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10 October 2023

John Robertson Architects announces changes to its senior leadership team

JRA directors (top row, left to right), Festus Moffat, David Magyar and Nathalie Bergvall are joined by (bottom row, left to right), Angela St Clair-Ford, Etain Fitzpatrick and Mark Wibberley ; not pictured: Finance & HR Director, Smita Bhat

photo courtesy of architects office

As it celebrates its 30^th year, leading architectural practice John Robertson Architects (JRA) has announced significant changes to its senior leadership team as it transitions to a new management structure.

Three Associate Directors previously appointed in May 2022 – Etain Fitzpatrick, Angela St Clair-Ford and Mark Wibberley – have been promoted to Directors of the firm. These Directors – who collectively have over 30 years of experience working at JRA – bring considerable knowledge and expertise of the UK’s office, residential, education, heritage, and mixed-use sectors, alongside additional workstreams such as client monitoring services and interior fit-outs.

Fitzpatrick, who joined JRA in 2016, has 30 years of international experience with architecture practices in the US, FR and UK. She has worked across a broad variety of markets and sectors, including within office, residential, mixed-use, and educational projects and has a strong track record of delivering complex schemes within challenging built environments. In collaboration with M3 Consulting, Fitzpatrick recently led on the design and delivery of The Northcliffe in the City of London, a state-of-the-art reimagining of the listed former headquarters and print works of the Daily Mail as Grade A workspace.

Outside the Square Mile, Fitzpatrick also recently completed 10 Park Drive and 8 Water Street, a major residential scheme comprising a 43-storey tower and associated 13-storey podium delivering 520 apartments, part of the first phase of the Canary Wharf, Wood Wharf development. Prior to joining JRA, Fitzpatrick held roles at Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates and at the Renzo Piano Building Workshop, where she worked on the design and delivery of The News Building in London Bridge.

St Clair-Ford is the lead architect at JRA’s studio in Edinburgh’s New Town – launched in 2022 – and specialises in workplace consultancy and fit-out of interiors for education sector and commercial occupiers. Recently appointed on the heritage retrofitting of 14 Queen Street in Edinburgh for the British Medical Association, JRA’s expansion into Scotland has also allowed the practice to target the regions including completing 100 Embankment in Manchester and Foundry at Brindleyplace in Birmingham for x + why, a flexible office operator.

Prior to the establishment of JRA’s Edinburgh studio, St Clair-Ford worked extensively for King’s College London at its refurbished Strand campus and on other higher education projects including the UCL Student Union and the University of East Anglia (UAE). St Clair-Ford also has extensive knowledge in the co-working sector including delivering WeWork Spitalfields, Mindspace Shoreditch and for other flex space providers.

Wibberley will lead on the practice’s growing client monitoring (CMT) workstreams, utilising his extensive industry knowledge and project experience to ensure that contractual and technical obligations are met during construction. Wibberley has been responsible for guiding JRA monitoring teams through multiple complex and multi-faceted residential, commercial, retail and leisure developments on behalf of listed developers and landowners. His recent and current projects include 100 Liverpool Street, 1 Broadgate, Broadgate Exchange Square, 1 Triton Square, and 65 Davies Street.

Festus Moffat, Director, JRA said: ”Our 30th anniversary not only marks a significant milestone but also signifies an exciting new chapter in the evolution of our practice. Our founder, John Robertson, has assumed a senior advisor role, entrusting the leadership of the practice to David Magyar, Smita Bhat, Nathalie Bergvall and myself.

“In line with our forward-looking succession plan, we’ve actively fostered a culture of empowerment among our staff, emphasizing the values of creativity, initiative, and ownership and it is with great delight that we announce the well-deserved promotions of Etain Fitzpatrick, Angela St. Clair Ford, and Mark Wibberley to the role of Directors within the practice.

“We eagerly anticipate their valuable contributions to this exciting new phase. We are collectively committed to fostering fresh thinking, nurturing ambition, and perpetually evolving to ensure the continued success and growth of JRA.”

Previously on e-architect:

John Robertson Architects News

John Robertson Architects Practice News, chronological:

13 June 2023
BMA Scotland HQ, 14 Queen Street, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

image courtesy of architecture office
British Medical Association HQ in Edinburgh
The Grade A-listed 14 Queen Street is a notable example of Scottish Georgian architecture, situated in Edinburgh’s UNESCO-protected New Town. The New Town World Heritage Site is characterised by a diverse portfolio of architecturally significant commercial and residential buildings including designs from John & Robert Adam and Sir William Chambers.

5 Oct 2022
JRA launches Edinburgh studio

image courtesy of architects practice
• New studio will be led by Angela St Clair-Ford, Associate Director
• Edinburgh is the third location for the international architecture practice, adding to its established offices in central London and Poland
• Studio will focus on interior design projects, as well as supporting projects outside central London, including Manchester, Birmingham, and Scotland
John Robertson Architects

31 May 2022
JRA appoints new associate directors to its board

New associate directors at JRA (from left to right): Mark Wibberley, David Magyar (director), Kerri Cooke, Nathalie Bergvall, Angela St Clair-Ford, John Robertson (founder & director), Etain Fitzpatrick and Festus Moffat (director):

photograph © Debra Hurford Brown

John Robertson Architects (JRA) has confirmed the appointment of five new associate directors.

The new associate directors – who between them bring almost 50 years’ experience of working at JRA – are Nathalie Bergvall, Kerri Cooke, Etain Fitzpatrick, Angela St Clair-Ford and Mark Wibberley. Their industry expertise ranges from office, residential, education and mixed-used schemes to undertaking client monitoring & compliance services and advising on heritage-related designs both in the UK and internationally.

