Bill Nimmo qualified at the University of Strathclyde, and was elected ARIBA in 1954. He set up in practice as an Architect on his own account in Wishaw in 1956 after completing National Service with the Royal Engineers in Germany. Shortly afterwards, he invited Jean Welsh to join him as a partner, the practice becoming William Nimmo & Partners. In 1969 the practice moved to Glasgow. In 1973, James Robertson was assumed into partnership followed by John Carswell in 1975 and by a number of other partners in the late 1980s. David Nimmo joined the practice in 1982 and became a Partner in 1993.

 

Bill Nimmo had strong views about architecture and was passionate about business, project management and quality of construction. While he had won the silver medal in his final year at the Glasgow School of Art, he promoted able designers within the practice. These included  Jean Welsh, Jimmy Robertson, Iain C Anderson and Alastair MacGregor. Both Geoffrey Jarvis and Ivor Richards joined WNP as Associates following the dissolution of Boys Jarvis and the death of Sir Leslie Martin respectively. The practice had a busy London office from 1979 to 2001, which carried out a significant amount of distinguished work in the City of London for clients including Haslemere Estates, Greycoat, Norwich Union Investment Managers and Clarke Nickolls & Coombs PLC. Notable examples included 135-6 Leadenhall Street (immediately next to Lutyens' Midland Bank), with a new Portland stone facade designed by Geoffrey Jarvis, and Capel House, New Broad Street, which contained interiors by CFA Voysey and featured a sophisticated rear facade, designed by Ivor Richards, facing the George Dance designed Church of All Hallows on the Wall. The refurbishment of Sir Edwin Lutyens' Britannic House in Finsbury Circus, carried out in conjunction with Peter Inskip & Peter Jenkins, won a series of accolades including Civic Trust and City Heritage Awards.

 

The current members of the practice were key team members in many of the major projects carried out by the practice under Bill Nimmo's direction, including the design of new department stores in York and Tunbridge Wells for Fenwick Limited, the phased expansion of Fenwick's Newcastle upon Tyne Store, including the restoration and extension of the 1913 classical facade, and the conversion of Grade II listed Emerson Chambers in Grey Street, Newcastle upon Tyne into retail and office space. Over time, the Practice has also had long experience in food industry projects, working for Clients who have included Thomas Tunnock Limited, DB Marshall, Aulds Food Group, Grampian Country Food Group, VION, Dawn Meats, Pinneys, AK Stoddart, Warburtons, Dawnfresh Seafoods and Mathiesons Bakers. Motor Industry experience has included work for the Ian Skelly Group, WJ King Garages and Parks of Hamilton with brands including BMW, Volkswagen AG, Bentley, Jaguar Land Rover and McLaren. Our residential experience includes work for Berkeley Homes PLC, St. George's Homes and Silverbank Developments Limited. 

 

A number of well known architects have passed through the office, including Tom Elder, Andrew Merrylees, Andrew Neil, Bill Murdoch, John A Russell and Craig Casci. At a peak in 1990, the practice employed some 135 people, and had offices in Glasgow and London, with major site offices at CSB Faslane and Britannic House, London. Bill Nimmo retired in 1996, and the successor firm of Nimmo & Partners LLP is now headed by David Nimmo, who was elected a Fellow of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland in 2016.

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We carry forward the practice ethos of sound construction and effective management as well as using our own design approach and experience for the maximum benefit of our Clients.

 

The practice is currently working for Clients who include Thomas Tunnock Limited, Parks Motor Group, Scotbeef, Fenwick Limited, NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lancaster, Henry Colbeck, the University of Glasgow, the University of Strathclyde, North Lanarkshire Council and Aulds Food Group.