Latest news with #DuncanofJordanstone
The Herald Scotland
4 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Launching business with newborn baby ‘was terrifying and exhilarating'
Name Matt Chapman. Job title Founder and managing director. What is your business called? Contagious. Where is it based? We have studios in Edinburgh and Glasgow but operate globally. What does it produce/do? We're a brand design agency. To whom does it sell? Primarily to premium beverage and spirits brands. What is its turnover? Approximately £3.5 million. How many employees? 25. What attracted you to your current role? I've been a designer all my life – it's in my bones. I went to art college and trained in graphic design. Even as a child, while others were drawing apples, I was drawing letterforms. That early fascination with typography grew into a passion for visual communication and eventually brand design. I didn't set out to be a managing director but I've always enjoyed developing teams as well as shaping stories. This role allows me to do both at scale. What were you doing before? I'm originally from Huddersfield and studied at Duncan of Jordanstone in Dundee. My career began in London, then Edinburgh and, later, five years in Singapore. After returning to Edinburgh I freelanced and briefly ran a solo business – but I didn't enjoy working alone. Eventually, I teamed up with someone from an agency I was freelancing for. He was strong on client management, I focused on design. In 2001 we co-founded Contagious. What do you least enjoy? Letting people go. Agencies go through cycles and downsizing is always painful, especially when you've built personal relationships. Also, not having a boss for 25 years gives you freedom but demands discipline. I've built a senior team and brought in non-execs to help with accountability, but staying focused is still a challenge. Read more What do you consider to be the main successes of the business? We've worked with some of the world's most iconic brands, from major players such as Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Bacardi, LVMH, Brown-Forman. Competing globally with agencies 10 times our size is something we're proud of. But for me, seeing people grow – whether they stay or move on – is just as rewarding. Helping people flourish has been a real highlight. What are your ambitions for the firm? To be globally recognised as the agency that creates an enduring impact – renowned as much for our brand creation and design as we are for our packaging, environments and activations. We're also focused on building a robust, succession-ready business that will outlast me and continue to thrive for decades. What are the challenges facing the sector and market, and what could be done to overcome or address these? The global economic climate has hit the drinks industry hard. Many new brands emerged during the Covid-19 pandemic, inspired by the D2C (direct-to-consumer) boom, but now there's a surplus of product and lower discretionary spend. In the UK, Brexit has gutted parts of the hospitality workforce – especially skilled bar staff – which affects on-the-ground brand advocacy. The market is also oversaturated. Agencies rushed into drinks in recent years but, as big businesses consolidate, some of that noise is fading. One key issue is the withdrawal of trade engagement – there are fewer education and advocacy initiatives for bartenders, who are crucial brand evangelists. That needs to return. Read more What single thing would most help? If boards treated brand as a serious, strategic asset from the start. The most successful projects we've worked on are those where brand is embedded in business strategy, not treated as a bolt-on. Brand isn't just aesthetic – it's commercial. When aligned with strategy, consumer insight and planning, it delivers meaningful financial and cultural impact. What is the most valuable lesson you have learned? The strength of relationships. People buy from people. Flexibility is key. I'm naturally a grey thinker – I see nuance – so I've learned to surround myself with people who think differently. I take final responsibility, but value diverse perspectives. What was your best moment? There have been many. Launching Contagious with a newborn at home was both terrifying and exhilarating. Winning our first global contract was a major milestone. But the best moments are often smaller – watching a colleague grow, seeing a brand come to life or a client light up at the work. What's the best thing that's happened to you in business? We've built a business that lets us work with people we admire, on projects we care about, in a sector we love. We travel to inspiring places and collaborate with brilliant clients. That's a rare privilege. What has been your most challenging moment? The split from my co-founder in 2011. He led business development while I focused on delivery – suddenly, I had to assume a very different role and so did my colleagues. At the same time we had to downsize. It felt like starting again but my partners stepped up to the plate, I adapted quickly and we all grew into