Davis Langdon was a construction consultancy company originally founded in London in 1919, which grew to approximately 2,500 employees working in over 18 countries worldwide. In October 2010, the company was acquired by
AECOM
AECOM (, ; formerly AECOM Technology Corporation) is an American multinational infrastructure consulting firm.
AECOM has approximately 51,000 employees, and is number 157 on the 2019 Fortune 500 list.
The company's official name from 1990 t ...
, with its operations outside Australasia and Asia rebranded as AECOM in 2013.
Early history
Horace William Langdon established a
quantity surveying
A quantity surveyor (QS) is a construction industry professional with expert knowledge on construction costs and contracts. Qualified professional quantity surveyors are known as Chartered Surveyors (Members and Fellows of RICS) in the UK and Cer ...
practice in
Holborn
Holborn ( or ) is a district in central London, which covers the south-eastern part of the London Borough of Camden and a part ( St Andrew Holborn Below the Bars) of the Ward of Farringdon Without in the City of London.
The area has its roots ...
, London in 1919, and worked for a time in partnership (dissolved 1927) with a John Belmont Taylor.
In 1921 Cecil Tom Every joined Langdon's practice, and they formed Langdon & Every in 1928,
which expanded to operate in the Middle East, Australasia and Asia Pacific regions as well as in the UK. (Langdon was a local councillor and served as mayor of the
Metropolitan Borough of Holborn
The Metropolitan Borough of Holborn was a metropolitan borough in the County of London between 1900 and 1965, when it was amalgamated with the Metropolitan Borough of St Pancras and the Metropolitan Borough of Hampstead to form the London Boroug ...
(1935–1936); Every was Director of Post-War Building Programmes at the
Ministry of Works, recognised with a
CBE
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations,
and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...
in the
1946 New Year Honours
The 1946 New Year Honours were appointments by many of the Commonwealth Realms of King George VI to various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works by citizens of those countries, and to celebrate the passing of 1945 and the beginnin ...
.)
In 1931, another quantity surveying practice was established by Owen Davis. Cambridge graduate and QS John Belfield joined Davis establishing a partnership, Davis & Belfield, in 1935. In 1944, they formed a new partnership with Bobbie Everest (a descendant of
George Everest
Colonel Sir George Everest CB FRS FRAS FRGS (; 4 July 1790 – 1 December 1866) was a British surveyor and geographer who served as Surveyor General of India from 1830 to 1843.
After receiving a military education in Marlow, Everest joined ...
), becoming Davis, Belfield & Everest.
Langdon & Every merged with Davis Belfield & Everest in 1988 to become Davis Langdon & Everest,
[Meikle, Jim "Changes in UK construction professional services firms in the late 20th century" in ] and in 2004 Davis Langdon & Everest converted to a Limited Liability Partnership to become Davis Langdon LLP.
[
]
AECOM era
In October 2010, the company became part of AECOM
AECOM (, ; formerly AECOM Technology Corporation) is an American multinational infrastructure consulting firm.
AECOM has approximately 51,000 employees, and is number 157 on the 2019 Fortune 500 list.
The company's official name from 1990 t ...
Technology Corporate – a global provider of professional technical and management support services. From that date Davis Langdon became known globally as AECOM's Program, Cost, Consultancy team, whilst presenting its services to the market as Davis Langdon, An AECOM Company.
On 1 October 2013, it rebranded as AECOM in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Americas. In Australia and New Zealand however, the company continues to be known as Davis Langdon, An AECOM Company. Furthermore, in Asia, it is known as Davis Langdon KPK, An AECOM Company, which incorporates the name of KPK – an Asia-based company specialising in construction estimation and contract management consultancy that was acquired by AECOM in 2012.
Services
The specific services offered globally by the company include cost consultancy, project management, CDM coordinator and health and safety services, management consulting, legal support, specification consulting, engineering services, fiscal incentives advice and facilities management. The company provides these services for clients investing in infrastructure, property and construction and has worked on a number of high-profile projects including the Olympic Park for the 2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...
in London; Tate Modern
Tate Modern is an art gallery located in London. It houses the United Kingdom's national collection of international modern and contemporary art, and forms part of the Tate group together with Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives. It is ...
and the Eden Project
The Eden Project ( kw, Edenva) is a visitor attraction in Cornwall, England, UK. The project is located in a reclaimed china clay pit, located from the town of St Blazey and from the larger town of St Austell.Ordnance Survey (2005). ''OS E ...
in the United Kingdom; Estádio do Dragão
The Estádio do Dragão (; English: Dragon Stadium) is an all-seater football stadium in Porto, Portugal, and the home ground of FC Porto since 2003. It has a seating capacity of 50,033, making it the third largest football stadium in Portugal ...
in Portugal; Abu Dhabi International Airport
Abu Dhabi International Airport ( ar, مطار أبو ظبي الدولي) is an international airport in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates.
