planner of the year awards. In a previous life, Dan was President of a Students’ Union and Regional Chairman of the Commonwealth Student Association (Caribbean Chapter).
Tristan Chatfield:Tristan is a passionate advocate for sustainable economic development in Birmingham and the West Midlands. As a former cabinet member at Birmingham City Council and MPs constituency assistant Tristan enjoys unparalleled local connections. He can offer insight into both the politics of the region and its varied communities.
His current portfolio of projects includes regeneration schemes, aviation, infrastructure, retail and residential. Tristan leads our work in the West Midlands, based out of our Birmingham office.
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International Women's Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. We have three guests joining us this March on the Building Brum podcast including two of Birmingham's leading women in architecture with glowing careers. Alex Slatter Associate as Associated Architects and Shauna Bradley Partner at Howells, alongside long-time building Brum collaborator and supporter Lee Simmonds of Solus. All three of our guests are parents, both Alex and Shauna are both mothers of one and Lee is a father of three.
On today's episode, we are going to be talking about the challenges of planning for, having and raising a family whilst furthering your career and growing within your place of work.
The Building Brum podcast is kindly sponsored reality capture and point cloud modelling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles, APIC UK Limited West Bromwich based Architectural Glazing specialists and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK. -
This February on the Building Brum podcast we are joined by some of the stakeholders behind the Skills Hub initiative taking place at the latest MODA development coming out of the ground on Great Charles Street. We are speaking with Matthew Hood of Sunbelt Rentals, Shaun Hall from the West Midlands Combined Authority and Karl Johnson Social Value and Stakeholder manager at John Sisk. The Skills Hub offers local people free construction training and a guaranteed job interview at the end of the 20-day course and follows on from the earlier success of another project by MODA “The Mercian” which created 140 new job opportunities.
The Building Brum podcast is kindly sponsored reality capture and point cloud modelling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles, APIC UK Limited West Bromwich based Architectural Glazing specialists and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.Matthew Hood, Major Projects Sunbelt Rentals – Midlands
Recently celebrated 14 years at Sunbelt Rentals UK & Ireland. His focus is on major projects in the midlands, and he works with management & main contractors, subcontractors, local authorities, and other project partners. He offers project solutions and ESG across all services at Sunbelt.
Shaun Hall - West Midlands Combined Authority
Shaun is the Lead for Adult Retraining for the West Midlands Combined Authority, with extensive experience of connecting local communities to jobs. Shaun has specialist knowledge of working with the construction sector, including pioneering work with HS2 and the 2022 Commonwealth Games, helping to reskill local unemployed people so they can access new employment opportunities. He has a long career working in employability, including close partnerships with JCP, colleges and training providers.
Karl Johnson - Social Value and Stakeholder Manager - John Sisk.I have many years of experience working within social value, providing opportunities for roles primarily within construction for individuals who may never have considered a career within the sector.
A passion for working with communities, schools, colleges and local businesses, as well as being a STEM ambassador and being on the Employment Advisory Board for HMMPS, I fundamentally believe in access to employment for all irrespective of background.
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We are excited to be joined by two of Arup’s Birmingham-based thought leaders Alison Kilby and James Watts, at their brand-new office at One Centenary Way, in Birmingham City Centre. In this episode we discuss all things Paradise Birmingham and the part both played in delivering one of the city's most ambitious office developments for MEPC and in turn, becoming its largest occupier. In the five years since the award-winning architects Howells made plans public for One Centenary Way, the project has taken centre stage with its strategic placement linking Centenary Square to the High Street.
We discuss Arup’s role in this journey, including how they supported the redefining of the building as the first intelligent building in Paradise, and how that enabled them to design an office in partnership with HOK Architects and Overbury shaped by Arup’s values of sustainable and inclusive design.
The Building Brum podcast is kindly sponsored reality capture and point cloud modelling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles, APIC UK Limited West Bromwich based Architectural Glazing specialists and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.
