BDP has appointed Max Martin (pictured) as the new head of its Birmingham studio, succeeding Dan Smyth, who is retiring this summer after a distinguished career in architecture and urban regeneration.
The architecture and design firm says the appointment ‘comes at a pivotal time’ for Birmingham – ‘a city at the centre of a new era of growth and transformation’. Max Martin joined BDP in 2008, specialising in the design and delivery of large and complex projects with a focus on design integration, sustainability, and zero defects. His experience spans the science and technology, healthcare, and transport sectors. BDP says his expertise ‘blends imaginative design with technical rigour to deliver places that are making a meaningful difference to people, businesses, and communities, across the UK’.
He is currently working to deliver a new facility for a pharmaceutical company in West Sussex, a new district general hospital in King’s Lynn, and leading the HS2 Headhouses project in Birmingham. He has also played a central role in several major healthcare projects – including the design of Southmead Hospital in Bristol, the expansion and reorganisation of Bispebjerg Hospital in Copenhagen, and Birmingham Children’s Hospital’s Waterfall House – home to a world-leading rare disease department.
He also led the design of the new Emergency Department at Walsall Manor Hospital, the outpatient department at Haywood Hospital, and the iMRI project at Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and – during the COVID-19 pandemic – was part of the leadership team that successfully delivered the NHS Nightingale Hospital at the NEC in Birmingham.
His predecessor, Dan Smyth, has long been an advocate for Birmingham’s regeneration, playing a key role in numerous transformative projects. Reflecting on his tenure, Dan notes that Birmingham ‘is entering a period of unprecedented investment, comparable to its Victorian heyday’.
Of his appointment, Max Martin said: “As the Midlands enters a golden decade of opportunity, with major projects such as Smithfield, Arden Cross, and HS2, we remain committed to delivering innovative, sustainable, and community-focused design solutions that leave a positive legacy on the region. I look forward to working with local authority and business leaders in the region to maximise the opportunity for good growth, social progression, and sustainable outcomes, across the built environment.”
