Architecture practice Corstorphine + Wright has opened a new base in Birmingham and appointed a director to lead the office.
Rav Kumar has joined the firm from Associated Architects and will be based at its new office in the Jewellery Quarter, growing the practice's portfolio of UK sites which includes Stourbridge and its Warwick HQ.
The opening of the new studio is intended to assist with the fulfilment of a number of new projects.
Mr Kumar has more than 11 years' experience in the education and community sector and his previous projects include St Peter's Academy in Stoke-on-Trent, the RIBA Award winning MyPlace Lighthouse Young People's Centre in Aston and more than 20 primary schools for Coventry's Increasing Pupil Places Programme.
He said: "This is a really exciting time for Birmingham, with conversions and refurbishment of existing properties being brought forward alongside new developments on previously unused sites.
"By strengthening our presence in the city, we are ensuring that we are well positioned to meet the demands of the market for high-quality, design-driven buildings and spaces.
"I'm naturally looking forward to working with the rest of the team to deliver some of the incredibly exciting projects that we have on the horizon and engage with the new challenges of this role."
Director Michael Lampard added: "As a West Midlands-based company, we have always been very active in the Birmingham property market, having developed a number of high-profile buildings such as 45 Church Street, the Sirius Building and Mitchell and Butler's headquarters in the Jewellery Quarter.
"Our pipeline of work in Birmingham city centre has grown rapidly over the past year with a variety of new projects, including schemes on Pershore Street and Holloway Head.
"The opening of our new studio is fundamental to our aspirations to grow and develop our commitment to the city even further, building on the strong portfolio of projects completed to date and ensuring we're ready to meet new demands and challenges."