The airport, located east of Abu Dhabi city, is the second largest in ...
; Grand Egyptian Museum
The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM; ''al-Matḥaf al-Maṣriyy al-Kabīr''), also known as the Giza Museum, is an archaeological museum under construction in Giza, Egypt. It will house artifacts of ancient Egypt, including the complete Tutankhamu ...
in Cairo
Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metro ...
, Egypt; The Gateway Bridge Upgrade in Brisbane
Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...
, Australia; the San Francisco Transbay Terminal, U.S.; the Gautrain
Gautrain is an higher-speed express commuter rail system in Gauteng, South Africa, which links Johannesburg, Pretoria, Kempton Park and O.R. Tambo International Airport. It takes 15 minutes to travel from Sandton to O.R. Tambo International ...
Rapid Rail Link in Johannesburg
Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a megacity, and is one of the 100 largest urban areas in the world. According to Demo ...
, and Green Point, Cape Town
Green Point ( af, Groenpunt) is an affluent suburb on the Atlantic Seaboard of Cape Town, South Africa located to the north west of the central business district. It is a popular residential area for young professionals and for the Cape Town gay an ...
– built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
, image = 2010 FIFA World Cup.svg
, size = 200px
, caption = ''Ke Nako. (Tswana and Sotho for "It's time") Celebrate Africa's Humanity'It's time. Celebrate Africa's Humanity'' (English)''Dis tyd. Vier Afrika se mensd ...
– in Cape Town
Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...
, South Africa.
List of notable projects
Projects worked on by Davis Langdon, An AECOM Company include:
* Adelaide Botanic Garden
The Adelaide Botanic Garden is a public garden at the north-east corner of the Adelaide city centre, in the Adelaide Park Lands. It encompasses a fenced garden on North Terrace, Adelaide, North Terrace (between Lot Fourteen, the site of the old ...
, Australia
* Alexandria Library, Egypt
* Anchorage Museum at Rasmuson Center, Anchorage, Alaska
* Baha Mar
Baha Mar is a resort complex on the island of New Providence in The Bahamas. Owned by Hong Kong-based Chow Tai Fook Enterprises, the establishment opened in April 2017. The amenities include three hotels (a Grand Hyatt, SLS Baha Mar, and the Ros ...
Resort, Bahamas
* Beirut Central District
The Beirut Central District (BCD) or ''Centre Ville'' is the historical and geographical core of Beirut, the capital of Lebanon. Also called downtown Beirut, it has been described the “vibrant financial, commercial, and administrative hu ...
, Lebanon
* Birmingham Central Library
Birmingham Central Library was the main public library in Birmingham, England, from 1974 until 2013, replacing a library opened in 1865 and rebuilt in 1882. For a time the largest non-national library in Europe, it closed on 29 June 2013 and was ...
, UK
* British Council
The British Council is a British organisation specialising in international cultural and educational opportunities. It works in over 100 countries: promoting a wider knowledge of the United Kingdom and the English language (and the Welsh lan ...
, Egypt
* British Embassy
This is a list of diplomatic missions of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, excluding honorary consulates. The UK has one of the largest global networks of diplomatic missions. UK diplomatic missions to capitals of other Com ...
, Bahrain
* British Empire and Commonwealth Museum
The British Empire and Commonwealth Museum () was a museum in Bristol, England, exploring the history of the British Empire and the effect of British colonial rule on the rest of the world. The museum opened in 2002 and entered voluntary liquid ...
"Abolition of Slavery Exhibition", Bristol, UK
* Central Bank of Kuwait
Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object.
Central may also refer to:
Directions and generalised locations
* Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...
* Central Terminal Building, Johannesburg International Airport
O. R. Tambo International Airport is an international airport situated in Kempton Park, Gauteng, South Africa. It serves as the primary airport for domestic and international travel to/from South Africa and since 2020, it is Africa's second ...
, South Africa
* Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is a children's hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with its primary campus located in the University City neighborhood of West Philadelphia in the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. The h ...
* Commercial Bank Tower, Doha, State of Qatar
* Commerzbank
Commerzbank AG () is a major German bank operating as a universal bank, headquartered in Frankfurt am Main. In the 2019 financial year, the bank was the second largest in Germany by the total value of its balance sheet. Founded in 1870 in Hambur ...
, Frankfurt
* Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (Cooper Union) is a private college at Cooper Square in New York City. Peter Cooper founded the institution in 1859 after learning about the government-supported École Polytechnique in ...
, New York City
* Dubai Waterfront
The Dubai Waterfront (now known as ''Waterfront'') was expected to become the largest waterfront and largest man-made development in the world. The project is a conglomeration of canals and artificial archipelago; it would occupy the last remai ...
