York's DWA Architects targets expansion with Chinese delegation

Following the recent completion of numerous major projects in China, York-based DWA Architects is targeting further expansion in the country.

As part of this strategy, the firm also hosted a delegation of government and industry officials who are currently in the UK on a fact-finding mission focused on acute and residential care development and operation.

The event was organised in the UK on behalf of the delegates who visited Langham Court near Hindhead in Surrey, which DWA Architects has been working on.

David Ward, managing director of DWA Architects, said: “The care sector in China is an important market for us and we have demonstrated our capabilities with some very large care facilities that have recently opened.

“This visit was a great opportunity to show the Chinese officials and business representatives these modern care home facilities that we are very proud of.”

In 2013, the York-based architects, along with its Beijing-based partners TLD Design Consulting, won an international masterplan design competition to work on a care village in Shunde, Guangdon Province.

This project includes accommodation for 750 elderly people, alongside 450 assisted living apartments with phase one of the village opening last year.

FCO Protocol officer and interpreter, Eileen Gao, added: “The Chinese visitors were very impressed with the care homes and the philosophy behind the concept is very inspirational.”

Working together, the two firms have also just been shortlisted to a design senior care facilities in Foshan, Guangdon Province.

DWA Architects has also worked on other Chinese projects including an 80-bed specialist memory care facility in Shangcai, Henan Province, and a flagship 400 room care home project in Xingcheng City, Liaoning Province.

Over the last 30 years, DWA Architects has worked on over 450 care homes both throughout the UK and internationally and the firm also specialises in residential and commercial projects.