Akanimo Nkanang, Raajkiran Lota, Josef Kolar and Lucy Durkan promoted to Associate Directors

Akanimo Nkanang, Raajkiran Lota, Josef Kolar and Lucy Durkan have been promoted to Associate Directors in our London and Manchester studios.

Akanimo Nkanang

Akanimo joined Chapman Taylor in 2006 following his qualification at the University of Technology, Poznan in 2004. Subsequently he has led a number of key projects for Chapman Taylor across our core sectors. Notable projects include all three residential schemes on behalf of Manchester Life, leading our first 4* hotel in Keele, completing our first Higher Education project with Manchester Met’s Institute of Sport and most recently leading King Cross’ Capella development with Laing O’Rourke on behalf of Argent.

With his technical design and BIM expertise, Akanimo has played a key role in developing our technical group’s capability and his positive, collaborative attitude has been highly regarded by many clients, consultants and colleagues.

Raajkiran Lota (Raaj)

Raaj, joined Chapman Taylor's London Studio in 2019, and since then she has played a crucial role in the successful delivery of various complex and client-facing Transportation projects. Her passion for design, coupled with her extensive experience, has made her an invaluable asset to the Transportation team. Raaj has been actively involved in a wide range of projects, both in the UK and Asia, with her portfolio encompassing diverse developments such as international and UK-based airports.

Raaj's expertise extends across multiple sectors, with a particular emphasis on transportation, mixed-use developments, and higher education. Her proficiency in Building Information Modeling (BIM) further strengthens her ability to deliver innovative and efficient design solutions.

Josef Kolar

Since joining Chapman Taylor in 2019, Josef has played a key role in strengthening our successful residential team within the London studio. Notable projects during this time include all current phases of Friary Park, Greenford Road, and Greenford Quay.

In addition to the design and delivery of large-scale residential projects, Josef brings experience in the design of private villas, care homes, schools, and cultural projects.

With over 22 years of experience, including 8 years in the Czech Republic, Josef is a highly skilled architect with a strong conceptual design ability and in-depth technical knowledge. He is also passionate about art and sport and brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to his work.

Lucy Durkan

Lucy joined Chapman Taylor in 2022 as a senior interior designer and has over 15 years of experience, predominantly within the workplace and residential sectors. Since joining, Lucy has become a core member of our growing interior design team and has played a key role in numerous projects.

Lucy is also a member of our Responsible Design group’s sector champions with a focus on interior design and material performance.

Congratulations to all four!