, UAE
* Dublin Airport
Dublin Airport (Irish language, Irish: ''Aerfort Bhaile Átha Cliath'') is an international airport serving Dublin, Ireland. It is operated by DAA (Irish company), DAA (formerly Dublin Airport Authority). The airport is located in Collinsto ...
– Terminal 2
* Eastside, Birmingham, UK
* Eden Project
The Eden Project ( kw, Edenva) is a visitor attraction in Cornwall, England, UK. The project is located in a reclaimed china clay pit, located from the town of St Blazey and from the larger town of St Austell.Ordnance Survey (2005). ''OS E ...
, Cornwall, UK
* Elephant House, Copenhagen Zoo
Copenhagen Zoo ( da, København Zoo) is a zoological garden in Copenhagen, Denmark. Founded in 1859, it is one of the oldest zoos in Europe and is a member of EAZA. It comprises and is located in the municipality of Frederiksberg, sandwiched betw ...
* Gateway Bridge Upgrade, Brisbane, Australia
* Grand Egyptian Museum
The Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM; ''al-Matḥaf al-Maṣriyy al-Kabīr''), also known as the Giza Museum, is an archaeological museum under construction in Giza, Egypt. It will house artifacts of ancient Egypt, including the complete Tutankhamu ...
* Jumeirah Beach Hotel
Jumeirah Beach Hotel is a luxury hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The hotel, which opened in 1997, is operated by the Dubai-based hotelier Jumeirah. The hotel contains 598 rooms and suites, 19 beachfront villas, and 20 restaurants and bars ...
, Dubai, UAE
* Legoland
Legoland (, trademark in uppercase as LEGOLAND) is a chain of family theme parks focusing on the construction toy system Lego. They are not fully owned by The Lego Group itself; rather, they are owned and operated by the British theme park com ...
, Germany
* London 2012 Summer Olympics
The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...
– Olympic Park, East London
* Mall of the Emirates
Mall of the Emirates ( ar, مول الإمارات) is a shopping mall in Dubai. Developed and owned by Majid Al Futtaim Group, it opened in November 2005 and is located at interchange four on Sheikh Zayed Road.
The multi-level shopping mall cur ...
, Dubai
* Mondavi Center for the Arts, University of California, Davis
The University of California, Davis (UC Davis, UCD, or Davis) is a public land-grant research university near Davis, California. Named a Public Ivy, it is the northernmost of the ten campuses of the University of California system. The institut ...
, California, USA
* National Waterfront Museum
The National Waterfront Museum, Swansea or NWMS ( cy, Amgueddfa Genedlaethol y Glannau) is a museum in Swansea, Wales, forming part of Amgueddfa Cymru – National Museum Wales. It is an Anchor Point of ERIH, The European Route of Industrial ...
, Swansea, UK
* Paradise project delivering Liverpool 1, Liverpool, UK
* Rennes Viaduct, France
* Royal Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,700-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge, in the London Borough of Lambeth. It is a Grade I l ...
, London, UK
* Shard London Bridge
The Shard, also referred to as the Shard of Glass, Shard London Bridge, and formerly London Bridge Tower, is a 72-storey skyscraper, designed by the Italian architect Renzo Piano, in Southwark, London, that forms part of The Shard Quarter dev ...
, London, UK
* Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution ( ), or simply the Smithsonian, is a group of museums and education and research centers, the largest such complex in the world, created by the U.S. government "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge". Founded ...
, Patent Office Building, Washington DC, USA
* Tate Modern
Tate Modern is an art gallery located in London. It houses the United Kingdom's national collection of international modern and contemporary art, and forms part of the Tate group together with Tate Britain, Tate Liverpool and Tate St Ives. It is ...
, London, UK
* The Lakes Resort, Cairns, Australia
* The Liverpool Arena
Liverpool Arena, known for sponsorship reasons as the M&S Bank Arena, and previously Echo Arena, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the city centre of Liverpool, England. The venue hosts live music, comedy performances and sporting events, and ...
and Convention Centre at Kings Waterfront, Liverpool, UK
* Theatre Royal, Norwich
The Theatre Royal is an art-deco theatre in Norwich, Norfolk, England. It is one of the country's oldest established theatres.
It hosts a large range of touring productions. The theatre had a £10m refurbishment in 2007, designed by Tim Foster ...
, Norwich, UK
* V&A Waterfront Marina, Cape Town, South Africa
* Westfield Shopping Centre, West London
Further reading
* Meikle, Jim (2009). ''Thinking Big: The History of Davis Langdon'', Black Dog Publishing.
References
External links
Official site
Parent site
{{Construction industry in the United Kingdom
Construction and civil engineering companies of the United Kingdom
Construction and civil engineering companies established in 1919
Companies based in the London Borough of Camden
Consulting firms established in 1919
1919 establishments in England
British companies established in 1919