The S1 Design Collective started to take shape as something that brought together our collaborations last summer. After nearly a year of chatting about it and developing a brand, we have finally launched the S1 Design Collective website to make the collaborative nature of this small network of practices clearer to potential clients. I wrote this short blog post for the new website:
“For some time I’ve been involved with various informal collaborations with other small practices in Sheffield, or had worked with other practices to source additional man-power or expertise on specific projects. This was really positive and definitely added strength to my offer as I knew I could draw upon additional resources and skills that might otherwise put me off particular projects. It also gave clients a great service because they got access to more than one practitioner and the varied specialist expertise that this brought.
About a year ago I started to think about how I could make this more formal or, at least, visible and celebrated. I thought it was a really good idea to get a small group of architects/designers in Sheffield that have a variety of skills/expertise/interests to put their names to a collective of built environment design professionals in Sheffield: The “S1 Design Collective”.
Many of these individuals I had already worked with extensively and there was a really strong fit with what I do and what I thought the collective should be about. The collective has grown from an initial meeting over coffee and lots of discussion about what the unique benefit is we are providing for our clients. Fundamentally, the collective is still about the client employing a sole practitioner with the personal and detailed service this brings; but with this they get access to the skills and expertise that the collective provides which can range from informal advice through to additional detailed design services. We think that what we do is certainly unique in Sheffield and offer clients a unique opportunity to get a multidisciplinary design service.”
And we say the following about ourselves on the home page:
“The S1 Design Collective is a network of Sheffield-based architects, engineers, designers & photographers. We regularly work together to give more demanding projects specialist expertise and larger teams. The supportive nature of our network gives a level of back-up and a spread of skills that can be applied to every commission and that enriches all the work we do.
We offer the personal services of a small practice with access to a broad range of specialist skills that are rarely found in one company. Although you’ll be employing one of the collective, our specialist skills in architecture, landscape design, structural engineering, built environment photography, renewables, conservation, sustainable and low energy design will be at your disposal. Our track record of working together gives you the certainty of a positive project outcome.”
I hope that clients recognise the significant benefit that can be gained from employing one of the collective and the resources this opens up to them. I’m very proud to be a member.