The end of an era!…….

Last week we said goodbye to our Business Development Lead, and long-time colleague, Chris Russell, who decided it was time he retired from his day to day activities within Arkilab.

Chris will continue doing what he loves the most….. hand drawn sketches for projects, followed up with a glass of whisky in his newly built and award winning ‘Still House’.

Whilst it is an end of an era for Chris, the legacy lives on….Arkilab is the next phase in the lineage of several iterations of Practice that Chris has been involved in since the 1990’s, when he merged his practice Turner Lansdown Holt with Dane Ashworth Cottam, who had previously taken the practice forward from founders Sherrer and Hicks. We recently met up with John Ashworth, a true gentleman and traditional architect – following the recent passing of Roy Cottam, our time is short, and it was delight to share old and recent stories with John over lunch.

Back in 1936, The RIBA issued medals to Emil Sherrer for Measured Drawings, and then in 1950 for the Godwin and Wimperis Bursar, and then to Scherrer and Hicks in collaboration with W.C.Brown for the original Rhodesway School in Bradford. Truly remarkable achievements of the day !

Thank you, Chris, for entrusting Arkilab as custodians of these rare RIBA medals, a touching and meaningful gesture – it is our promise to you that they will remain a symbol of the great history of its founders, and underpin our culture of collaboration, and expertise in the education sector.

Thank you, Chris, for all your work, advice, guidance, friendship and of course frolics !… through 27 years. Enjoy a long and happy retirement, and save us a dram of that whisky !