In the following section we profile

this year’s AJ100 practices. We have

taken a closer look at 10 indicative
firms, including the fast-growing
Foster + Partners at the top of the
rankings, returning practices ADAM
Architecture and Pascall+Watson,
and newcomers to the index, such
as dMFK, which enters at joint 100th
place. What were their key projects
and business moves? What were their
biggest challenges? And what are
their hopes and plans for the future?

Practice
Profiles
 001
Foster + Partners
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By Rob Wilson

It may be the 12th year in a row that Foster

+ Partners has occupied the top spot in the
AJ100 ranking but the practice has not just ‘It’s easy to be bombarded
dug in and rested on its laurels. Rather, the by negative and depressing
Battersea-based architecture behemoth news but opportunities have
is pulling away at the top, leaving other
grown a lot worldwide’
practices in its tail lights. The number
of architects it employs in the UK alone
stands at 528, a full 34 per cent increase on
the previous year.
‘Today we number almost 1,900 people
in all – an increase of nearly 500 over the
past two years – which is fantastic,’ says
Matthew Streets, the practice’s managing
partner. Turnover, too, has risen – to
around £300 million at the present time.
Streets admits much of the growth is still
attributable to post-pandemic bounce-back
in the order book, adding: ‘Nearly all has
been driven by new projects, particularly
in the States, currently our number
one country for work.’ Reflecting this
uptick in demand in the USA, the practice
40 has opened a new Los Angeles office to
supplement those in San Francisco and
New York. He is upbeat, too, about the firm’s
other main markets: ‘Asia is still strong, as
is the Middle East and we’re looking to open
an office in Saudi Arabia.’ Asked about the
ethics of working in the latter, he is firmly
of the ‘better to engage’ school. ‘There are
ethical issues everywhere. If you use a
slightly different lens there and ask how can
we be a force for good, a lot of the projects
we are doing are helping them change from
a carbon-based economy.’
While the ethics may remain a moot
point, on the need for carbon-reduction in
projects across everything the practice does
he is unequivocal: ‘The question of climate
change is the biggest single challenge we
face in the world and as a practice.’
As if to confirm this, as we speak a whirr
signals the closing of recently fitted window
louvres, activated by sensors on the roof.
It’s all part of the comprehensive retrofit
of Fosters’ Battersea HQ, now 30 years old
and the core of the campus of Thameside
buildings into which the practice has
expanded. ‘It’s important to practise what
we preach and we’re learning, too. We
realised the sensors were picking up very
different conditions on the river side than
on the other.
‘It’s also about wellbeing’, Streets says,
pointing to low-level window vents that
individuals can open.
 Below: DJI Sky City, Shenzhen, China

Following the pandemic the practice has

been operating a hybrid working model –
‘if it works for you, your team, your client,
you are free to work from home’. Streets
says numbers are back up to 80 per cent in
the office: ‘For most people now it suits to
be here. We hope we’re getting the balance
right, so we can rebuild the campus
culture: getting everybody energised to
be in the office again.’ As part of this the
subsidy has been upped in the cafeteria,
where prices haven’t gone up for five
years. More junior members of staff, whom
inflation has disproportionately affected,
have also benefited from higher pay rises.
Streets admits inflation, particularly of
construction material costs, and sourcing
materials for UK projects have been among
the key challenges of the past year. ‘There’s
definitely still an element of Brexit in it,’ he
says. Another challenge he puts at Brexit’s
door is the ability to employ staff from the
EU. The practice is spending over £1 million
a year on visas and he says it is frustrating
that it can take months between offering
someone a job and their being able to start. 41
For all the challenges, the past year has
seen some major completions, including
headquarters for Ferring Pharmaceuticals
in Copenhagen and for civilian drone
company DJI in Shenzhen, and a higher
proportion of retrofit projects, including
Acciona in Madrid and the Apple HQ in
London. ‘Advocacy for retrofit is falling on
more receptive ears,’ says Streets.
There are currently 40 projects on site,
although key ones, such as the JP Morgan
HQ in New York, the Zayed National
Museum in Abu Dhabi and Kuwait Airport,
are a good year away from completion.
Pressed on the sustainability of airports,
he says: ‘If we can design them in a way that
is more sustainable, we can try to make the
best of what is going to happen anyway.’
For the future, he’s clearly optimistic.
‘It’s easy to be bombarded by negative
and depressing news but opportunities
have grown a lot worldwide. And we
constantly reassess our business model,
learn resilience and treat challenges and
issues as opportunities. It’s exciting.’

528 qualified architects in UK

£180,268 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
FANGFANG TIAN

56 years of practice
38% female architects in UK
20% BAME architects in UK
37 UK design awards won in 2022
 002
BDP
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By Kate Youde

BDP retains its second place in the AJ100 by attracting a broader talent pool. The
rankings after a year in which the 62-year- flexibility has proved popular with
old practice opened its first US studio. ‘We working parents.
didn’t go into New York to try and outgun BDP revised its maternity and paternity
Manhattan architects,’ says BDP chief policies last year. As of January 2023,
executive Nick Fairham. ‘We went in with employees on maternity or adoption leave
a very specific approach, which is around receive 67 per cent of their pay for 39
our core values of environmental and weeks, while paternity pay is 100 per cent
social value.’ for two weeks. BDP gives staff members
The multidisciplinary practice experiencing the menopause three days’
developed a research study, dubbed extra leave per year.
Regeneration, that explored potential But last year was not only about
meanwhile uses for development sites in cultural change. The practice posted
East New York for what BDP chair Chris its highest ever turnover, earning
Harding calls its ‘launch campaign’. While £136.6 million in the year to 30 June 2022.
the practice is yet to receive directly Total architectural fee income grew by
related commissions, Fairham says it more than 8 per cent to £87,766,000 during
has won workplace projects that will be 2022. Key completions included the
‘transformational to the studio’. refurbishment, restoration and extension
The New York opening came three of Grade II*-listed Leighton House in
years after BDP purchased a Canadian London and the refurbishment of Cardiff
University’s Bute Building, home to the
‘Trying to make sure we Welsh School of Architecture.
Fairham is conscious that BDP, which
walk the talk – that’s a
42
has built carbon measurement into its
big part of what we’ll design process, needs to do within its own
be doing next year’ organisation what it advocates to clients.
It has adopted the Science Based Targets
practice, Quadrangle, and the team moved initiative to help it reach net zero carbon
into its self-designed new office at The by 2025.
Well in downtown Toronto this January. The current year is ‘a year of
Fairham says BDP’s studio interactions consolidation’, he says, as the practice
during the pandemic ‘snowballed from develops its New York studio and builds
day-to-day interactions between studios on its integration of Pattern Design,
in the UK to having much more global the sports stadium specialist practice it
conversations’. The practice now has 10 acquired in 2021.
UK offices and nine international studios, There will be a drive to refine its
including one in Dublin, where it is approach to environmental, social,
working on a new children’s hospital. and corporate governance. ‘From a
These improved connections fed multidisciplinary perspective I don’t
into last year’s launch of an innovation think anybody is in a better position
strategy, co-chaired by colleagues in than BDP to offer a fully integrated social
Toronto and the UK, that focuses on and environmentally sustainable design
technology and sustainability. approach,’ says Fairham.
Fairham says BDP is ‘going through ‘Really trying to make sure we
a period with a focus on internal not only talk the talk, but walk the
investment’. The practice has worked with talk as well – that’s a big part of
diversity and inclusion consultancy EW what we’ll be doing next year.’
Group and social enterprise Built By Us to
devise a mentoring programme for Black
and ethnic minority employees, which 335 qualified architects in UK
launches this month. £131,100 UK architecture fees per
As a result of the pandemic, BDP member of UK architecture staff
implemented a hybrid working pattern, 62 years of practice
NICK CAVILLE

