Category: Project Stories

Expedite has provided full multi-disciplinary design services on the delivery of Fitz & Knox, Wales’ first co-living development, working alongside long-standing development partner Urban Centric.  This landmark project has seen the construction of Wales’ first co-living development, and represents another success in Expedite’s growing portfolio of multi-disciplinary projects.

Located in the heart of Cardiff City centre, located close to Queen Street Train Station, Fitz & Knox occupies the former Legal & General Cardiff HQ office building, acquired by Urban Centric in 2024. This disused office block in the heart of the city has been transformed into a vibrant, EPC A-rated residential community providing 208 fully furnished studio apartments. This £18m landmark project completed in April, with the first residents occupying in May.

Expedite’s scope spanned the full project lifecycle, from planning through to practical completion (RIBA Stages 2-6), including Employer’s Agent and Quantity Surveying services, architectural design, civil and structural engineering, interior design, and safety and planning.  The transformation of Fitz & Knox is the latest in a series of ambitious refurbishment projects delivered by Expedite. This is the latest re-invigoration project, part of Urban Centric’s and Expedite’s’ ongoing commitment to reimagining disused and underused buildings and giving them a new lease of life.

Co-living has become an increasingly popular model across major UK cities in recent years, offering residents high-quality private studio apartments alongside generous shared amenity spaces designed to foster community and connection.

With the completion of Fitz & Knox, Expedite and Urban Centric are firmly at the forefront of bringing this new residential model to the Welsh market. The scheme has been designed to appeal to a new generation of renters looking for flexible, all-inclusive living in the city centre, with a single monthly payment covering rent, bills, wi-fi and access to the building’s extensive shared facilities.

A key feature of Fitz & Knox is the volume and variety of its shared amenity space, extending residents’ private studio apartments into a wide range of communal areas across the building. These include a private cinema room, dedicated games room, private co-working spaces and quiet study lounges, private dining rooms, wellness suites and a pair of rooftop terraces, providing stunning views across Cardiff.

Expedite provided Employer’s Agent services for the delivery of Codi’s Cascade Tower, which completed earlier in March.

Cascade Tower provides 48 one bedroom apartments for social rent and two ground floor commercial units on the site of a former disused commercial site on City Road in Cardiff.

The development is Wales’ tallest residential building constructed using cross laminated timber (CLT) –  a more sustainable alternative to traditional steel or concrete construction.

Built with energy efficiency in mind, the specification includes solar panels on the roof, increased insulation and Mechanical Ventilation Heat Recovery systems to circulate fresh air and reuse any heat in the apartments.

Langstone Construction delivered the scheme in partnership with Cardiff Council, who will let and manage the properties. These properties provide high-quality, affordable accommodation in the heart of Cardiff, close to shops, services and public transport.

Commissioned in 2024, Expedite Interiors recently completed the full interior refurbishment and fit-out of Greenmeadow Community Farm in Cwmbran.

This project saw the transformation of a historically rich site into a contemporary, community-focused visitor destination. We worked closely with Gaunt Francis Architects and the wider Expedite design team to create a design which reimagined existing spaces with sensitivity, with the final result balancing heritage conservation with modern functionality.

The interior design strategy centred on adaptive reuse, retaining and celebrating original architectural features while introducing thoughtful spatial interventions. The reconfiguration of the farmhouse layout was key to unlocking its potential: The farm shop now occupies the former kitchen and scullery, with bespoke joinery and natural finishes that echo its domestic origins.

The café kitchen replaces the old tractor repair and horse stabling area, reinterpreted with robust materials and efficient workflows.

The visitor handwashing station stands where the dairy herd was once milked, now designed with durable surfaces and clear wayfinding to support high footfall. Throughout the scheme, original elements including exposed beams, meat hooks, and the rediscovered bread ovens were retained and integrated as focal points, anchoring the new interiors in their agricultural past. We complemented these with a series of artwork styles that reflect the context of the scheme.

Expedite Interiors provided a comprehensive design and delivery package which included: Concept development and spatial planning, realistic 3D visualisations to support stakeholder engagement, detailed joinery design and material specifications, onsite design coordination during construction as well as full FFE (Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment) procurement and installation.

The result is a combination of interiors, Architecture & refurbishment that honours Greenmeadow’s legacy while supporting its future as one of South Wales’ most beloved community and visitor destinations.

Expedite Engineering Services have the privilege of providing full civil and structural engineering services on the new Glendon Hospital in Montserrat, a transformative healthcare project providing an essential public facility for the people of the island.

For over 30 years, the people of Montserrat have shown extraordinary strength and resilience. Since the eruption of the Soufrière Hills volcano in the 1990s, which devastated large parts of the island and displaced much of the population, access to critical infrastructure – including healthcare – has been a pressing challenge. The current hospital is operating out of a former primary school building and at completion, Glendon Hospital will provide a purpose-built solution to meet the demands of modern healthcare.

The new hospital has provided our team with a set of unique design challenges, with the island susceptible to extreme weather, particularly hurricanes and tropical storms. The new hospital is designed to withstand these challenges, incorporating hurricane-resistant structures and seismic protection to ensure it remains operational during emergencies.

At Expedite Engineering, we’re proud to help bring essential services back to the people of Montserrat. Engineering a project like this is a privilege – but being part of the island’s ongoing journey of rebuilding is truly humbling.

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Some progress images from Expedite Engineering’s recent visit to the new National Hospital in Montserrat. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bowlinger Court apartment development at Tower Street, Exmouth is a significant project situated in a conservation area adjacent to a listed church. This complex undertaking required us to navigate the challenges posed by the historical context and the narrow surrounding streets. We are particularly proud of how our design preserves the beautiful frontage of the existing Sunday School while incorporating a large slate façade that complements the imposing roofline of the nearby church.

The project features two apartment blocks: the Tower Street block, which includes 15 apartments, and the Queen Street block, consisting of 4 apartments and 2 retail units. 

Addressing the site’s challenges — being in a conservation area, adjacent to a listed church, and located on narrow streets with party wall and rights to light issues — became an opportunity to enhance our design. The larger block of 15 apartments wraps the scheme with a stunning slate façade inspired by the slate roof of the church, while the buff-coloured render draws inspiration from the architectural details of the existing buildings. This project removed unsympathetic modern additions that had been attached to the church over the years and facilitated the restoration of the organ room, preserving its integrity for the future.

The smaller freestanding block facing Queen Street was carefully designed to relate to the nearby terraced houses and to maintain views of the church from The Strand, an important public space within Exmouth town. This new building replaces an unattractive surface car park, contributing to a better-defined public space.

Both blocks presented design challenges with numerous material types and differing structural solutions. Block 1 featured a reinforced concrete frame with blockwork infill panels, whilst Block 2 was a more traditional masonry structure with pre-cast concrete plank floors and timber truss roofs. With a mix of hung slate, render, brick and zinc there was a broad range of details required. 

Given the limited repetition of apartment layouts, we developed MEP designs for all types. Our multi-disciplinary team worked seamlessly with the main contractor, Ease, to take the design from RIBA Stage 3 (Developed Design) to RIBA Stage 4 (Detailed Design), in accordance with BG6/2018. Additionally, we supplied energy modelling, SAP calculations, and provided technical support during Stages 5-6 as the Client Technical Advisor during construction.

This car-free development will provide a vital mix of one- and two-bedroom units in a central, sustainable location, contributing to the vibrancy of the town centre.

For CGI images of the project progressing from concept to completion, find our Project Story here.