Downing

🌟 2024: A Landmark Year for Downing! ✔️Relocated to our new Liverpool HQ at No. 1 Old Hall Street, a state-of-the-art space reflecting our vision for the future. ✔️ Co-founded Aboria Capital with Jessica Hardman, shaping a new era of investment in our industry ✔️Launched Square Gardens in Manchester, Europe’s largest co-living scheme, setting a new standard for urban living. ✔️ Secured five major deals worth over £60 million across the UK, bolstering our presence nationwide. We're excited for 2025, with ten landmark projects worth £1.6bn set to commence across Bristol, Glasgow, Newcastle, Brighton, London, Leeds, and Manchester. We're also looking forward to incorporating cutting-edge AI technologies to enhance our developments and operations. A heartfelt thank you to our incredible team, partners, and stakeholders who've made this remarkable year possible. Wishing everyone a wonderful festive season and an exciting 2025! 🎄✨ #Downing #RealEstateDevelopment #Innovation

What Keeps Me in the Student Housing Market After All These Years? (Throwback to when I did a studio demo video for Downing as a blondie 👱♀️!) When I first started in 2020, I was driven by passion—an ex-student wanting to help fellow Chinese students navigate the challenges of studying abroad. At the time, the journey from China to a destination country was tough, marked by limited support and a lack of representation in universities for Chinese students as a minority. That desire to bridge the information gap and make even a small difference ignited my journey. 🤔 But as time went on, I began to ask myself: 𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒔 𝒎𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰 𝒏𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒔𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒕? As the industry grew and more people began contributing to this space, I paused to reflect —💭was there still a unique value I could bring? Could someone else do this better? The turning point came during my year of freelancing before joining VIVA CITY - WeChat Mini Programs. Without the backing of a company or title, I spoke to brands one-on-one, stripped of pretence. Those honest conversations revealed something crucial: many brands truly dedicated to customer care were being overlooked in a sea of noise and competing information. That’s when I reconnected with a deeper purpose. As Cal Newport describes in 𝑺𝒐 𝑮𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝑪𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝑰𝒈𝒏𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒀𝒐𝒖, building a career isn’t just about following passion —it’s about adopting a “𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐞𝐭” and focusing on what you can offer the world. Passion often follows as you build skills and confidence, leveraging your “career capital.” Over time, I’ve found a new passion in honing my craft and helping brands connect with their audiences in a meaningful way. Whether it’s holding marketing workshops, conducting brand audits, or crafting tailored content plans, each project feels like a step toward amplifying the voices of those who deserve to be heard. Sharing Chinese student housing insights here on LinkedIn is just one way I continue to contribute. And every time I see those insights make a difference, it reminds me why I chose to stay in this industry—and why I’m excited to keep growing within it! #PBSA #studenthousing #internationalstudent #studyabroad #chinesemarket #marketing #studentaccommodation #BTR

After a manic year and what feels like we have been going at 100mph we have finally had the chance to look back and reflect on what we have achieved this year. We are particularly proud of the works we have completed on Square Gardens for long standing client Downing. Works are still ongoing in the 44-storey tower block D, and we are on course to successfully hand this block over early next year. Blocks A&B, 21 storeys’ and 25 storeys’ respectively, were successfully handed over earlier this year allowing tenant occupation. Some key achievements from the past 12 months of working on Square Gardens: -300+ just in time deliveries which has enabled Downing's and other trades to progress with works without the headache of material congestion. - 5,000+ doorsets manufactured and installed by Cadgrange, fire rated doorsets have been manufactured and installed under Cadgrange's BM TRADA Certification for manufacture and installation. - High end amenity area fit-out which has included the manufacture and installation of a bespoke reception desk, various wall cladding items, feature seating & planters and many more items.

It’s been a few busy and meaningful days in this week. Michelle Winrow and I travelled between HongKong and Shanghai to meet with potential partners and existing partners from different industries to discuss collaboration in different areas. Special thanks to HereIN International Youth Apartment 這裡國際青年公寓 for showing us the HK BTR (student accommodation) property. Also thanks to SAICEC for inviting Downing to attend this fantastic exhibition! #DowningStudents #DowningChinaOffice #DowningLiving #PBSA #CoLiving

Introducing Square Gardens by Downing Discover city living reimagined at Square Gardens - Manchester's vibrant new apartment complex that puts community, convenience, and sustainability at its core. From fully furnished modern apartments to 2.5 acres of stunning landscaped gardens, a private gym, co-working spaces, and resident events, this is where you’ll find more than just a home - it’s a lifestyle! 🏡💚 Be at the centre of it all. Ready to see it for yourself? 👀 #SquareGardens #MYPCommunity #CityLivingRedefined

We are thrilled to announce the appointment of Daniel Donnelly as our new Head of Interior Design. Daniel joins us at a pivotal time as we embark on an ambitious growth strategy, with a £1.6 billion development pipeline. Daniel will lead the design of top-quality interiors for our upcoming projects across the UK. With his extensive experience and innovative vision, Daniel will set new and future brand standards, ensuring our developments meet the highest levels of excellence and sustainability. Read more: https://lnkd.in/esngBYF6

We are pleased to announce that Downing has been shortlisted for the Urban Developer of the Year at Insider Media North West's Residential Property Awards 2025. This recognition highlights our exceptional work at Square Gardens, Manchester, and the dedication of our outstanding team. We look forward to attending the awards ceremony on 23 January 2025 and celebrating with our industry peers. #UrbanDevelopment #SquareGardensManchester #Downing

We are thrilled to announce the appointment of three key hires as we continue to build momentum following our launch in July 2024. Joining our team are: Rob Tyson as Chief Financial Officer (CFO). With over 20 years of experience in the real estate sector, Rob brings a wealth of knowledge and hands-on expertise. His impressive track record at MARK Capital Management and his background at Deloitte and JER Partners make him a valuable addition to our team. Will Lucas as Investment Manager. Will’s 13 years of experience in finance and real estate, along with his multilingual skills and deep understanding of operational strategies, will be instrumental as we establish our presence in the European living sector. Nick Cochrane as Senior Associate. Nick’s broad experience in asset management and transactions, coupled with his recent MSc in Environmental Economics, will help shape our ESG strategy and drive our growth. This milestone marks our transition from launch to execution phase as we progress our £1.6bn development pipeline, combining European investment expertise with Downing's proven track record. #RealEstate #Investment #TeamGrowth #AboriaCapital #EuropeanLiving

We had an incredible evening at the British Property Federation’s Annual Dinner, where we proudly served as the headline sponsor. Our CEO, Jessica Hardman, who is also President of the British Property Federation (BPF), delivered a powerful keynote speech. Jessica emphasized the importance of streamlining planning processes with the new Government and highlighted how technology and data are revolutionizing our sector. Her key message was clear: technology is “the single most impactful tool to harness productivity and growth.” An exciting announcement was made about ongoing discussions between the British Property Federation, AREF (The Association of Real Estate Funds), and Investment Property Forum (IPF) to form a unified industry body. The evening was further enriched by The Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt’s inspiring address, drawing meaningful parallels between the historic Guildhall venue and our industry’s lasting community impact. Together, we are shaping the future of UK real estate.

Great to announce Asda as the first of many exciting brands joining the Square Gardens community!