with a benchmark of 60 per cent of work 37% female architects in UK

time spent in the studio, that Fairham 12% BAME architects in UK
says has helped ‘diversify the workforce’ 54 UK design awards won in 2022
 Below: Cardiff University’s newly
refurbished Bute Building, home to the
Welsh School of Architecture
 003
Zaha Hadid Architects
Last year’s AJ100 Innovation of the Year
winner grew architecture fee income
from £64.7 million to £73.1 million in
2022. Recent completions include the
BEEAH Group headquarters in Sharjah,
inspired by the desert landscape.

305 qualified architects in UK

£178,349 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff

HUFTON + CROW
44 years of practice
38% female architects in UK
Right and below:
37% BAME architects in UK BEEAH HQ, Sharjah,
6 UK design awards won in 2022 United Arab Emirates

44

LUKE HAYES
 004
Allford Hall
Monaghan Morris
Completions during 2022 included
Soho Place (pictured), a civic plaza
with two new buildings – a theatre
with office space above, and a
10-storey building with retail and
office space – in London’s West End.

263 qualified architects in UK

£102,808 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
34 years of practice

TIMOTHY SOAR
37% female architects in UK
17% BAME architects in UK
26 UK design awards won in 2022

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=005 =005 007

Atkins Grimshaw Sheppard Robson
The design, engineering and project Rising four places with the addition Completions include the David Kato
management consultancy enters the top of 36 architects, the practice last year and Anne Lister Colleges (pictured) for
five after adding 27 architects in the UK celebrated the opening of the Elizabeth the University of York and University
during 2022. Atkins recently opened Line network, for which it worked of Salford’s School of Science,
a new office in Al-Ula, Saudi Arabia. on the line-wide design (pictured). Engineering and Environment.

179 qualified architects in UK 179 qualified architects in UK 170 qualified architects in UK

£102,279 UK architecture fees per £96,604 UK architecture fees per £92,292 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff member of UK architecture staff member of UK architecture staff
85 years of practice 43 years of practice 85 years of practice
32% female architects in UK 46% female architects in UK 36% female architects in UK
Undisclosed BAME architects in UK 19% BAME architects in UK 11% BAME architects in UK
6 UK design awards won in 2022 6 UK design awards won in 2022 6 UK design awards won in 2022
JACK HOBHOUSE
HUFTON + CROW
WILLIAM BECK

Sky Pavilion, Isleworth

 008
Allies and
Morrison
The practice completed its high-
density Keybridge development in
Vauxhall, south London (pictured),
last year. The mixed-use scheme
provides 598 homes, a new piazza,
retail, work and eating spaces.

167 qualified architects in UK

£125,000 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff

RORY GARDINER
39 years of practice
41% female architects in UK
12% BAME architects in UK
4 UK design awards won in 2022

47

009
Hawkins\Brown
2022 saw the practice fund 30 architects
through the Passivhaus Bitesize
course and complete its restoration
of the Grade II-listed Waltham Forest
Town Hall in London (pictured).

150 qualified architects in UK

£122,300 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
35 years of practice
38% female architects in UK
15% BAME architects in UK
8 UK design awards won in 2022
EDWARD BISHOP
 010
Purcell
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By Flora Neville

Business since the pandemic has been

strong for the heritage specialist,
which last year saw fees to UK offices
rise from £15.9 million to £17.2 million.
Architectural staff numbers rose by 30
per cent across Purcell’s nine UK offices,
which are supplemented by overseas
offices in Hong Kong and Australia.
High-profile projects include the soon-
to-be-completed restoration of the
National Portrait Gallery, where Purcell is
working with Jamie Fobert Architects to
reconfigure gallery spaces.
Its success is underpinned by loyalty.
Purcell chair Liz Smith, who started at the
practice as a Part 2 student 21 years ago,
describes herself as ‘just one example of
many’ long-serving staff.
Loyalty to the Purcell brand comes
partly from the emphasis the practice
places on training through its internal
Conservation School, where experienced
staff pass on heritage-specific skills.
48 Loyalty is further encouraged through
Purcell’s recent transition to employee
ownership, which Smith says is about
‘building long-term succession into
the practice’.
Smith adds that employee ownership
is a particularly interesting model
for creative organisations ‘because
innovation comes to the fore’. The firm’s
business plan is called The Collective
Ambition Footprint.
There have been challenges in the
survey reporting period. Smith points to
limited post-pandemic funding streams
and soaring energy costs. However, she
prefers to see these as opportunities,
as clients look to make their buildings
more energy-efficient. She identifies a
movement towards using traditional
and historic methods of building to
inform a more sensible approach to
sustainability. ‘Purcell is at the forefront
of that movement,’ she says, adding that
the practice likes to ‘step back and look at
things in the round’.
The practice has also seen an uptick
in retrofit work, and has been working
on a restoration project at Boston Manor
in Hounslow. The brief was to refurbish
the Grade I-listed Jacobean manor house,
which Purcell did with extensive support
ANDY BAILEY

from heritage consultants. Boston

Manor’s original owner, Mary Read,
commissioned a work that calls for ‘all
 Opposite: Elizabeth Tower,
Palace of Westminster
Below: Boston Manor House,
Hounslow,London

sorts of craftsmanship’, says Smith. The anomaly, as well as inviting young people Looking ahead, the practice is not
team restored silk fabrics and plastered into their studios through its Future particularly looking to get bigger,
ceilings in the manor’s state rooms, as well Frontiers initiative and encouraging although it is interested, says Smith, in
as more typical architectural details. A employees to mentor would-be students. ‘growing sideways’ in areas that interests
service wing now houses self-contained Smith says the practice recognises there it and setting clear boundaries.
units for local creative businesses, are diversity issues across the industry. Underpinning all they do, according
including the Jimmy Choo Academy. Smith Definitely this has been a particular to Smith, is the ambition to be ‘a source
says the retrofit has created ‘an incubator challenge for the heritage sector, as for good’ – meaning good design, good
for new creative skills’ and that historic heritage has been predicated on a colonial collaboration and good relationships
buildings often act as inspiration for ‘all past, she says, adding that many cultural with clients. Smith concludes:
sorts of creative thinking’. institutions are responding accordingly ‘Purcell believes in the evolution
Internally, the practice is looking to and taking positive actions to better of people, skills and heritage.’
improve its diversity and inclusion – reflect society in the UK.
while 47 per cent of its architects in the ‘Purcell is actively engaged with 129 qualified architects in UK
UK and 43 per cent of its board are female, the discourse around this, which is £86,184 UK architecture fees per
just three of its 129 architects are from manifesting in many projects,’ she says, member of UK architecture staff
an ethnic minority background. Purcell citing its recent work at the Manchester 76 years of practice
is working with specialist recruitment Museum, which has ‘decolonised’ its 47% female architects in UK
agencies such as Inclusive Recruitment collection and created a new gallery for 2% BAME architects in UK
and Be More Urban to address this South Asian Art. 20 UK design awards won in 2022

49

CHRISTOPHER REDGRAVE/HISTORIC ENGLAND

 011
Stride Treglown
Last year’s AJ100 Collaboration of
the Year award winner promoted 32
employees in 2022. Project openings
included the University of Bath’s
Institute for Advanced Automotive
Propulsion Systems (pictured).

