Business

Turn your project ideas into an inspiring design.

Bluesky are appointed on the NHS Business Services Framework for architectural design services.

It’s free to access and use, OJEU compliant and is open for all public sector authorities to use.

Bluesky Design Services have extensive experience in the health, education, blue light, residential and commercial sectors, delivering designs via traditional, off-site and modern methods of construction.

With easy direct appointments, we can help get your project moving and you can save time and money not having to undertake lengthy tendering processes.

Our services include:

• Feasibility studies and business case development (RIBA stage 0-3)
• Architectural design services – RIBA stage 3 -6
• Design advisory services

Get in touch

To discuss your project needs, please get in touch with the team.

E: enquiries@blueskydesignservices.co.uk T: 0161 475 0220

 To learn more about this procurement framework visit www.sbs.nhs.uk/proc-framework-agreements-support 

Ramsgate Arts Primary School is a new two-form entry primary school, which provides state-of-the-art facilities for up to 420 children to support its focus on the arts.

Part of Viking Academy Trust, Ramsgate Arts Primary is a new free school which offers an exciting curriculum with an emphasis on the arts. Built off-site by principal contractor The McAvoy Group, this bright, modern and spacious building was funded by the Education & Skills Funding Agency. It has created an exemplar learning environment for children from reception to age 11.

Designed by the Bluesky architectural team, the new facility reflects the school’s vision for the arts and will be a valuable community resource. It has a dance studio, general classrooms, main hall, spacious staff room, offices, kitchen, small group rooms for special educational needs, and multi-functional open learning areas.

Chris Russell, Managing Director of Blue Sky Design Services is proud of the close partnership working across the Principal contractor and design team;

‘BlueSky have worked on 26 off-site construction school projects with The McAvoy Group to date. Working with the end users to understand their requirements is a key part of our role in the project delivery team. Effective use of BIM is core to how both the architectural and construction teams ensured that all aspects of the design were coordinated efficiently and kept pace with this rapid programme. ‘

You can view the full case study here: https://www.blue-sky-environmental.co.uk/project/ramsgate-arts-primary-school/

Images copyright and courtesy of The McAvoy Group

The new passenger facility at Dublin airport is now up and running. The scheme is thought to be the largest single span modular scheme in the UK and Ireland.

Appointed by the Principal Contractor, The McAvoy Group, Bluesky acted as project architect on the scheme, working with The McAvoy Group to develop a design solution that could meet the demands of a complicated brief. Bluesky also provided M&E design services and environmental consultancy services.

Speaking about the project Chris Russell, Managing Director of Bluesky Design Services reflects on the project design challenges and how a strong client, project and design team were vital to the success of this project;

‘This project broke ground on the use of offsite construction in such a large clear span building. Combined with the stringent building regulations and airside security considerations, the client, contractor and design team collaborated effectively to deliver this high-quality project. Effective use of BIM is core to how  the construction and architectural teams ensured that all aspects of the design were coordinated efficiently and kept pace with this rapid programme. ‘

You can view the full case study here:  https://www.blue-sky-environmental.co.uk/project/dublin-airport/

Images copyright and courtesy of The McAvoy Group

Following a hugely successful year during 2018 raising money for Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, we are looking forward to more fundraising during 2019.

We are delighted to announce that following a staff vote, we will be supporting Macmillan Cancer Support.

Macmillan Cancer Support understand the many ways in which a cancer diagnosis can affect your life.  Whatever cancer may throw your way, they are right there with you, offering emotional, physical and financial support.

Stay posted for more updates on our team challenges…. details coming soon!

We have reached the end of another year that has seen us do our utmost to raise money for our Charity of the Year – which for 2018 was the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity (RMCH).

Thank you to everyone who has got involved in the various challenges, bake sales, dress-down days and other fundraising activities over the last 12 months.

The grand total raised for the RMCH for the year is a whopping £2,710.81 which includes Gift Aid. This is an amazing total and the RMCH will be incredibly grateful.

Just one payment of £10 to the RMCH helps to ensure that child patients have regular access to their ‘Giggle Doctor’ service – bringing smiles and laughter to children’s bedsides.  That means our fundraising activities could help over 270 poorly children to keep smiling throughout their treatment.  It is also enough to provide almost 550 new toys, books and games to entertain and distract the young patients.

Here’s a look back at our fundraising activities during 2018.

First up, we had Easter Celebrations, and in our usual competitive style we had a very high level of entries for the ‘Decorate the egg’ competition – making it very difficult for the judges to choose a winner!  This was followed by National Cupcake Day in June.  We love a good bake sale here at Equity so had no trouble at all getting everyone involved!

Then along came July – and time for the first of our main challenges – the Gorge Walk Challenge.  This saw the team abseil 45ft from a bridge before scrambling over boulders, sliding down waterspouts and jumping into deep plunge pools.  The team raised over £1,000 for RMCH – an amazing effort, especially for those who had to conquer their fear of heights to take part!

The Gorge Walk was swiftly followed by the Colour Rush Obstacle Challenge in Liverpool.  The team survived 5km of foam, obstacles and paint to take our fundraising to over £2,100.  Good effort everyone!

And then came the main challenge of the year – the 100km Wythenshawe Circular bike ride. This was the last of the summer charity challenges and our team battled hard to complete the arduous course and cross the finish line together. Amazing achievement!

In addition to these challenges, we have raised money through raffles, Halloween pumpkin carving, Dress-Down Days and other activities across our offices.

We will soon be announcing our Charity of the Year for 2019 and are looking forward to supporting this charity with various fundraising activities and challenges.

Well done Team Bluesky!