our new roles. How do you relax? Running – I've done marathons and half-marathons, though I've pushed too hard at times. My son wants me to do the Tromsø Midnight Sun Marathon, which sounds like fun. I also play football and golf (still trying to break 100), and I used to coach rugby union and play league back in Huddersfield. Lately, I've taken up wood carving. It's both relaxing and challenging – and I've met some great people through it. Next, I hope to try stone carving. What phrase or quotation has inspired you the most? Two from Simon Sinek: 'Good leaders share the credit when things go well and take responsibility when things go badly' and 'Communication is not about saying what we think, it's about ensuring others hear what we mean'. Both have been invaluable. What is the best book (fiction or non-fiction) you've ever read? Fiction-wise: The Lord of the Rings and the six books of Dune – all sparked my imagination as a youngster. Recently: Breath by James Nestor. After multiple broken noses, it changed how I think about breathing. Not glamorous, but life-changing. Where do you find yourself most at ease? Running is my sanctuary. But I also find great peace in letter carving – spending eight hours carving into wood with strangers was unexpectedly joyful. It's focused, meditative work. If you weren't in your current role, what job would you most fancy? Wood carving, probably. The only other serious path I considered was the Marines. I enjoy coaching and helping people push past limits, so perhaps something in training or development. I doubt I'll ever fully retire – I'll always want to help people do more than they think they can. What countries have you most enjoyed travelling to? Japan for its professionalism and deep respect for craft. It's also a brilliant place to unwind. Singapore was my home for years – a great base for exploring Malaysia and Indonesia. Jakarta 25 years ago was wild and alive – a sensory overload in the best way. I also love the US, especially New York and LA. There's a real culture of saying yes, of backing ideas. In the UK, it can feel like you're proving people wrong. In the US, you're proving yourself right.
The Courier
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Will Broughty Ferry's 'Tree House' be crowned Scotland's Home of the Year?
A striking house in Broughty Ferry features in the finale of Scotland's Home of the Year. Built in the 1960s, the Tree House has been sensitively refurbished and updated by its current owners. It was designed by architect Bruce Walker, who lectured at Duncan of Jordanstone and worked for Historic Scotland. Walker built the Tree House in 1962 when he was in his 20s and lived there until his death in around 2015. Paul Durrant and his wife Jackie McKenzie bought the Tree House in 2021 and spent 18 months transforming it into their dream home. They kept irreplaceable original features such as the 4cm thick beech flooring and exposed brickwork. They also expanded into the attic, creating an en suite master bedroom with a private living area beside it. The ground floor has a kitchen/diner, a lounge, three bedrooms and a bathroom. Upstairs there's a snug, bedroom, shower room, and dressing room. The L-shaped living room and kitchen are semi-open plan, with a brick column creating a divider. Meanwhile the bedroom has a vaulted ceiling and an enormous window giving views over the garden. The Tree House featured in episode four of Scotland's Home of the Year. It was up against a farm steading conversion in Deanstone called the Dairy and the Carriage House, a Victorian conversion in Auchterarder. With a score of 29/30 it edged out the Dairy and the Carriage House, which were both given scores of 24/30 by the judges. Paul, 70, and Jackie, 60, are delighted to have reached the final. Paul said: 'We were delighted to make the final and really enjoyed our day in Glasgow. 'We met the other finalists and the judges, who all claimed to be able to match the people to the homes at first sight. 'When we saw the amazing houses that were in the final we were quite humbled that ours had made it. We know it's a bit of a Marmite house that isn't for everyone.' Paul said he and Jackie thoroughly enjoyed taking part in the show: 'The film crew came over and did an interview with us. They were lovely. Then we had to leave the house for a few hours while the judges went in. 