Main Business Activity - Architectural designers

Project Outline - Development of the innovative FACIT concept, which is now being used commercially to deliver building projects in double quick time

Nick Willson and Bruce Bell, two successful Architectural designers with their own practice, were helped to realise their dream of creating a revolutionary new business. They have developed a modular technology for the building industry, which is already starting to deliver on its huge potential, with a number of commercial and domestic projects having been commissioned. 

Nick and Bruce started their own architectural design practice, Willson & Bell, after meeting as colleagues. After growing the business they decided they wanted to take it in a new direction, which would allow them to take projects all the way from original concept to a completed building. Their aspiration was to produce individual rather than generic designs for houses, kitchens, furniture, garden studios and commercial premises. 

Bruce commented, “The essence is to produce good stuff and as designers, be in complete control, not just of the technical side but the contractual side, too.”

Their system is called FACIT, a modular technology for the building industry. It involves making wooden structural components called ‘cassettes’ to fit together like big blocks of Lego. Nick commented “What we wanted to do was to get accurate digital information from the design onto the building site directly.” Because all the setting out for the building is produced by machine, there are no mistakes - there are no paper drawings for a builder to interpret incorrectly.

The knowledgebase project helped them take their concept to the next step by introducing them to specialist help such as a structural engineer, and environmental engineer Hilary French from the London College of Art who advised them on commercialisation, model making and project management. 

With the help of these individuals and Nick and Bruce’s determination FACIT is now being used commercially and is delivering projects in double quick time. The system is such a radical new approach that the Channel 4 show Grand Designs have scheduled a feature on the company.

Bell believes that FACIT could even be bigger and more profitable than the design business. “It’s early days but it looks like being very profitable - as architects, you are paid for every project, everything is a one-off. This is more of a product. It has the potential to be much bigger”.