127 qualified architects in UK

£66,633 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
70 years of practice
33% female architects in UK
5% BAME architects in UK
18 UK design awards won in 2022

TOM BRIGHT PHOTOGRAPHY

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012
EPR Architects
The practice has moved into its new
London studio, All Saints, close to the
Imperial War Museum. It retrofitted
the five-storey Victorian building to
create a workplace that is net zero
carbon in operation (pictured).

124 qualified architects in UK

£124,225 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
76 years of practice
40% female architects in UK
23% BAME architects in UK
3 UK design awards won in 2022
SIMON KENNEDY
 DANIEL SHEARING

HUFTON + CROW
JAMES NEWTON
013 =014 =014
Feilden Clegg Corstorphine tp bennett &
Bradley Studios & Wright
Completions in 2022 included Ealing
The Bath-headquartered practice Up eight places after adding 25 Filmworks, a £100 million mixed-
grew architecture fee income from architects in 2022, the practice opened use regeneration incorporating
£12 million to £15.2 million in 2022. offices in Newcastle and the United an eight-screen cinema, 209 new
Completions include the Passivhaus Arab Emirates. Completions include homes and a new square with
standard Stephen Taylor Court for the doughnut-shaped Playhive play bars and restaurants (pictured).
King’s College, Cambridge (pictured). centre in North Yorkshire (pictured).
109 qualified architects in UK
114 qualified architects in UK 109 qualified architects in UK £141,923 UK architecture fees per
£97,008 UK architecture fees per £99,310 UK architecture fees per member of UK architecture staff
member of UK architecture staff member of UK architecture staff 102 years of practice
45 years of practice 26 years of practice 31% female architects in UK
32% female architects in UK 24% female architects in UK 10% BAME architects in UK
5% BAME architects in UK 13% BAME architects in UK 8 UK design awards won in 2022
4 UK design awards won in 2022 2 UK design awards won in 2022

52 Up Down No change New/re-entry

016
AECOM
Significant completions last year
included Energy House 2.0 (pictured),
a University of Salford research
facility that can accommodate two
full-scale homes to test performance
in different climate conditions.

103 qualified architects in UK

£91,484 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
39 years of practice
MCCOY WYNNE

39% female architects in UK

Undisclosed BAME architects in UK
1 UK design award won in 2022
=017
Ryder
Architecture
The growing practice moves up three
places after adding 11 architects in the
UK. Completions include affordable
later living development Grace House
in St John’s Wood, London (pictured).

99 qualified architects in UK
£100,659 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
CHRIS HOPKINSON

70 years of practice
34% female architects in UK
9% BAME architects in UK
13 UK design awards won in 2022

53
LEWIS RONALD

CHRIS WINTER
PIERRE ZABAL

=017 =019 =019

Scott Brownrigg HTA Design PRP
The practice launched the RIBA Scott Completions include Lyons Dock, PRP collaborated with Levitt Bernstein
Brownrigg Award for Sustainable the latest block in the practice’s and Pollard Thomas Edwards on
Development and completed its first masterplan of Greenford Quay, London Altered Estates 2, a report on successful
project in Saudi Arabia, a fit-out (pictured). The practice delivered the estate regeneration. The practice’s
of developer ROSHN Real Estate’s scheme, initially designed by SLCE recent new builds include Chobham
new headquarters (pictured). Architects, using offsite construction. Manor in Stratford (pictured).

99 qualified architects in UK 98 qualified architects in UK 98 qualified architects in UK

£158,851 UK architecture fees per £100,519 UK architecture fees per £95,870 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff member of UK architecture staff member of UK architecture staff
113 years of practice 54 years of practice 60 years of practice
34% female architects in UK 39% female architects in UK 37% female architects in UK
9% BAME architects in UK 18% BAME architects in UK 14% BAME architects in UK
0 UK design awards won in 2022 9 UK design awards won in 2022 5 UK design awards won in 2022
 021
AHR
The practice completed the University
of Huddersfield’s Daphne Steele
Building (pictured) and scooped two
RIBA South West awards for the
University of the West of England
Bristol’s School of Engineering.

86 qualified architects in UK
£141,711 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
188 years of practice
21% female architects in UK
14% BAME architects in UK
15 UK design awards won in 2022

AHR/THE COLLECTIVE
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022 023 024

Hopkins Architects WilkinsonEyre HLM Architects
Achievements in 2022 include being Battersea Power Station opened to the The winner of last year’s AJ100
shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize public last year following the practice’s Sustainability Initiative of the
for 100 Liverpool Street and completing restoration and mixed-use repurposing Year award has continued to
the University of Birmingham’s of Sir Giles Gilbert Scott’s Grade II*- grow its architectural fee income,
first international campus at Dubai listed London landmark (pictured). which rose from £13,194,000 to
International Academic City (pictured). £18,266,488 since last year.
84 qualified architects in UK
85 qualified architects in UK £133,758 UK architecture fees per 79 qualified architects in UK
£192,173 UK architecture fees per member of UK architecture staff £124,262 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff 40 years of practice member of UK architecture staff
47 years of practice 20% female architects in UK 59 years of practice
34% female architects in UK 7% BAME architects in UK 30% female architects in UK
22% BAME architects in UK 5 UK design awards won in 2022 15% BAME architects in UK
5 UK design awards won in 2022 7 UK design awards won in 2022

Faculty of Social Sciences,

University of Sheffield
HLM ARCHITECTS
YASSER IBRAHIM

PETER LANDERS
 025
Buckley Gray Yeoman
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By Ella Jessel