Alison Quinn, Deputy Managing Director at Bluesky Design Services talks about Bluesky’s integrated ‘one team’ ethos to design and about the positive impact being part of Willmott Dixon’s Design Consortium in Manchester is already having.

‘Delivering a high-quality design or project in perfect silos of individual disciplines is never going to lead to an end result that anybody is happy with.

At Bluesky we have always focused on how excellence can be achieved through integrated design. This means we hold a ‘one team’ approach high on our priority list for any project. ‘One team’ is broader than just us Architects; it means all aspects of the design and contractor team and the ultimate client; our end user.

This isn’t an easy thing unless all parties have the same vision and approach. This is why being part of Willmott Dixon’s Manchester Design Consortium fills us with joy….yes a possibly ‘cheesy’ statement to make but their commitment to ‘Better Together’ isn’t just a buzz word.

It’s very clear throughout the process of applying to be part of the Consortium through to the consultative approach and implementation experience that Willmott Dixon has both a business and individual commitment to inspiring effective collaboration at all levels of the organisation.

Inspiring and enabling better creative, innovative and effective collaboration underpins  the business’ vision to deliver a ‘perfect product’ for all customers. A focus for the Design Consortium is on how working together makes us better together.

Being set challenges to be ‘unafraid to dream big’, be ‘obsessed about quality’ and ‘create solutions’ is every architect’s ambition. Willmott Dixon even recently hosted a Better Together Expo in Rochdale which brought together its Design Consortium and supply chain to exhibit and share best practice and innovative products, all under one roof!

Everyone is investing time and ‘heart’ into this vision. It’s fun too…. we’ll let the pictures of team events speak for themselves! It’s great to get to know each other and develop the team understanding outside of the normal working routine. Don’t worry, discussing how we implement BIM effectively always brings us back down to earth!

We have great partnership relationships across all sectors with many organisations and pride ourselves on our client centered approach. It’s one of the many things we do well at Bluesky…if you won’t take my word for it, ask our partners.’

 Blue Sky Design Services have extensive experience in the health, education (including off-site and modern methods of construction), blue light, residential and commercial sectors.

To discuss your project needs, please get in touch with the team.

E: enquiries@blueskydesignservices.co.uk T: 0161 475 0220

 You can learn more about Willmott Dixon’s recent ‘Better Together’ Expo visit here.

Staff across the business have been undertaking some exciting challenges to raise money for this year’s chosen charity, Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity – so far a whopping £2,181.68 including gift aid!!!

Every year staff across all our business areas nominate and vote for a special charity that we want to support. We wanted to remind people why we have chosen this amazing charity.

Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital receives over 276,000 patient visits every year. For those children and their families, it can be a very difficult time but with your help we can make it better for every child. 

The support that Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital provides helps families to stay together and support one another during what can be a very difficult time for them.  

Our charity is about making a difference to the thousands of children from across the UK we see every year.  We do this by supporting projects that provide state-of-the-art and specialised equipment to help improve the diagnosis and treatment of children.  We also support research that can help us to better understand children’s illnesses and provide the treatments of the future and we support projects that help to create a more child friendly environment. 

To do this we need your help. 

 You can find out more about some of the patient’s stories on the RMCH website https://rmchcharity.org.uk/why-help-us/our-patients. Help from charity fundraising activities like those being set up by our staff makes a massive difference to their lives.

A story a little closer to home is one about Declan who is the son of a friend of one of our staff members.  Declan is now 16 years old has been under the care of RMCH since he was born with a condition call Cystic Adenoid Malformation of the Lung.   At 3 days old he was diagnosed with meningitis and septicaemia.  At a week old it was found that he was born with Intestinal Malrotaion, where the bowel does not grow properly.  Declan has had so many operations throughout his life and was terribly poorly back in 2016 where he spent a long time at RMCH.

Despite all of this Declan continues to fundraise for the hospital through his own fundraising, Declan’s Decathlon and is now an ambassador for the hospital. Declan has kindly shared his story to raise awareness of the need for fundraising. You can view his video here https://www.facebook.com/declansdecathlon/videos/1182593158508036/

 Declan’s story is an inspiration so thanks again to all staff who have or are taking part in fundraising activities and for the on-going donations from colleagues, friends and family.

 More donations are always welcome. You can donate here https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Team/EquitySolutions1

Well done to all the team from across the Equity Solutions Group who took part in the Gorge Walk Challenge on Saturday. We have already raised over £1000 for Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital with more sponsorship coming in.

Many people taking part had to conquer their fear of heights by abseiling into the Gorge. After that it was a fun (and very wet and cold) day scrambling rocks, jumping into cold plunge pools and going down water shoots.

Well done everybody!

Please support the 24 brave colleagues across Blue Sky Design Services and the wider Equity Solutions Group who will be taking part a Gorge Walk at How Stean Gorge which includes a 45ft abseil drop!

Every year we encourage our teams to take part in different challenges to raise money for charity. This year’s chosen charity is Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital Charity. Money raised will support children and their families during what can be a very difficult time for them.

Other challenges over the next few months include a £5k colour run and 100km Bike Ride.

Please help us to support this amazing charity. You can donate here https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/Team/EquitySolutions1

Good Luck to everyone taking part in the challenge!

Bluesky are delighted to announce that both of our current architectural assistants have made successful applications to continue their architectural education at the Manchester School of Architecture.

Benjamin Sayers and George Sims have made outstanding contributions to the office over the last 12 months and have become invaluable members of the team.

Bluesky have a well-established track record of mentoring students at graduate and postgraduate level; ensuring that they get the necessary experience and support to complete their course of study and attain professional qualification.

Well done guys! Thanks for the all the hard work and wishing you all the best for your Part 2 studies!