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BTP expands housing team and appoints new directors

BTP has promoted three members of staff and taken on a further four new architects as we build on our reputation as leaders in social housing design.

Manny Atkinson joined BTP in 2008 as a trainee and qualified as an architect in 2013. He was promoted to Associate in 2014 and now joins the Senior Management Team as Director. 

Manny has a particular specialism in sustainability, which has led to him being appointed Sustainability Expert on the judging panel for the North West RIBA Awards this year. He has been heavily involved in developing BTP’s Building Information Modelling credentials.

Lee Podmore has also been promoted from Associate to Director. A Chartered Architectural Technologist and Quantity Surveyor, Lee joined the practice in 2009 having spent 18 years in the construction industry as a project manager working on schemes ranging from multi-million pound houses to new build and refurbishment of social housing stock.

Simon Dennis has been promoted to Associate having joined BTP in 2015 as Senior Architect. He now heads up new department specialising in Public Sector projects having recently secured a number of refurbishment projects, including Law Courts and prison facilities.

The four new members of the team are:

Architect Leanne Taylor who has worked in Sweden and Singapore and has a particular interest in how architecture can sustain communities through design. During her time in Singapore, she worked extensively with BIM and received a qualification in BIM Management through the Singapore BCA.

 Architectural assistant Kerry Dragon completed his M.Arch. studies at the Manchester School of Architecture in July 2017 and his B.Arch. studies at the University of Sheffield in 2013. Before joining BTP he worked with practices in London, Oxfordshire and Rochdale, where he focused on healthcare and education design. He is interested in socially sustainable architecture that tackles current urban issues such as the housing crisis and homelessness.

Architectural assistant Farah Arar, graduated this summer with a BA in Architecture from the University of Liverpool. Previously, she gained experience in the construction industry having trained at Abu Dhabi International Airport (MTB). She is currently undertaking her RIBA Part 1 placement at BTP. She is particularly interested in the industry’s technology advancements such as BIM, 3D simulations and virtual reality.

Architectural technologist Abdu Gadmour previously worked for Keppie Design, Northmill Associates and most recently Leach Rhodes Walker. He has worked on a broad range of project types and sizes; including leisure centres, residential, hotels, office blocks and car parks. His most recent project prior to joining BTP was a £40 million hotel development in Blackpool.

These appointments bring the total number of staff at the practice to 13.

Managing Director of BTP, Vicky Saunders, says: “I am delighted to have strengthened the BTP leadership team with such a wide range of highly skilled, internal practitioners.

“These appointments demonstrate BTP’s depth of experience and will support our future, ambitions in the housing, education and healthcare markets.”

Left to right: Kerry Dragon, Simon Dennis, Farah Arar, Lee Podmore, Vicky Saunders, Abdu Gadmour, Leanne Taylor and Manny Atkinson.

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