When the pandemic lifted, Buckley Gray £900 million Bishopsgate Goodsyard of Portland House, a 29-storey Brutalist
Yeoman (BGY) flew out of the traps. In development next door and the Truman tower in Victoria and developer Landsec’s
2022, the Shoreditch practice grew its Brewery redevelopment on Brick Lane. biggest refurbishment project to date.
total staff headcount from 90 to nearly BGY has become known for its London Clients are increasingly on board with
120, expanded its Bristol office and opened workplace projects and last year saw the retrofit agenda, says Yeoman, adding
its first overseas outpost, in Spain. completion of two big schemes. In that the current shift is a push for re-using
The architect, which bumps up two Clerkenwell a former gin distillery was materials. On one bank scheme in the City,
spots to 25 in the AJ100 rankings, also saw reworked into Technique, a creative the architect is re-using steel and sections
a huge leap in fees. Last year the practice commercial space, for developer General of the existing façade, though Yeoman says
posted a total fee income of £12.6 million, Projects. It also finished The Ice Factory, a it is still a challenge to get warranties for
up from £8.6 million in 2021. ‘As soon as former workshop in Belgravia transformed second-hand and reclaimed materials.
that last lockdown was done, we felt we’d BGY is also growing its housing
been sat around for two years, let’s crack An estimated 70 per portfolio and last year completed a 144-
on,’ says managing director Oliver Bayliss. cent of all BGY’s work home affordable development in Hackney
BGY’s growth spurt – while good
retains some fabric of Wick for housing association Southern.
for the coffers – has left it a little short The scheme on Dace Road comprises
for space at the Tea Building, the 1930s the existing building four six-storey blocks in brick and glass,
warehouse that has served as the practice inspired by nearby converted warehouses.
HQ for 25 years. However, it recently into shops, office and restaurant as part of It is also working on residential schemes
completed the Shoreditch Arts Club, a Grosvenor’s Eccleston Yards masterplan. in Cambridge, a 200-home scheme on
new ground-floor breakout area in the Retrofitting buildings – or what a prominent site in Brighton and the
building that doubles up as a private Yeoman calls ‘turning ugly ducklings Boadilla masterplan in western Madrid.
members’ club for local creatives. into swans’ – is integral to BGY’s design The launch of its office in Madrid
56 Founder Matt Yeoman says that, as approach, with an estimated 70 per cent comes after years of steady growth
long-term residents, BGY sees itself as of all its work retaining some fabric of the in its European work and the studio
a ‘custodian’ of the City fringe area and existing building. With Technique, the will aim to build on that by acting as a
the goal of Shoreditch Arts Club is to lure architect persuaded General Projects to ‘platform’ for the continent and beyond.
creative talent back to an area that has rethink the brief to demolish the building, Meanwhile, in Bristol, where staff
undergone huge change. Yet the practice preventing 49 cubic tonnes of embodied headcount has grown from 13 to 18, the
is also working on major commercial carbon from being released. Last year BGY practice has recently been appointed
schemes, such as the long-awaited was also appointed to design a huge retrofit to design a £100 million research hub.
One of the challenges of 2022 was
managing the practice’s sudden expansion.
It tackled this with a restructure,
bringing in a new board of directors
and new hires such as former LTS
director Anna Woodeson as director of
projects. To ensure ‘continuous dialogue’
between staff and the board, BGY has
increased its collection of ‘practice
forums’, groups of staff who meet to
discuss topics such as design, diversity
and inclusion, or sustainability.
After an industrious 2022, BGY’s focus
is now on consolidating and settling
into its new-look structure. For Bayliss,
last year marked a turning point for the
practice, a process of growth ‘that saw us
grow out of adolescence into adulthood’.

76 qualified architects in UK
£131,490 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
JACK HOBHOUSE

26 years of practice
38% female architects in UK
11% BAME architects in UK
4 UK design awards won in 2022
Opposite: Technique, Clerkenwell, London
Below: Portland House, Victoria, London

57

CONICA STUDIO
 026
Jacobs
The technical services firm employs
187 architectural staff across offices
in London, Birmingham, Manchester
and Glasgow out of a total of 7,500
permanent workers in the UK.

75 qualified architects in UK
£91,551 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
25 years of practice
24% female architects in UK
12% BAME architects in UK
0 UK design awards won in 2022

TOM MCCONNELL
Left: Kirkwood
Performing Arts
Center, Missouri

58 Up Down No change New/re-entry

027
Arcadis
Dutch design and consultancy company
Arcadis acquired Canadian multi-
disciplinary practice IBI Group last year
and anticipates growth in the UK in 2023.

73 qualified architects in UK
£102,179 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
49 years of practice
27% female architects in UK
Undisclosed BAME architects in UK
18 UK design awards won in 2022

Left: Rowan View,

for Mersey Care
NHS Foundation
KIER

Trust, Liverpool
 028
Pascall+Watson
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60
 Opposite: eVTOL Vertiport concept

By Pamela Buxton

For Pascall+Watson, 2022 was ‘a good significant challenges for clients as they
rebound’ year, according to managing get to grips with the accompanying safety,
director Daniel Cunliffe. The practice performance and logistical considerations
certainly had plenty to contend with during for such complex public buildings.
the pandemic, due to its strength in the While its involvement in the sector at all
aviation sector, which resulted in revenue will inevitably draw criticism from some
falling from £16.2 million to £10.6 million in quarters, the practice is keen to play its
2021, a far cry from its pre-pandemic level part in this process towards building and
of £30.7 million for 2019. Fortunately, says operating more sustainably, although, in
Cunliffe, it had built up robust reserves what Butters describes as a ‘conservative
that helped it weather the storm, although, industry’, change is gradual.
like many, it still had to downsize. Nonetheless, the practice is proposing a
The picture is altogether rosier now. timber base structure at one of its airport
Pascall+Watson reports revenue of projects – the first time it has done so in
£17.9 million for architecture fee income for the UK.
2022 and a total fee income of £24.4 million. It is leading the infrastructure
Staff numbers are growing once again and development of the eVTOL Air Mobility
the practice is optimistic it can increase electric air transport initiative, a vertical
architectural staff by 10 per cent this take-off and landing skybus proposal for
year as it experiences ‘encouraging’ solid mass commuting. Such initiatives are in
growth in all sectors and regions. the context of the practice having recently
‘Clients are having to dust off their developed an enhanced sustainability
plans and revisit their ambitions, because strategy, and published a carbon reduction
the aviation business has come back so plan to reduce emissions by 90 per cent 61
strong,’ says aviation director Matthew by 2040.
Butters. Projects include the ongoing The impact of Brexit has presented
Manchester Airport Transformation, a further challenges for both recruitment
10-year programme. and new business. ‘Brexit has definitely
While aviation accounted for 50 per made European clients less likely to engage
cent of its work last year, the practice is with us. It’s as much psychological as it is
also active in workplace, education and practical,’ says Butters, adding that it is
commercial (20 per cent); culture and nonetheless working in mainland Europe.
hospitality (19 per cent) and healthcare and Despite this, and debt issues facing
rail (10 per cent). parent company Roots Group UK,
The vast majority of work is in the UK, Pascall+Watson looks to have left the
although Pascall+Watson also has an office turbulence of the pandemic behind. The
in Abu Dhabi and significant hospitality practice is at ease with its hybrid working,
work in the Middle East. only requiring staff to spend one day in the
Its other overseas offices are in Ireland, office each week, although staff average
where the practice recently completed the nearer to three days in the office by choice.
National Train Control Centre in Dublin, At its offices in London’s Blackfriars it
just one example of the highly complex is reconfiguring space to introduce more
projects that form the practice’s ‘bread breakout areas and booths to accommodate
and butter’. new ways of working. It is also enjoying the
While the practice’s aviation clients greater inter-office collaboration that came
are once again keeping it busy, it is by no out of the pandemic. With a forecast for
means business as usual. The big change, sustained growth in all regions and sectors,
according to Butters, is an awareness the bounce-back looks set to continue.
that the industry needs to demonstrate
it can operate in a more environmentally
responsible manner. This means a 71 qualified architects in UK
greater understanding of embodied and £117,040 UK architecture fees per
operational carbon from the onset of member of UK architecture staff
projects – a significant shift in approach. 79 years of practice
PAUL EVANS

