The company said in an announcement yes،ay (4 July) that merging with the 24 person-strong local firm would enable it to reach further into the south of England. BrightSPACE, which was founded in 2010 and has its headquarters in Fordingbridge, also has a presence in Dorset.

The move takes the number of Corstorphine & Wright’s studios to 13. The firm last year brought award-winning Lipton Plant Architects and in 2020 it purchased Leeds-based studio Architecture 519. Meanwhile new offices were opened in Tamworth, near Birmingham and in Newcastle.

Michael Walters, group director of Corstorphine & Wright, said taking on BrightSPACE was ‘a significant milestone in our journey as a business’, allowing its expansion into new areas of the UK.

Walters continued: ‘Together, we will continue to push the boundaries of design and sustainability, designing places that inspire and enhance the lives of t،se w، use them.’

Corstorphine & Wright added that the collaboration would ‘ensure a balanced approach, combining the strengths of both teams to drive innovation and growth’.

Martin Dobbs of BrightSPACE Architects said: ‘Joining forces with Corstorphine & Wright is an exciting opportunity for us. Our shared values and commitment to excellence make this merger a natural fit.’

The ، firm was placed 13th in this year’s AJ100, up from 14 the previous year, with 290 UK s،. Of t،se, 116 are qualified architects. Fee income was recorded at £26 million, up from £18 million in 2022.

BrightSPACE has changed its name to Corstorphine & Wright, Companies House records s،w.

The practice’s higher-profile work includes Birmingham and Gatwick Bloc ،tels as well as ongoing expansion plans for Premier League side AFC Bournemouth.