'It was a strange feeling leaving a film crew in your house but we hopped on our bikes and cycled to Tayport while they got on with things.' The couple left a little surprise for the judges: 'Jackie is a keen baker and she left some treats out for them. When we got home there was a nice little note from Banjo thanking her.' The final episode of Scotland's Home of the Year airs on Monday evening. Filmed at Glasgow's House for an Art Lover – designed by the iconic architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh – it sees the six finalists come face-to-face and meet the judges for the first time. The six SHOTY finalists are: Home to Pamela and Gordon, their son Caleb and Rosa the Irish Setter, the Sandstone Bungalow blends together old with new, whilst retaining the beautiful original 1930s details. The couple design choices bring the Sandstone Bungalow up-to-date with a bright and modern kitchen, dining and living spaces. Situated on the outskirts of Pitmedden in rural Aberdeenshire, Hilltop House is home to Chris, Jessica, their son Chase and dogs Enzo and Dino. The couple designed their bright, contemporary house around the original footprint of the farm steading, fusing mid-century and Californian cool style to create their dream home. A first-floor traditional tenement in Edinburgh's Stockbridge area, Wee City Nook is home to Devin and Max. The couple combined their creative skills to design and rebuild each room in this small-but-perfectly-formed home, creating clever storage solutions, maximising every nook and cranny. Together, they have created a bold, bright and colourful apartment that packs a design punch. A modernist 1960s property in Broughty Ferry, the Tree House is home to Jackie, Paul and their cats Mirren and Kaja. The couple fell in love with this neglected house which had laid empty for five years, lovingly breathing new life into it whilst preserving the original architect's vision. Amongst their changes, they reworked the upstairs space to create their bedroom of dreams overlooking the treetops. A cosy little home, An Cala Cottage is home to Caroline, Lee and their dog, Nuala. This traditional cottage was brought back to life on a budget, with the couple incorporating charming charity shop finds with a creative use of colour throughout. They took inspiration for their interior design from the coastal and mountain views which surround them, creating a cosy and relaxing home. This Victorian semi-detached house near Dalbeattie is home to Ozzy, Laura, daughter Grace and Ethel the pug. The property's coastal views won the family over and they made it their own by renovating and adding a tasteful extension to the original granite building. Boasting a bold and colourful interior, the family entered Craigmount as Grace's late gran loved SHOTY. The SHOTY judges are excited about the series finale. Interior designer Anna Campbell-Jones said: 'As always, we have a set of finalists that are each uniquely different from each other, from restored modernist dreams to handcrafted miniature perfection, there's inspiration for everyone. 'When we film the final we are never sure who the winner will be – it could genuinely be any of these amazing homes. Through debate, much discussion and not a little heartbreak, we gradually whittle them down to one that we all agree has that magical edge – the home that best exemplifies what home means.' Isle of Mull-based interior designer Banjo Beale said: 'Each home's bursting with personality – bold, beautiful, and a real labour of love. The finale of SHOTY is the big emotional payoff – surprises, stories, and a stunning winner that'll take your breath away.' Architect Danny Campbell added: 'This year's finalists are an eclectic celebration of design adventures — bold, heartfelt, and unapologetically individual. Each home tells a story of its owner's passions, priorities and aesthetic DNA, from slick architectural statements to soulful reimagining of traditional spaces. 'The finale is always a head-spin – equal parts tension and celebration. Viewers can expect impassioned debates, inspiring interior insights and that brilliant moment where we finally agree on a winner!' The finale of Scotland's Home of the Year is on BBC One Scotland tonight at 8.30pm and then available on iPlayer.
The Courier
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
First look at 2025 art degree show as Dundee students display their talent
Hundreds of Dundee students are showcasing their artistic talents at the annual Duncan of Jordanstone degree show. The 2025 edition of the popular exhibition will see work from over 450 graduating students go on display at the art and design college. The exhibition includes work from students studying Animation, Architecture, Art & Philosophy, Digital Interaction Design, Fine Art, Graphic Design, Illustration, Interior & Environmental Design, Jewellery & Metal Design, Product Design, Textile Design, Urban Planning and Environmental Sustainability. The show is free to attend and will be open to the public from Saturday 24 May and will run until Sunday 1 June. And The Courier has been given a sneak peak of the degree show before the doors open at the weekend. Take a look at Courier photographer Kim Cessford's highlights below:
The Courier
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Courier
Broughty Ferry house featured on Scotland's Home of the Year
