Cheesegrater architect says base in French capital will act as 鈥榞ateway to Europe鈥�

Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners has said it is opening a new office in Paris because of Brexit and to make sure it keeps access to 20% of its business on the other side of the Channel.

The firm, which has been a vocal critic of the UK鈥檚 decision to leave the EU at the end of last year, said the office in the French capital was being set up as 鈥渁 direct result of the impact of Brexit and to form a gateway to working in Europe鈥�.

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Stephen Barrett said Brexit was 鈥榩rofoundly regressive move鈥�

The architect鈥檚 partner responsible for France, Stephen Barrett, said: 鈥淏rexit is a damaging and profoundly regressive move.

鈥淭he impact of Brexit on architecture is manifold, from directly impacting the lives of architects and their families working across Europe and in the UK, to the recognition of qualifications when submitting bids for work in Europe.鈥�

According to its last set of results, in the year to June 2018 the firm鈥檚 income from Europe was 拢6m 鈥� just over 20% of its near 拢29m turnover.

He said the office in the 9th arrondissement, close to the Gare du Nord railway station which is served by the Eurostar train service, would cater for the firm鈥檚 20 staff working in the country. 鈥淲e are starting cautiously but hope our business will grow naturally as it has done to date,鈥� he added.

The firm behind a host of projects in France, including its 1970s breakthrough, the Pompidou Centre in Paris, is currently working on a masterplan in the capital鈥檚 Montparnasse district which aims to green 9ha of land and includes planting 1,500 new trees.

As well as its base in the Cheesegrater in the City of London, RSHP also has offices in Sydney and Shanghai.

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