A Baldock firm of architects are celebrating their return to their original home after a £750,000 refurbishment following a fire.
CHQ Architects was founded in 1982 by Ray Clark, Martin Quirke and Bob Hatt, and began life in The Maltings in Whitehorse Street.
The firm has now refurbished the grade II-listed building following a tractor fire in 2014, which caused a great deal of external fire and water damage.
The team enjoyed a double celebration at a 35th anniversary party, with the return to The Maltings marked with a special cake decorated to look like the building.
Managing director Barry Harper-Smith afterwards spoke of his delight at returning to The Maltings.
He said: “CHQ Architects are all delighted to return back to The Maltings building where the practice started 35 years ago.
“The £750,000 investment into the refurbishment works of this grade II-listed building demonstrates CHQ’s continued commitment to Baldock – and our 30 staff are thoroughly enjoying working in this award-winning contemporary office space.”
Constructed in 1820, the building functioned as a maltings until 1955 – and was the original head office for CHQ. It became a grade II-listed building of special architecture in 2003.
CHQ’s work refurbishing the building won the firm the interior design award at the Hertfordshire Building and Construction Awards.
To find out more about CHQ see chq-architects.co.uk.
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