A Sustainable Architecture

Our aim as a practice is to be agents of positive change, helping to realise the safe and just space in which the living world can flourish without breaching planetary boundaries. In 2019 we co-founded the Architects Declare movement to address the twin planetary emergencies of climate breakdown and biodiversity collapse, calling for a paradigm shift in built environment design. As part of that shift, we are seeking to adopt the principles of regenerative practice, a whole systems approach that seeks to create a net positive contribution to the environment. Instead of designing merely to reduce negative impacts or sustain the status quo, we are learning to conceptualise our projects as beneficial parts of the wider climatic, ecological and social web of relationships in any given location. This requires a more profound understanding of place, community and ecology, and the development of deeper relationships with clients and colleagues that can help support organisational change alongside architectural interventions.

We have consistently produced buildings that are regarded as exemplars of sustainable design innovation, whether through naturally lit and ventilated studios, adaptable teaching spaces, very low cost construction techniques, or careful brief analysis to reduce the building’s size and cost. We use an in-house regenerative design toolkit aimed at checking the progress on each project at every RIBA design stage, and can carry out dedicated operational and embodied carbon analysis, working alongside our consultants team. Our long experience of working with premises teams, bursars and boards of governors has given us valuable perspective on the need to achieve practical, reliable and thrifty buildings that delight and sustain their occupants in the widest sense possible.

Our refurbishment and extension for the Kingston School of Art was BREEAM Outstanding and won the 2021 BREEAM award for the best Public Sector Project post-construction. Acutely aware that ongoing funding for many academic organisations is an increasing challenge, we make sure that our buildings are designed to maximise opportunities for flexible revenue generation and are adaptable to changing programming needs over time.