Episode four of Scotland's Home of the Year focuses on Tayside and Stirlingshire. The first house featured is in Broughty Ferry. The Tree House is a 1960s modernist home that has been lovingly updated by its new owners. It was built by architect Bruce Walker, who lectured at Duncan of Jordanstone and worked for Historic Scotland. Walker built Tree House in 1962 when he was in his 20s and lived there until his death in around 2015. The Tree House sits in a quiet corner of Broughty Ferry. Image: BBC. It lay empty for more than five years until Paul Durrant and his wife Jackie McKenzie bought it in 2021. They previously lived nearby, on Victoria Road, and wanted to downsize but remain in the area. 'We walked past the house and saw it was for sale,' Jackie explains. 'Paul fell in love with it instantly and I wasn't far behind him. A young architect built it for his family when he was in his 20s and lived there right through until his 80s. There's a lot of trees around the house and that's why we called it the Tree House.' Renovating the Tree House The couple spent 18 months dramatically overhauling the Tree House. Remarkably, apart from a one-week stay in an Airbnb, they lived in the home throughout the renovation project. 'We didn't want to live in a 1960s museum piece,' Jackie continues, explaining the ethos behind the project. 'But we wanted to retain the features that made it special.' The home's large windows and original beech flooring have been retained. Image: BBC. The exposed brick walls are still a feature of the home, as is the 40mm thick beech flooring, which was sanded and recoated. The natural pine doors have been kept and while they've plasterboarded over the pine ceilings they have been retained so future generations can open them back up should they wish to. They painted the external brickwork black and clad the outside walls in radiata pine. Interior brickwork was painted white to make a neutral backdrop for the couple's art collection. Edinburgh based Block 9 did the architectural work and local trades were used, including Ardach Joinery and West Developments for the main building work, and painter and decorator Andrew Stott. Developing the attic The Tree House originally had a flat roof but it failed and was replaced in 1980 with a metal clad pitched roof that increased the height of the building. It was accessed by a Ramsay latter and Bruce Walker used this space as an office and storage for his architectural work. Jackie and Paul installed an oak staircase and made the upper level into their own private space. Th attic contains a stunning master bedroom. Image: BBC. 'One of the many things I love about the house is the ground floor is open plan and fantastic for socialising,' Jackie continues. 'But upstairs is just for us. We have a snug, our bedroom, a dressing room, and an en suite. The bedroom has an enormous window looking over the garden.' The attic has a private snug area. Image: BBC. Bruce Walker was influenced by Scotland's agricultural buildings which is why the Tree House is clad in corrugated metal. There are no gutters and instead the overhangs stretch out so water is deposited well away from the house and is soaked up by the garden. 'Sitting on the sofa in winter with the wood burner on when it's raining heavily is like looking out through a waterfall,' Jackie says. 'I just love it.' Exploring inside The ground floor has a kitchen/diner, a lounge, three bedrooms and a bathroom. Upstairs there's a snug, bedroom, shower room, and dressing room. The L-shaped living room and kitchen are semi-open plan, with a brick column creating a divider. Meanwhile the bedroom has a vaulted ceiling and an enormous window giving views over the garden. The living spaces are semi-open plan. Image: BBC. The living room windows look out over a lovely Japanese courtyard, with a beautiful acer tree as its centrepiece. Paul says: 'You've got a little bit of LA, it's like a house from Hollywood Hills. You've also got a house that's a little bit Scandi noir. You've got a Japanese courtyard, and upstairs we've got our own big room which really is up in the trees.' Scotland's Home of the Year The Scotland's Home of the Year judges loved the Tree House's sense of peace and tranquillity Anna Campbell-Jones says: 'One of the things that is really successful about this home is the arrangement of the spaces and their interrelationship with each other. It's an absolute masterstroke.' It's not called the Tree House for nothing. Image: BBC. Danny Campbell is also full of praise for the Tree House: 'I've absolutely fallen in love with this home. It's positioned on its site perfectly to take advantage of the southeast light in the courtyard. The clean lines and deep reveals of the ground floor completely contrast with the carefree abandon of the angles, exposed structure and chaos of the window placements upstairs.' There is a particularly touching reason why Jackie, 60, and Paul, 70, decided to put themselves forward for Scotland's Home of the Year. 'We did it to pay tribute to Bruce Walker, the architect who created the house,' Jackie says. 'We never met him but he was known in the neighbourhood. He designed this amazing house when he was just in his 20s. 'Throughout the project we always considered what he might think about what we were doing with the house he built. I hope we've done him proud.' The Tree House in Broughty Ferry features in Episode Four of Scotland's Home of the Year which is on BBC One Scotland on Monday May 12 at 8.30pm and then on iPlayer.
