Three young entrepreneurs are making a success of a Black Country architectural practice after the previous owner literally sailed off into the sunset.

In the midst of the worst economic downturn for 100 years last year, Christopher Jones, Simon Smith and Paul Watts found themselves with two choices: find a new job or buy the company they were working for – INC Design Associates.

The trio bought the Brierley Hill firm and are this month celebrating their first anniversary with a swathe of new contracts, extra staff and a recommendation from London Mayor Boris Johnson.

“The partners, Tony Bate and Timothy Price, were stepping down,” says Christopher, 37, who grew up in Stourbridge. “Tony wanted to sail around the world and Tim was ready to spend more time away from the office. They wanted the company to be in safe hands. We knew we were the right people to develop the company, keep the existing clients happy and expand the client base.”

In July 2008, Christopher, Simon, 30, and Paul staged a management buy-out with an ambitious new business strategy. With more than 40 years’ experience at INC between them, their vision, drive and leadership has transformed the company and seen it expand in the current recession.

New projects include the £15 million Eat Central food court at Westfield-owned Merry Hill. Names remain a closely-guarded secret, but three high-end restaurants are to form a two-storey bank of dining experiences on one side of an impressive orangery, with terracing and al fresco seating, along with 16 other speciality food outlets.

It is part of a 52,000 sq ft extension to the centre, which includes extensive refurbishment of existing customer facilities, including a parents’ lounge.

The redevelopment includes parent and child toilets, sofas, soft play area, feeding rooms, bottle warmers and microwaves and sensory panels.

Paul, aged 39, said it was a first for Merry Hill and a first for INC.

He added: “We had the concept from the client. But we had no experience of sensory panels. We had to take that forward by speaking to specialists about materials and finishes and looking at similar projects across the country and improving on them.

“That’s what we’re good at, taking a concept, researching it, developing it and delivering, exceeding client expectations.”

The trio’s impressive back catalogue of developments include Wentworth Golf Club, the award-winning Embankment development at Merry Hill with its distinctive copper roof, multi-deck car park – the 2004 Car Park of the Year – and the chic, continental-style Merry Hill Square. But it’s INC’s White City Bus Station and Shepherd’s Bush Interchange in London which has won the company celebrity acclaim.

The two-year, multi-million pound transport project, which handles 135 bus movements every hour and serves 10,000 passengers daily, shopping for luxury brands including Chanel, Tiffany and Prada, was opened by London Mayor Boris Johnson in October 2008.

Mr Johnson said: “This superb new bus station will be a real boon for local people and for shoppers going to Westfield. The marvellous use of the historic Dimco buildings ties the old with the new and makes this a building that White City can really be proud of.”

“You can’t buy publicity like that,” Christopher said. “It was two years of hard work, of impossible deadlines. We were brought in at the point where negotiations between Westfield and London Buses were at a delicate stage. London Buses weren’t happy with the existing application, and we had precious little time to get it through planning and to site. The shopping centre couldn’t open without the bus station and there were huge issues – there was a tube line and sidings under the site, plus the Grade two-listed Dimco building and the confines of a busy site. We pulled out all the stops, threw an enormous amount of resource at it.”

To do that, Christopher, Simon and Paul encouraged former colleagues working at other Midlands practices to return to INC. They were keen to be part of the new order and are now integral to the operation.

Now, the company is tendering for a golf club in Bedfordshire and more projects for London Buses.