RPA Dental Project Insight

The build began just before the national lockdown, creating immediate challenges, but Rhona maintained a clear long-term ambition – to expand from two to five surgeries by utilising an underused basement.

We adopted a phased approach, allowing the practice to stay operational while relocating key rooms and developing new clinical space.

Early contractor limitations led to a strategic reset and appointment of a new team better aligned with the long-term vision. Throughout the build, the importance of assembling the right team became increasingly evident.

Central to the build was close collaboration with Rhona and her sister, a qualified architect, ensuring the design direction was both technically sound and deeply personal. The project reinforced a key principle: the practice should ultimately reflect the owner’s personality and vision, not the design team’s preferences.

The bespoke Portland stone reception desk is an architectural statement. It required complex logistical planning, including installing a steel support beam in the basement due to its weight.

A successful build is not just about design and delivery, but about careful planning, staff engagement and long-term partnership to ensure the new space functions effectively and supports future growth.