‘Previously it was just money and 44% female architects in UK

capacity. Now, it’s money, carbon and 21% BAME architects in UK
capacity,’ he says, adding that this presents 0 UK design awards won in 2022
 029
ADP Architecture
The practice achieved B Corp
certification in 2022 and increased
total architectural fee income
by nearly a third, to £8,956,830.
Completions included the University
of Sussex’s Student Centre (pictured).

70 qualified architects in UK
£80,304 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
58 years of practice
40% female architects in UK
9% BAME architects in UK
5 UK design awards won in 2022

PAUL KARALIUS
62 Up Down No change New/re-entry

=030
Fletcher Priest
Architects
Recent London developments include
the retrofit of Warwick Court
in the City of London (pictured),
which makes significant embodied
carbon savings by retaining the
structure, envelope and cores.

67 qualified architects in UK
£93,048 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
44 years of practice
42% female architects in UK
21% BAME architects in UK
0 UK design awards won in 2022
STÅLE ERIKSEN
 =030
Levitt Bernstein
The practice adapted and
refurbished the Wimbledon College
of Arts campus in Merton, part of
University of the Arts London, to
enhance facilities for students on
performance courses (pictured).

67 qualified architects in UK
£108,827 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
55 years of practice
45% female architects in UK
7% BAME architects in UK
9 UK design awards won in 2022

LEVITT BERNSTEIN
64 Up Down No change New/re-entry

=032
Chapman Taylor
The practice opened a new studio
in Beijing, and completed Port Baku
Tower in Azerbaijan (pictured). UK
completions include 375 new homes
at Castle Park View in Bristol.

64 qualified architects in UK
£99,543 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
64 years of practice
30% female architects in UK
Undisclosed BAME architects in UK
3 UK design awards won in 2022
TIMOTHY SOAR, SOAR GALLERY
 =032
Howells
Formerly Glenn Howells Architects, the
Birmingham and London practice grew
its architectural fee income by more
than a quarter last year, to £12,463,352.

64 qualified architects in UK
£105,622 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
33 years of practice
27% female architects in UK

HUFTON + CROW
19% BAME architects in UK
9 UK design awards won in 2022
Right: Paradise, Birmingham
Below: London City Island

66

HUFTON + CROW
 034
Weston Williamson + Partners

68
Up
Down
No change Opposite: Paddington Elizabeth
New/re-entry Line station, London

By Gino Spocchia

Weston Williamson + Partners The bid, which is a joint partnership

(WW+P) has had a strong 12 months, with Egis and others, exemplifies
with The Elizabeth Line’s long- how WW+P can work under the new
awaited opening – including WW+P’s ownership, remaining independent of
Paddington and Woolwich stations – its parent company while increasingly
just one example of the infrastructure partnering with others in the group.
specialist’s achievements in 2022. ‘It’s a dream project for an
This year’s AJ100 rankings sees the infrastructure architect,’ says Ali
Bermondsey-headquartered practice Mowahed, head of global strategic growth
move up 14 places, from =48 to 34. Staff at the firm. ‘With everything in one
numbers in London and Manchester package, you get to see it through from
rose from 109 to 161 in 2022 while concept to when someone builds it.’
architectural fee income rose sharply In the UK, the practice has won multiple
from £7,887,000 to £11,816,031 for fees awards for its Elizabeth Line station at
paid to UK offices. WW+P’s global Paddington and continues to deliver
workforce has jumped from around design work on the multi-billion-pound
150 to 240, with the opening of new HS2 project, despite the government
offices in Shenzhen, China, and Riyadh, partially suspending work on this earlier
Saudi Arabia, in the past 12 months. in the year. In doing so, it has avoided
Chief executive officer Rob Naybour the layoffs forced upon other practices
also cites coming under the ownership working on HS2. Completions last year
of Egis, the global consultancy and include a new London Overground
design giant, as another highlight. The station at Barking Riverside.
practice is now part of its ‘Architecture While many architects at WW+P 69
Line’, and Egis has opened a London do work remotely, the practice says
campus next to WW+P’s studio – staff most have returned to work on a
from other Egis entities, such as SB flexible basis following Covid-19.
Architects in California, were working Transport projects both home and
there alongside WW+P staff when the abroad have provided a source of stable
AJ visited the Bermondsey studio. income since before, during and after
the pandemic, providing a buffer against
‘We were lucky in the short-term market fluctuations. WW+P
pandemic that a lot of has worked on Paddington’s Elizabeth
our projects continued Line station for 15 years, for example.
‘I think we were lucky in the pandemic
because of the sorts that a lot of our projects continued
of clients we had’ because of the sorts of clients we
had,’ says spokesperson Hannah
‘That’s helped us grow. It’s helped us Selby. ‘Infrastructure work wasn’t too
attract good people,’ says Naybour. ‘The affected by those initial slowdowns,
reorganisation has allowed us to address and it has continued since then.’
more opportunities and I think there has As to the future, infrastructure in all
been a sort of clarity around succession.’ its guises will continue to be WW+P’s
WW+P’s biggest growth areas – at focus. As Mowahed says: ‘It’s transport,
least geographically speaking – are it’s aviation, it’s metros and it’s cable cars.’
in Australia, Scandinavia and North
America, where it is working on 62 qualified architects in UK
stations for California’s high-speed rail £83,802 UK architecture fees per
network and on the Transit-Oriented member of UK architecture staff
Communities Program in Ontario. 38 years of practice
The practice is also in the running for 39% female architects in UK
MORLEY VON STERNBERG

the M5 line extension of Copenhagen’s 21% BAME architects in UK

Metro, which it says is a great example 5 UK design awards won in 2022
of the kind of schemes it increasingly
wants to take on, where you can
masterplan and build at the same
time as delivering rail infrastructure.
 035
Donald Insall
Associates
The historic buildings specialist’s
restoration of the Grade II*-listed
Cleveland Pools in Bath (pictured),
the UK’s oldest lido, resulted in
its removal from the Heritage
at Risk register last year.