James Watts
James is the regeneration lead for Arup’s Midlands property team. He’s worked on a wide variety of projects across a number of different sectors from concept through to completion both in the UK and overseas. He has delivered cost effective solutions through quality design throughout the region and further afield, including across Arup’s new workspace at One Centenary Way and further visioning for Paradise and the city centre.Alison Kilby
Alison is an associate director at Arup. Having started in the industry 14 years ago and, following a period working in Business Development, she returned as a Mechanical Engineer in 2014, and now works on a range of multi-disciplinary building designs, including collaborating with the University of Warwick and University of Birmingham on campus development, as well as with PwC on a range of exciting projects. -
This December we discuss all things Wolverhampton, Birmingham and Solihull with Maggie Grogan, Managing Director - Midlands for Muse. Exploring the expansion behind national placemaker Muse into the Midlands and their vision set out to transform key areas across the West Midlands. We look at the partnerships in place that drive the development team from Muse forward, from Homes England to Legal and General, Maggie and her team have their sights set on creating a lasting legacy across Wolverhampton, Birmingham, Solihull and beyond.
The Building Brum podcast is kindly sponsored reality capture and point cloud modelling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles, APIC UK Limited West Bromwich based Architectural Glazing specialists and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.
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This month on the Building Brum Podcast we are joined by Gensler Birmingham’s Design Director, Philip Twiss. From Associated Architects to MAKE and now Gensler, Philip has helped to design and deliver some of Birmingham’s most iconic buildings from The Cube to the Mailbox, to the next chapter of Hammerson’s Bullring landmark. We look at why Gensler decided to move to Birmingham 10 years ago and what it means to combine global and local with projects being delivered by the Team in Birmingham spanning across the city and into Europe.
The Building Brum podcast is kindly sponsored reality capture and point cloud modelling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles, APIC UK Limited West Bromwich based Architectural Glazing specialists and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK. -
HUB Residential Managing Director Damien Sharkey and Development Manager Isabel Scruby join Building Brum’s Conor Nolan alongside Cavendish Associate Director and ex-Birmingham City Council Cabinet Member Tristan Chatfield to talk about their upcoming development: 2 Snow Hill Plaza. We will discuss why Birmingham is a key destination for investors as 2 Snow Hill Plaza marks HUB's second project in Birmingham alongside the Digbeth Coach Station. We explore why Damien and the team at HUB have chosen to invest in the Build to Rent market in Colmore Row and discuss the ongoing demand for development sites across Birmingham.
The Building Brum podcast is kindly sponsored reality capture and point cloud modelling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles, APIC UK Limited West Bromwich based Architectural Glazing specialists and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.
Damien Sharkey is HUB’s Managing Director. Damien is keenly involved in all aspects of the HUB business, leading the development process of its current £2bn pipeline from acquisition and funding through design, consultation, planning, procurement, and delivery to completion. An architect by background, Damien completed his post-graduate diploma in architecture at the University of Westminster before beginning his career at Robin Partington Architects, now known as Apt. Having moved into development, Damien remains passionate about design and ensures maximum value through thoughtful design, technical accuracy, and efficient delivery for all of HUB’s portfolio. His agile thinking and proclivity for problem solving allow him to develop the HUB direction, structure deals and lead a fantastic team.Isabel is a Development Manager at HUB as well as a chartered town planner with a range of experience in residential and commercial projects across the UK. Isabel is dedicated to promoting sustainable development and continually enhances her knowledge of key legislation and policy. Prior to joining HUB, Isabel was a Senior Planning Consultant at JLL. She has previously spoken at events including the Cities Alive Conference in New York, where she explored the history of Green Roof policies and their evolution as they spread worldwide.
Tristan is a passionate advocate for sustainable economic development in Birmingham and the West Midlands. As a former cabinet member at Birmingham City Council and MPs constituency assistant Tristan enjoys unparalleled local connections. He can offer insight into both the politics of the region and its varied communities.His current portfolio of projects includes regeneration schemes, aviation, infrastructure, retail and residential. Tristan leads our work in the West Midlands, based out of our Birmingham office.
