Following the recent success of major projects in China, York-based DWA Architects is aiming for further expansion in the country.

In line with this strategy, the firm hosted a delegation of government and industry officials who were in the UK on a fact-finding mission, exploring acute and residential care development and operation.

The event was arranged in the UK on behalf of the delegates who visited Langham Court near Hindhead in Surrey, a care home on which DWA Architects has worked.

David Ward, managing director of DWA Architects, said: “The care sector in China is an important market for us and we have demonstrated our capabilities with some very large care facilities that have recently opened.

“This visit was a great opportunity to show the Chinese officials and business representatives these modern care home facilities that we are very proud of.”

In 2013, the York-based architects, together with its Beijing-based partners TLD Design Consulting, won an international masterplan competition to design a care village in Shunde, Guangdon Province.

This project contains accommodation for 750 elderly people, with 450 assisted living apartments. The first phase of the village opened last year.

FCO Protocol officer and interpreter, Eileen Gao, added: “The Chinese visitors were very impressed with the care homes and the philosophy behind the concept is very inspirational.”

Working together, the two companies have also been shortlisted to design senior care facilities in Foshan, Guangdon Province.

DWA Architects has also been involved with other Chinese projects including an 80-bed specialist memory care facility in Shangcai, Henan Province and a flagship 400 room care home project in Xingcheng City, Liaoning Province.

Over the past 30 years, DWA Architects has worked on a variety of projects, bringing its expertise to over 450 care homes across the UK and globally, as well as commercial and residential projects.