Priestman Architects | London was formed in 1994 by Matthew Priestman with the design and realisation of a new low-energy timber frame house in Herefordshire.
After winning architectural competitions in Scotland and Denmark in 1994, the practice was invited to submit design proposals for cultural buildings such as the Danish State Archive and University of South Stockholm and in 2004 the practice won one of three prizes in an invited competition for the 60,000sqm New Guangdong Museum in China.
The practice has acted as Architect and Project Manager for complex urban mixed-use projects in London, gaining valuable planning permissions for difficult sites and completing projects such as a 3,000sqm scheme of 27 residential, live-work and office units in 2005.
It is included in the Architecture Foundation’s directory of New British Architects and was one of four UK practices in the RIBA/AD exhibition ‘Architecture on the Horizon’. Their work has received wide publicity in the design and national press.
Priestman Architects | Chongqing (PACQ) was formed in 2010 as a young and energetic design team, focusing on Architecture, Urbanism and Interior Design in Southwest China. Comprised of British and Chinese partners, the practice has a strong understanding of contemporary design in the Chinese market.
It immediately gained recognition in early 2010 for its competition winning designs and sensitive approach to the renovation of over 350 houses in Kangding, Sichuan Province. This was followed by a successful competition proposal to redevelop Xishan Square in Nanchong, Sichuan, a 33,000sqm site which acts as a major destination for both tourists and many of the city's 7 million residents. Construction is slated for late 2011 and will include a 3,000sqm tourist centre.
Recently, the practice has been invited to submit proposals for a number of urban and cultural master plans in Chongqing and has been featured in online and print media across China.