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On the podcast this month we are joined by the Head of Digital Project Delivery Joshua Hanson and Liam Clarke Regional Head of 4D Planning at John Sisk & Son. We caught up with Liam and Joshua to look at the projects they have both completed and are currently delivering across Birmingham including The Merican, Great Charles Street and Birmingham Health and Innovation Campus. These schemes when combined add up to three-quarters of a billion pounds worth of development across build-to-rent and life science sectors in the city.
We also explore how the standardisation of digital project delivery across regions has enhanced programme efficiency across the organisation and changed the way John Sisk approaches developments as a company.
The Building Brum podcast is kindly sponsored reality capture and point cloud modelling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles, APIC UK Limited West Bromwich based Architectural Glazing specialists and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK. -
We caught up with IM Properties Group Sustainability Director Andrew Swain. Andy is a chartered environmentalist with over 20 years of experience and joined IM Properties in 2022 to drive the implementation and delivery of the businesses ‘Sustainable Futures’ strategy focused around its three pillars of People, Planet and Place. In addition to delivering sustainable futures, he works closely with delivery partners to ensure that the principles of sustainable development and net zero construction are delivered across IM Properties property portfolio, industrial and logistics developments and residential projects. We discuss the ambition that is required to deliver developments that are fit for the future.
The Building Brum podcast is kindly sponsors reality capture and point cloud modelling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles, APIC UK Limited West Bromwich based Architectural Glazing specialists and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.
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We are onsite at the Peddimore Birmingham development with Winvic Construction and Sunbelt Rentals. IM Properties are Birmingham City Councils development partner for Peddimore.On our latest episode we caught up with key members of the project team to talk about the role, impact and importance of social value within the construction industry. Focusing on how social value is there to support, grow and create positive change within communities. All three guests on our latest episode play a key role in the Peddimore project Rokneddin Shariat Policy and Governance Manager Birmingham City Council, Emma Rhymes Social Value Manager Winvic Construction and Jackie Cuthbert Social Impact Director Sunbelt Rentals UK & Ireland.
The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.
Jackie Cuthbert, Social Impact Director, Sunbelt RentalsJackie and her team work closely with design teams and contractors to create, deliver and report on social value in local communities for customers and ultimate clients. With 25 years experience gained across multiple sectors, Jackie is passionate about transforming lives for local people, one job at a time. Sunbelt Rentals is committed to leading with ESG and its ‘Our Planet’ programme is dedicated to supporting local residents, businesses and VCSEs in achieving their ambitions. This is achieved through innovative collaborations with customers, suppliers and VCSE partners with environmental; skills, education and employment and social equality expertise.
Rokneddin Shariat Policy and Governance Manager Birmingham City Council
Shariat is the Policy and Governance manager at Birmingham City Council’s procurement service. He has been leading the social value development at the Council since 2012 with a 3 year gap as an independent consultant. Birmingham is one of the early adopters of Social Value considering the City’s challenges around deprivation and the opportunities offered by the Commonwealth Games and HS2. He has first hand experience of all 3 sectors, Private, Public and Third sector. Previously, Shariat managed the publicly funded business support programmes at the Chamber of Commerce in Birmingham for 10 years.
Emma Rhymes is Social Value Manager for Winvic Construction Ltd
Over the last two years, Emma has been working alongside the Peddimore Project Team and is responsible for supporting and implementing social value during the construction stage of the project. Emma uses her past experience of community engagement and CSR working for both construction sub-contractors and the charity sector to drive the social value agenda to leave a positive legacy in the local community. Emma is inspired daily by the positive stories she hears about the opportunities and impact being created through the project which include some of the innovative initiatives she has helped to create. -
We catch up with Ash Wilson, Creative Director and Founder of Sculpt - an architectural interior design practice based in Digbeth. Exploring the journey of a design practice start-up we look at what it means to be an entrepreneur within the design world in the Midlands. We discuss the highs and lows of starting up a design business and amazing projects like The Roundhouse with the National Trust that help to define the practice, as well as repeat clients such as Digbeth Dining Club that are won through hard work and determination.
