The UK’s largest publicly quoted architect, Aukett Associates, has bought out one of its European joint ventures for £580 000.

Amsterdam-based Aukett Kokon Beltman (A+K) was formed in 1993 with privately owned Rotterdam practice Kokon Beltman Group.

The business now has 20 professional staff and has been one of Aukett’s best-performing operations. A+K had pre-tax profits of £172 000 and audited net assets of £315 000 for the year ending 31 December 1998.

Aukett managing director Andrew Lett said: “Aukett Kokon was one of our first joint ventures outside the UK and has become a well established practice in The Netherlands. Discussions with Kokon Beltman concluded that the business fitted better within our strategy than theirs.”

Aukett has its headquarters in London and offices in Glasgow, Berlin, Madrid, Paris and Prague. It also has joint-venture offices in Brussels, Dublin, Milan, Munich and Rotterdam.