Bergvall oversees design across all JRA’s projects, as well as bids and competitions. Cooke has a particular expertise in workplace refurbishment and reuse. Fitzpatrick’s experience focuses on delivering high-end developments which integrate public realm and infrastructure, often on constrained sites. St Clair-Ford specialises in workplace consultancy and fit-out of interiors for a range of educational and commercial occupiers. And Wibberley is an expert in client monitoring (CMT) using his extensive knowledge and project experience to ensure that technical requirements are contract compliant both in terms of design and during construction.

New associate directors at JRA (from left to right): Angela St Clair-Ford, David Magyar (director), Etain Fitzpatrick, Kerri Cooke, John Robertson (founder & director), Festus Moffat (director), Mark Wibberley and Nathalie Bergvall:

photo © Debra Hurford Brown

The practice – founded in 1993 – has been involved with some of the most high-profile projects in London during the past decade including the Bush House and Aldwych Quarter, Great Arthur House, Bracken House, 33 King William Street and the recently completed Bloom, Clerkenwell. The appointments come at a time when the practice is looking to build on its existing portfolio of retrofitting Grade A office and mixed-used developments – particularly in London – while growing new workstreams in the workplace, sustainable retrofit, educational, residential, civic and other sectors.

Founding director John Robertson said: “The practice has built a strong reputation in the marketplace over the past three decades. The promotion of these five exceptional individuals recognises JRA’s evolution in recent years towards creating a portfolio of projects which places sustainability, diversity and wider ESG issues at its focus. It also reflects, I believe, our flexibility as an employer and our ability to nurture and encourage a committed team of top-quality designers.”

JRA is an award-winning AJ100 architectural practice with offices in London and Edinburgh. It employs around 60 people and its work has been recognised in recent years by organisations including the RIBA (National and London), the BCO, NLA and the Civic Trust.

More office news and design projects by John Robertson Architects – JRA online soon

Buildings by John Robertson Architects

Major Building Designs by JRA on e-architect – selection, chronological order:

22 Sep 2020
Frederick’s Place and Old Jewry, City of London, England, UK

photograph : Peter Cook
Frederick’s Place and Old Jewry London
JRA has completed the sensitive refurbishment and restoration of 1-3 and 7-8 Frederick’s Place, and 35 Old Jewry, as part of its master plan for the Mercers’ Company.

6 Mar 2020
Skanska Headquarters, 51 Moorgate, City of London, England, UK

photo © Peter Cook
Skanska Headquarter in Moorgate
The Skanska Headquarter premises will provide the world-leading project development and construction group with a new regional headquarters for its London projects, as well as offering additional sustainable Grade A office space to other occupiers.

6 Sep 2019
Cannon Green workplace design, near Cannon Street station, London, England, UK

photo : Peter Cook
Cannon Green London Workplace
JRA has revitalised an existing office building in the City of London with a prominent new entrance hall and retail podium. Briefed by client Ocubis with creating “Clerkenwell meets the City”, Cannon Green provides a contemporary workplace environment complete with hot-desking and co-working spaces, as well as bike storage, showers and a cycle workshop.

3 Oct 2018
Bureau, Fetter Lane, Midtown, London, England, UK

image courtesy of architects practice
Fetter Lane Bureau in London Workspace
Evans Randall Investors is pleased to announce the completion of Bureau, its high quality development at 90 Fetter Lane in London’s Midtown, which has created a signature building comprising more than 60,000 sq. ft. of offices and around 13,000 sq. ft. of flexible retail and office space. Evans Randall Investors is also pleased to announce that 40% of Bureau is under offer to a multinational company and owner of major consumer brands, which is planning to move its UK headquarters into the high specification accommodation.

26 Aug 2015
Broadgate Quarter Refurb, 1 Snowden Street, London, England, UK

image courtesy of architects practice
Broadgate Quarter, London Office Refurbishment
John Robertson Architects (JRA) has completed the refurbishment of 1 Snowden Street at Broadgate Quarter, on the border of the City and Shoreditch in London. Completed on behalf of the building owner Hines, JRA’s work repositions the eleven year old building, bringing it up to the standard expected of office accommodation in this dynamic and changing area of the City.

Location: London, England, UK

Architects Practice Information

Architect offices based at Bankside in central London, Edinburgh in Scotland and in Lodz in Poland.

London Architects

John Robertson Architects (JRA)

Since its formation in 1993, JRA has designed and delivered buildings that have established the firm’s reputation as innovative architects who consistently realise client’s ambitions and resolve complex problems with purpose and flair. Guided by founder John Robertson, the practice is led by Festus Moffat, David Magyar and Smita Bhat, supported by an accomplished team of associate directors. Together, they have wide ranging project experience in the UK, EMEA and international markets, and in masterplanning exercises across conceptual and detailed design stages. The practice’s portfolio spans the office, residential, heritage, education, hotel, compliance monitoring and residential sectors.

JRA is currently undertaking commercial, higher education and residential projects in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh, adding significant value through creative, sustainable and thoughtful design. JRA’s recent completed projects include the environmentally outstanding workspace Bloom Clerkenwell for HB Reavis, a historic complex of buildings at Frederick’s Place as part of the Mercers’ Company’s Estate, the prominent repositioning projects Bureau and The Ludgate, the new workplace concept at Cannon Green, and the redevelopment and fit out of Skanska’s headquarters at 51 Moorgate.

Website: https://www.jra.co.uk/