Architect acquires housing specialist to boost affordable homes business
PCKO has been snapped up by rival architect AHR.
The move is intended to strengthen AHR鈥檚 ability to deliver residential and 鈥渁ffordable鈥� housing projects. PCKO has extensive experience of this sector.
PCKO will continue to operate under its existing name but will be branded as 鈥渁n AHR company鈥�. All existing directors and PCKO staff will be retained and move to AHR鈥檚 office in Clerkenwell.
David de Sousa and Wai Lun Ho who are currently associate directors at PCKO will become directors.
Andrew Ogorzalek, who co-founded PCKO 30 years ago, said it was an 鈥渆xciting move鈥�.
鈥淲ith our portfolio, track record and long-established working relationships with our clients we feel we can make a strong contribution,鈥� he said. 鈥淎HR鈥檚 size and reputation will enable us to move to the next level and start competing for work on a larger scale.鈥�
Michael Walters, AHR London鈥檚 MD, said: 鈥淧CKO is a like-minded practice and from the first meeting, the team felt this will be a great move. The acquisition will not just allow AHR to grow quickly and bolster our capabilities in the residential sector, but we鈥檒l be adding further creative and knowledgeable people to our practice that will enhance the projects we work on in the future.鈥�
In 2014 AHR broke away from Aedas which had been the world鈥檚 fifth-biggest employer of architects, according to BD鈥檚 World Architecture Top 100.
Its first set of accounts, last year, showed turnover up but profits down. At the time the practice stated its intention to win more work overseas, especially in the Middle East, to 鈥渂alance the risks of changing levels of [UK] regional economic activity鈥�.
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