Business Action | June / July 2019

ARCHITECTURE
From art to architecture
Is it possible to manage a
business in the South East
from deepest North Devon?
That is what Kevin Davies is
doing, managing a 12-member
architectural practice based in
Staines, Middlesex from his
Kevin Davies in his architects office and art gallery in Chulmleigh
office and gallery in the centre
of Chulmleigh.
Kevin’s journey to Chulmleigh
has taken him across
the world after embarking on
a sabbatical from his position
at Robert Davies John West
Cranford Business
Services Limited
www.accountsindevon.co.uk
Old Stone, Cranford, Bideford, Devon, EX39 5QW
07896 204 857
Does your accountant...
Listen to you and act on your needs?
Explain your accounts in terms you understand?
Arrange meeting at your convenience?
Leaving you free to concentrate on what you do best!
Ltd, the architectural practice
established by his father. This
intended six-month exploration
of Africa extended to
eight years, during which time
Kevin and partner Sue started a
family while establishing a lowimpact
tourism site in Malawi,
setting up the country’s first
permaculture / tourism project
and starting an architectural
practice among other activities.
It was their children’s education
requirements and other family
considerations that brought
them back to Europe, first
to France, and then, in 2012,
to Chulmleigh, where Kevin
rejoined his father’s practice.
Now, as director and chartered
architect playing an active
role in managing the business,
Kevin operates from his
office in Fore Street, working
remotely in between fortnightly
visits to Staines. Kevin has overseen
the growth of the practice
from a team of six to 12 over
the past seven years, operating
Chulmleigh as a satellite office.
He has a strong interest in the
restoration, conversion and
re-use of vernacular and listed
buildings, as well as in working
in conservation areas. Local
projects include the Chulmleigh
Congregational Church and an
early 15th century Benedictine
Tower in Cornwall, both are
Listed Grade II*.
He maintains his interest
in sustainable and appropriate
technologies in Africa, which
has led to involvement in new
projects in Kenya, Malawi,
Somalia and Bangladesh as well
as distinguished pioneering
developments including the
Sonda Orphan Care Centre,
Ripple Africa Mwaya and the
Cultural and Museum Centre
Karonga.
Visitors to Kevin’s office
might be surprised to find it
doubles as an art gallery called
the Architects Gallery. Like
many of Kevin’s interests which
turn into a business, this sprang
from meeting local artist Brian
Denington and giving him a
commission. This introduced
Kevin to the artist community
and the idea of opening a
gallery and, one by one, artists
contacted him. Now the gallery
promotes a number of artists
from Lapford, Torrington and
Winkleigh, and hosts several
shows a year to promote artists.
Kevin explains that architecture
and art dovetail well: “The
lovely thing about being an
architect is that you get out and
meet people and everyone has
a story, while the gallery brings
people together.”
This also explains Kevin’s
involvement in the community
with cricket and table tennis,
Chulmleigh Old Fair and as the
newly elected district councillor
for Chulmleigh.
■■Architects Gallery:
01769 581765 or
atelierthink.co.uk
■■Architects Practice:
01784 779106 or rdjwltd.com
10 business action | June / July 2019 | business-action.co.uk