60 qualified architects in UK
£70,981 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
65 years of practice
45% female architects in UK
12% BAME architects in UK
8 UK design awards won in 2022

THOMAS ERSKINE
70 Up Down No change New/re-entry

=036 =036 =038

Haworth Tompkins PLP Architecture Arup Architecture
Last year’s AJ100 Practice of the Recent projects include Arbor, a Rising 20 places, the practice launched
Year received B Corp certification net zero operational carbon office in-house carbon data collection
during 2022 and completed the building at London’s Bankside platform Zero last year and has
final phase of Fish Island Village Yards (pictured), and Designing for committed to undertaking whole
(pictured), which it masterplanned, Neurodiversity, a research report life cycle carbon assessments for
in Hackney Wick, London. for the British Council of Offices. all building projects from 2023.

58 qualified architects in UK 58 qualified architects in UK 57 qualified architects in UK

£110,416 UK architecture fees per £133,803 UK architecture fees per £116,667 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff member of UK architecture staff member of UK architecture staff
32 years of practice 14 years of practice 60 years of practice
45% female architects in UK 50% female architects in UK 37% female architects in UK
5% BAME architects in UK 34% BAME architects in UK Undisclosed BAME architects in UK
11 UK design awards won in 2022 10 UK design awards won in 2022 3 UK design awards won in 2022

Luton Direct Air-Rail

Transit(DART)
SIMON KENNEDY
FRED HOWARTH

NATIVE LAND
 KEITH HUNTER PHOTOGRAPHY

BOWMER KIRKLAND
PAUL HAM/AXEO
=038 =038 =038
Formation jmarchitects NORR Consultants
Architects The practice has four offices across Architecture fee income increased
Recent completions for the London and Scotland and England. Recent by 18 per cent to £70 million at
Cardiff-based practice include Three completions include Castlebrae the international architecture
and Four Station Square, two mixed-use Community Campus in Craigmillar, and engineering group. UK
buildings in Cambridge with homes, Edinburgh, and two visitor buildings completions include HM Passport
office and retail space (pictured). at Clyde Gateway (pictured). and Defra offices at Fletton Quays
in Peterborough (pictured).
57 qualified architects in UK 57 qualified architects in UK
£70,226 UK architecture fees per £69,494 UK architecture fees per 57 qualified architects in UK
member of UK architecture staff member of UK architecture staff £70,146 UK architecture fees per
29 years of practice 61 years of practice member of UK architecture staff
37% female architects in UK 25% female architects in UK 13 years of practice
11% BAME architects in UK 4% BAME architects in UK 28% female architects in UK
0 UK design awards won in 2022 7 UK design awards won in 2022 7% BAME architects in UK
3 UK design awards won in 2022

72 Up Down No change New/re-entry

Left: Health and Allied Professions

Centre, Nottingham Trent University

=038
Pick Everard
The multi-disciplinary consultancy,
which opened offices in Sheffield
and Bristol last year, has reduced its
carbon footprint across Scope 1, 2
and 3 from 3.22 tCO2 to 2.27 tCO2 per
person over the past four years.
MARTINE HAMILTON KNIGHT

57 qualified architects in UK
£71,481 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
157 years of practice
33% female architects in UK
12% BAME architects in UK
0 UK design awards won in 2022
 043
Maccreanor Lavington
Up
Down
No change
New/re-entry

74

TIM CROCKER
 Opposite: Bart’s Square, London
Below: York Way Estate, Islington, London

By Anna Highfield

Maccreanor Lavington turned 30 years to do their Part 3, as ‘we have plenty of Maccreanor Lavington continues to
old in 2022 but in the past year the Stirling projects [suitable] for them to be able to put a strong emphasis on collaboration,
Prize-winning architecture practice develop their careers with us’. which ‘keeps the practice relevant’, and
has had good cause for celebration Maccreanor Lavington’s directors say on its carbon emissions. A new head of
besides its big anniversary. Set up in the practice has also managed to maintain sustainability – Marc Seligmann – joined
1992 by Gerard Maccreanor and Richard healthy fee levels. ‘Generally we want to last year. The architects say they are
Lavington, the practice has earned a work for clients who understand the value working to balance their carbon emissions
solid reputation for what associate of the service we give and are therefore with ‘wanting to build things carefully,
director Dominic Milner describes as prepared to pay a fair price for that and make sure we’re building for a long
‘well-considered, well-thought-through, service,’ says Lavington, adding: ‘What we time’, aiming for average building life
carefully detailed buildings’, particularly don’t want is for it to be the cheapest price, spans of ‘200 years or more’.
on housing, public buildings, and urban where you’re competing with people who The practice is now gearing up for a
regeneration projects. might do a lesser service.’ wave of new projects outside London,
But the London and Rotterdam-based That’s not to say such a turbulent year including Red Bank, its new 4,800-
practice has enjoyed recent new successes has been without its financial challenges. home neighbourhood in Manchester
with a recession-defying boom in total Associate director Dominic Milner says with Hawkins\Brown, for which they
employee numbers – permanent staff one project’s budget swelled by £40 submitted plans in May; ongoing work
numbers in the UK were up by 28 per million in the space of six months, just as on a Birkenhead Design Guide for Wirral
cent in 2022 – and a rise in the number a result of inflation. And the architects Council to provide guidance on future
of its projects going on site. Despite have had to pause work on their 1,000- development in Birkenhead; and the 700ha
the challenging economic climate, home residential scheme in Silvertown, Naas Road masterplan in Dublin.
Maccreanor Lavington paid out bonuses ‘while [the developers] take stock of
in January and increased salaries across fire regulation’. 54 qualified architects in UK
the board in April. However, they expect to benefit £74,081 UK architecture fees per
It currently has under construction 91 from increased opportunities in the member of UK architecture staff
affordable homes in Islington’s York Way build-to-rent, senior living and student 30 years of practice
Estate, 142 homes in the BBC Television accommodation sectors, which appear 31% female architects in UK
Centre redevelopment in White City, 110 to be speeding up even as the private 9% BAME architects in UK
homes in Brent Cross, and 526 homes in housing market slows down. 5 UK design awards won in 2022
Danesgate, Stevenage. It also has a new
neighbourhood of 162 homes gearing up to
go on site in Arnos Grove, north London.
The directors are unaccustomed to having
so many projects on site. As Lavington
puts it, they are much more used to
being the ‘trophy planning architects’,
since, ‘we are known for our ability to
get complex projects through planning.
And then clients would find someone
potentially more economical to [deliver
the construction].’
Lavington puts the change down to
increasingly risk-averse clients, who
are hesitant to switch architects mid-
project in the wake of Brexit, the Covid-19
pandemic and, more recently, uncertainty
regarding proposals for changes to the
building safety regulations.
But the practice has always advocated
for continuity on projects and now its
safe-pair-of-hands reputation is paying
MACCREANOR LAVINGTON

dividends. And not just on the client-

facing side. Jane MacCuish, the practice’s
head of new business, says seeing more
projects through to completion is a huge
benefit for Maccreanor Lavington’s new
joiners, particularly younger staff keen
 044
JTP
The practice increased architectural
fee income by nearly £1 million, to
£12 million, last year. It has opened
an office in Bristol, adding to existing
studios in London and Edinburgh.

