Hodder + Partners

Hodder + Partners is an established architectural practice that originated as Hodder Associates, founded in 1983 by Stephen Hodder. The firm, now led by Stephen and Claire Hodder, operates nationally across various sectors from its base in Manchester. The practice has garnered significant recognition throughout its history, accumulating over 60 major awards for its architectural contributions. This includes the inaugural RIBA Stirling Prize for architecture, awarded in 1996 for the Centenary Building at the University of Salford. Additionally, the firm received the Royal Fine Art Commission/Sunday Times ‘Building of the Year’ Award in 1992 for the Colne Swimming Pool in Lancashire.

The company is committed to designing intelligent and sustainable solutions, ranging from comprehensive masterplans to detailed interiors. Its approach involves listening, collaborating, and delivering imaginative buildings and places that serve people, while also ensuring sustainable outcomes for clients and contractors. Hodder + Partners is dedicated to design excellence, consistently producing thoughtful and sensitive architectural solutions. The firm's work explores recurring themes of space, the composition of form, proportion, light, and materiality, all within a framework that considers context and aims to ideate functional buildings.

Hodder + Partners emphasizes several core qualities in its operations, including the ability to foster close collaborative working relationships with clients, consultants, and contractors. The practice maintains a flexible structure, enabling it to meet tight deadlines effectively. It possesses a clear understanding of the consultation process during brief assimilation and the early stages of design, which facilitates the generation of clear and imaginative solutions within commercial constraints. A passion for detail is central to the firm's work, and Stephen and Claire Hodder are involved at all project stages, ensuring direct communication and clear direction from inception to completion.

While Hodder + Partners engages across all sectors, the firm has established a notable track record in student accommodation projects. Its portfolio includes the design of Duncan House in Stratford, a mixed-use development that features 511 student bedrooms for the University of London, housed within the Eleanor Rosa House. Another significant project is Market House in Newcastle City Centre, which integrates both educational and residential functions, providing 225 student bedrooms. The practice also contributed to St Catherine's College, Oxford, with a Phase II extension that included 132 study bedrooms. In Manchester, the firm designed Ducie Court, a 614-bedroom student accommodation facility. More recently, Hodder + Partners has been involved in the Sister development in Manchester, submitting plans for a scheme that includes a 38-storey tower and two smaller blocks, collectively offering over 1,000 student beds, comprising 720 cluster bedrooms and 321 studio bedrooms. The firm is also associated with the 35-storey Hotspur Press student residential scheme in Manchester.

The practice's extensive experience spans various project types, demonstrating its capability to deliver high-quality design solutions across the United Kingdom. This comprehensive approach, combined with a commitment to award-winning architecture, positions Hodder + Partners as a prominent firm in the national architectural landscape. The company's dedication to thoughtful design and client collaboration underpins its continued success in delivering significant buildings and places for diverse communities.