The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modeling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK. -
All three of our special guests were recently nominated for the British Council for Offices (BCO) NextGen Rising Star Midlands Award. We are joined by Rosie Cotterill incoming Chair of the BCO NextGen Midlands Committee who plays an instrumental role in the planning and delivery of Birmingham’s award-winning Paradise Development as a Director at Turley
Alex Slatter BCO award winner is both the Chair of the British Council for Offices Next Gen Midlands and an associate at Associated Architects delivering both commercial and education projects, with considerable experience in the refurbishment and conversion of commercial buildings.
Francesca Ghavami one of Glenn Howells Architects senior interior designers working on a macro master planning scale right down to the micro interior details on a selection of high-profile projects, including the RIBA-award-winning Moss House for University College Birmingham, Two Chamberlain Square and One Centenary Way at Paradise Birmingham.All three guests share the same vision for building a better Birmingham and are working towards that goal, taking huge strides each year in making this vision a reality.
Alexandra Slatter
The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modelling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.
Alex joined Associated Architects in July 2017 as a Part II Graduate and qualified as an Architect in 2020. She was promoted to Associate in 2021.She undertook her architectural training at the University of Kent, the University of Liverpool, and Birmingham City University.
Alex has worked across multiple sectors, predominantly on commercial and education projects. She has considerable experience in the refurbishment and conversion of commercial buildings, with extensive involvement in mixed-use commercial, residential and luxury residential developments.
The current Chair of the British Council for Offices (BCO) NextGen Committee for Midlands and East Anglia; Alex has led BCO tours of numerous projects. She acts on behalf of Associated Architects on the RIBA Future Architects Mentoring Scheme and sits on the practice’s CSR committee.
Francesca Ghavami
Francesca is interested how spaces can affect how people behave and interact with each other and how good quality design can transform this experience.At Glenn Howells Architects, Francesca works on a macro master planning scale right down to the micro interior details on a selection of high-profile projects, including the RIBA-award-winning Moss House for University College Birmingham, Two Chamberlain Square and One Centenary Way at Paradise Birmingham, Port Loop and Kidbrooke, London.
Francesca is committed to mentoring and sharing knowledge with the younger generation. She is a key member of our annual Summer School design review panel and leads interior design workshops to provide encouragement, advice and inspiration to the young participants. She hosts a work experience placement with Birmingham City University second-year students and has worked with the “I Can Be” charity to offer a career insight to girls at primary school.
Before joining us, Francesca studied architecture at Oxford Brookes University and worked for a specialist workplace interior design practice.
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We caught up with Matt Warren, Head of Digital Engineering and Integrated Solutions at Lendlease Europe to discuss the delivery of city centre regeneration projects and how advancements in technology are changing the ways in which teams collaborate and work together to drive positive change and regeneration. We look back at work by Lendlease in Elephant and Castle, London and ahead to the upcoming Birmingham Smithfield redevelopment.
With the advancements in technology being embraced and implemented across the construction sector in recent years, we look at how this digital transformation seen within the construction industry has changed the way colleagues, project partners and clients deliver projects and collaborate together.The Building Brum podcast is sponsored by reality capture and point cloud modelling specialists ScanTech Digital, Solus, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of commercial floor and wall tiles and Sunbelt Rentals with over 1,500,000 items of equipment- they are the largest providers of equipment hire in the UK.
Matt Warren Head of Digital Engineering and Integrated Solutions Lendlease Europe: Having worked within architectural practice since 2002 and with a BA(hons) & MA in Architecture complete, Matt decided to change direction to join one of the world’s leading developers and contractors, focussing on delivering their integrated projects from inception through to completion. From the 2012 London Olympics, eco home firsts in zone 1 London, to major urban regeneration schemes throughout the UK, Matt has led design and digitisation innovations always with a focus on improving process and products.As Head of Digital Engineering for Lendlease’s Integrated Solutions team in Europe, he and his team are focussed on supporting and leading Lendlease’s digital transformations and innovations in design, development and delivery.
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