JTP/CRAIG AUCKLAND FOTOHAUS

52 qualified architects in UK
£105,285 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
28 years of practice
Left: Channels,
38% female architects in UK
Chelmsford
Below: Barton Farm, 10% BAME architects in UK
Winchester 4 UK design awards won in 2022

76

JTP/ CRAIG AUCKLAND FOTOHAUS

 =045
SimpsonHaugh
Architects
The growing Manchester and London
practice paid out its first ever practice-
wide bonus in 2022. Completions
included the four-star Maldron
Hotel in Manchester (pictured).

51 qualified architects in UK
£128,354 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
36 years of practice
27% female architects in UK

MIKE DINSDALE
8% BAME architects in UK
3 UK design awards won in 2022

78 Up Down No change New/re-entry

=045 047 =048

Stephen George Populous Aukett Swanke
+ Partners The sports and event venue Climbing 22 ranking places, the
The practice leaps up the rankings specialist aims to achieve carbon practice is the local architect on
after the addition of 18 architects neutrality within the practice by the Bjarke Ingels Group’s EDGE East
to its UK headcount. Architectural end of 2023. Commissions include Side Berlin office tower (pictured),
fee income grew substantially from Germany’s first ‘climate-neutral’ which was topped out last year.
£7.5 million to just under £13 million. event arena in Munich and Co-op
Live in Manchester (pictured). 49 qualified architects in UK
51 qualified architects in UK £82,298 UK architecture fees per
£126,101 UK architecture fees per 50 qualified architects in UK member of UK architecture staff
member of UK architecture staff £215,841 UK architecture fees per 68 years of practice
53 years of practice member of UK architecture staff 35% female architects in UK
31% female architects in UK 40 years of practice 10% BAME architects in UK
29% BAME architects in UK 44% female architects in UK 7 UK design awards won in 2022
9 UK design awards won in 2022 Undisclosed BAME architects in UK
6 UK design awards won in 2022

Stevenage Bus Station

HOLLIS PHOTOGRAPHY

POPULOUS

BIG
 MCALEER RUSHE
ADAM PARKER

TIM CROCKER
=048 =048 =051
PDP London Perkins&Will Assael Architecture
Completions in 2022 include the Recent UK schemes by the global The practice, which continues to climb
upgrade of the Grade II-listed 1930s Shell practice, which opened an office in the AJ100, completed its first purpose-
Mex House on The Strand in London Washington State last year, include designed co-living scheme last year.
into flexible, multi-tenanted office space, Kensington Queensmill and New Sunday Mills in Wandsworth, London
now known as Eighty Strand (pictured). Barlby schools, combined on one site in (pictured), comprises 315 studios.
North Kensington, London (pictured).
49 qualified architects in UK 48 qualified architects in UK
£88,005 UK architecture fees per 49 qualified architects in UK £107,226 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff £150,329 UK architecture fees per member of UK architecture staff
29 years of practice member of UK architecture staff 29 years of practice
47% female architects in UK 88 years of practice 46% female architects in UK
24% BAME architects in UK 45% female architects in UK 15% BAME architects in UK
0 UK design awards won in 2022 27% BAME architects in UK 3 UK design awards won in 2022
8 UK design awards won in 2022

79

=051
Eric Parry
Architects
Up 17 places, the practice’s London
projects in 2022 included the £5.5 million
restoration of the Grade II*-listed St
John’s Church in Waterloo and Phase 4
of Chelsea Barracks (pictured).

48 qualified architects in UK
£145,398 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
33 years of practice
38% female architects in UK
19% BAME architects in UK
3 UK design awards won in 2022
DIRK LINDNER
 =051
FaulknerBrowns
Architects
Last year’s winner of the AJ100
Community Impact of the Year award
celebrated its 60th anniversary in
2022. The Newcastle upon Tyne
practice’s Ravelin Sports Centre
opened in Portsmouth (pictured).

48 qualified architects in UK
£85,039 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
61 years of practice
31% female architects in UK
4% BAME architects in UK
24 UK design awards won in 2022

HUFTON + CROW
80 Up Down No change New/re-entry

=054
Broadway Malyan
The practice last year launched its
Going Green masterplan, a guide on
how to ‘green’ Birmingham. Overseas
completions include Wycombe
Abbey Hangzhou School in Hangzhou
Province, China (pictured).

47 qualified architects in UK
£123,333 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
65 years of practice
28% female architects in UK
13% BAME architects in UK
0 UK design awards won in 2022
AOG VISION
 =054
Chetwoods
The practice opened an office in
Staffordshire in 2022 and bolstered
its presence in Germany, where it
already had a Hamburg studio, by
adding a new office in Cologne.

47 qualified architects in UK
£125,000 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
35 years of practice
21% female architects in UK
21% BAME architects in UK
1 UK design award won in 2022

CHETWOODS
Left: Visualisation for
a campus masterplan in
the Midlands

82 Up Down No change New/re-entry

=054
Morris+Company
Last year saw the London practice
move into a self-designed new studio
near the Hackney Empire theatre.
Completions included the Featherstone
Building near London’s Old Street
for Derwent London (pictured).

47 qualified architects in UK
£96,331 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
18 years of practice
43% female architects in UK
6% BAME architects in UK
4 UK design awards won in 2022
JACK HOBHOUSE
 =057
3DReid
The practice grew architectural
fee income by 35 per cent to £8.4
million in 2022 and completed its
conversion of a former Bank of
Scotland building into Edinburgh’s
Gleneagles Townhouse hotel.

46 qualified architects in UK
£101,205 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff

CAMERON HOUSE
44 years of practice
Right: Cameron House
50% female architects in UK
extension, Loch Lomond
7% BAME architects in UK Below: Gleneagles Townhouse
2 UK design awards won in 2022 hotel, Edinburgh

84

DAVID CADZOW
 =057
Piercy&Company
Last year’s completions for the
London practice included a retrofit
of Exchange House at Broadgate in
the City of London (pictured) and a
new headquarters for international
consultants BCG in Fitzrovia.

46 qualified architects in UK
£102,502 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
21 years of practice
28% female architects in UK
15% BAME architects in UK
1 UK design award won in 2022

JACK HOBHOUSE
Up Down No change New/re-entry 85

=059 =059 =061

Architype Oberlanders DB3 Group
The Passivhaus specialist’s highest-
Architects The Leeds-headquartered practice
profile completion last year was the climbs 35 places after increasing its
Entopia retrofit for the University This new entrant’s Bella Centre UK headcount by 14 architects. 2022
of Cambridge (see page 134). Other (pictured) opened in Dundee last completions included a £22 million
recent projects include Welshpool year. Designed for the Scottish Prison leisure centre at Helensburgh for
Church School, the first Passivhaus Service, the custody unit provides Argyll and Bute Council (pictured).
school in Powys (pictured). gender-specific accommodation.
43 qualified architects in UK
45 qualified architects in UK 45 qualified architects in UK £78,605 UK architecture fees per
£99,091 UK architecture fees per £73,398 UK architecture fees per member of UK architecture staff
member of UK architecture staff member of UK architecture staff 140 years of practice
39 years of practice 40 years of practice 30% female architects in UK
53% female architects in UK 51% female architects in UK 42% BAME architects in UK
0% BAME architects in UK 0% BAME architects in UK 2 UK design awards won in 2022
8 UK design awards won in 2022 1 UK design award won in 2022
LEIGH SIMPSON/ARCHITYPE

MICHAEL WOLCHOVER

FORMATION 3D
 =061
Ridge and Partners
The multidisciplinary consultancy
grew architectural fee income from
£6 million to £8.5 million while
working on ‘technical confidential
projects’ in the UK during 2022.

