Selfridges unveils new escalator

DCA-b, the London subsidiary of Warwick industrial design group DCA, has been appointed design and technical consultant on a 1.8m millennium project.

The project will see the consultancy work with the Richard Rogers Partnership to create an energy museum in Wandsworth’s Renue building. DCA-b will be responsible for the exhibition design and related engineering projects which include a water-powered lift, solar panels and wind turbines.

DCA-b won the pitch days after launching officially as an independent subsidiary to parent group DCA. It has operated informally since the start of the year (DW 28 February).

“It is a good arrangement because we give DCA a foothold in London which it wouldn’t otherwise have, while we benefit from its workshops and engineering expertise,” says DCA-b managing director Tom Barker.

DCA-b specialises in interior, architectural and product design in addition to product and exhibition technology. The parent company will continue to specialise in industrial design.

Baker formerly headed product design in the Advanced Technology Group at Ove Arup & Partners with Peter Sharrat, (associate partner of Short Ford Architects (CHECK) as assistant). The group has a further four employees on its books, from parent group DCA. Between them the consultancies have 60 staff and operate a policy of sharing employees.

Barker expects to recruit a further six staff within the next two years and stabilise turnover at 1m over the same period. He predicts a turnover of around 0.25m for the first year of operation, with an initial growth of around 50 per cent per annum.

“I aim to generate about 25 per cent of our income from DCA’s clients and the other 75 per cent off our own backs,” says Barker.

Temporarily working from Primrose Hill, the group will move to London’s Scrutton Street next week. The site allows room for the expansion the new consultancy expects from projects such as the energy museum.