Co-founders of the London-based firm Duggan Morris Architects have decided to split the business after a 13 year run. The duo, Mary Duggan and Joe Morris, had been a couple up until early 2016 and have finally released their plans to de-merge the practice following the end of their personal relationship. Joe Morris will continue on as Duggan Morris Architects, while Mary Duggan announced the launch of her eponymous new practice. She will take nine staff along with her as well as some clients.

The couple maintains that the professional parting is amicable and due to increasingly diverging interests. Since the firm was founded in 2004, they have grown into a practice of 50 and have received increasing attention and acclamation for their work. They have received nine RIBA Awards, the Manser Medal, the Stephen Lawrence Prize and two Mies van der Rohe European Prize nominations. 

Here is the statement from the practice, in full:

Since its inception by Joe Morris and Mary Duggan in 2004, Duggan Morris Architects has grown from two founding directors to a practice of over 50 talented and skilled architects and designers. The pattern of growth and the many opportunities that have arisen as a result, has led to changes in the workings of the practice across a broad range and scale of projects.

Through this twelve year period of successful collaboration, across many award winning projects, the two founding directors have increasingly pursued diverging professional interests whilst continuing to ensure the practice delivers work to the highest standards.

Accordingly, after a period of mutual and positive reflection the directors are moving into new arenas operating separate practices and exploring distinct interests.

This amicable demerger means that Duggan Morris Architects will continue under the direction of founding director Joe Morris, whilst Mary Duggan will be moving forward with her own practice ‘Mary Duggan Architects’.

There are no resulting redundancies as a consequence, with nine existing members of staff moving with Mary Duggan.

All remaining staff will continue to work with the founding practice.