43 qualified architects in UK
£82,258 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
77 years of practice
30% female architects in UK
2%* BAME architects in UK
0 UK design awards won in 2022

RIDGE AND PARTNERS

Left: Visualisation for
a campus masterplan in
the Midlands
* disclosed

86 Up Down No change New/re-entry

=063 =063 =063

Barr Gazetas Bond Bryan ECE Group
The London practice fitted out its
Architects Significant completions last year
new Mayfair studio last year. Other included the £4.8 million expansion
completions included Yarnwicke, The firm’s Manchester College campus of Wiston Estate Winery in West
a refurbishment and extension (pictured) opened in 2022. Designed Sussex (pictured), which involved
of a six-storey office in the Bank in collaboration with SimpsonHaugh, the restoration of two historic
conservation area (pictured). it provides facilities for students in barns and a new-build addition.
the digital and creative sectors.
42 qualified architects in UK 42 qualified architects in UK
£120,696 UK architecture fees per 42 qualified architects in UK £71,741 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff £80,808 UK architecture fees per member of UK architecture staff
30 years of practice member of UK architecture staff 12 years of practice
45% female architects in UK 36 years of practice 17% female architects in UK
5% BAME architects in UK 36% female architects in UK 5% BAME architects in UK
0 UK design awards won in 2022 14% BAME architects in UK 2 UK design awards won in 2022
7 UK design awards won in 2022
BOND BRYAN ARCHITECTS

WILL SCOTT
PHILIP VILE
 St George’s Health and
Wellbeing Hub, Havering

BRYDEN WOOD
=063 =067
Ellis Williams Bryden Wood
Architects Having grown its international
presence last year with the opening
The practice unveiled its of new offices in Athens and
redevelopment of the Grade II-listed Sydney, the practice is expecting to
indoor Newport Market (pictured) and expand into the USA this year.
the new-build Spen Valley Leisure
Centre for Kirklees Council last year. 41 qualified architects in UK
£143,872 UK architecture fees per
42 qualified architects in UK member of UK architecture staff
£91,291 UK architecture fees per 28 years of practice
member of UK architecture staff 49% female architects in UK
55 years of practice 0% BAME architects in UK
24% female architects in UK 6 UK design awards won in 2022
LOFTCO

7% BAME architects in UK
7 UK design awards won in 2022

88 Up Down No change New/re-entry

=067 =067 =070

Keppie Design KSS Design Group Buttress
The long-established Glasgow practice The London and Sevenoaks practice The Manchester and Leeds-based
has made two cost-of-living bonus increased architecture fee income practice is now a certified B Corp.
payments and is working towards by 56 per cent in 2022. Completions Ongoing heritage projects include
accreditation for the ISO 14001 include Merrielands, a residential improvements to Grade I-listed
environmental management standard. and retail brownfield redevelopment Lincoln Cathedral (pictured).
in Dagenham (pictured).
41 qualified architects in UK 40 qualified architects in UK
£89,157 UK architecture fees per 41 qualified architects in UK £79,163 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff £106,895 UK architecture fees per member of UK architecture staff
169 years of practice member of UK architecture staff 35 years of practice
32% female architects in UK 32 years of practice 53% female architects in UK
5% BAME architects in UK 32% female architects in UK 5% BAME architects in UK
6 UK design awards won in 2022 15% BAME architects in UK 6 UK design awards won in 2022
0 UK design awards won in 2022
ANDY MARSHALL
KEPPIE DESIGN

INLAND HOMES

Aberdeen Beachfront masterplan

 89

HADFIELD CAWKWELL DAVIDSON

=070
Hadfield Cawkwell
Davidson
The Sheffield practice increased
architectural fee income by 47 per
cent to £5 million in 2022. Recent
projects include a new concept
club in Brighton for long-standing
client David Lloyd Leisure.
HADFIELD CAWKWELL DAVIDSON

40 qualified architects in UK
£71,429 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
189 years of practice
Above: David Lloyd Club,
Bicester
8% female architects in UK
Left: David Lloyd Club, 13% BAME architects in UK
Brighton 0 UK design awards won in 2022
 =072
Falconer
Chester Hall
The practice’s biggest office is in
Liverpool, where its 2022 completions
include Aura (pictured), a 14 storey-high
student and key workers residential
development including 999 student rooms.

39 qualified architects in UK
£88,390 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
26 years of practice
23% female architects in UK
10% BAME architects in UK
4 UK design awards won in 2022

INFINITE 3D
90 Up Down No change New/re-entry

=072
TODD Architects
The Belfast-headquartered practice’s
recent completions include a
refurbishment of the city’s Grade B+
listed Custom House and Goodluck Hope,
a riverside residential development
for Ballymore in London (pictured).

39 qualified architects in UK
£89,641 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
47 years of practice
18% female architects in UK
10% BAME architects in UK
2 UK design awards won in 2022
BENEDICT LUXMOORE
 =074
ADAM Architecture
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92

By Richard Waite
It has been a blockbusting return to the crisis for the firm,’ says George Saumarez generation retires’. The new wave remains
AJ100 for the ‘extremely busy’ Winchester Smith, one of the company’s six current dedicated to the practice’s focus on
and London-based practice, which re- directors. There are no plans to change the traditional architecture and ‘contextual
emerges at an impressive joint 74th place name above the door. urban design’.
after a five-year absence. That already happened, in effect, in It is still among only a handful of firms
Since it was last in the AJ100, ADAM 2010, when Robert Adam Architects you would go to to commission a one-off
Architecture’s founder, Robert Adam, became ADAM Architecture. ‘Although country house in a Classical style. The
has stepped down after 44 years as what we are called is still derived from practice has between 20 and 30 of them
the figurehead of the company and its Robert’s name, it is more neutral,’ explains on its books at a time. The pandemic and
predecessor practice. His departure Saumarez Smith. ‘People gradually a continued yearning, particularly on the
from his role as director in early 2020 stopped asking “Who [is] Robert Adam?” part of wealthy Londoners, for rural piles
has clearly not resulted in a business- [Over time] we became a collective has ensured a steady flow of such jobs.
damaging implosion. The Classical practice, rather than one built around a The firm’s masterplanning work is also
architecture practice’s workload is single person.’ thriving, though its approach is more
booming and the headcount growing – it Now the company has a team of ‘landscape-led’ than some exponents’
is expecting to take on a further five to 10 directors of a range of ages, the youngest ‘extremely rigid’ layouts which resemble
people within a matter of months. in their 30s. Saumarez Smith describes the ‘a kind of aerial view of Versailles’.
‘We were very keen, even as far back set-up as ‘a bit like a moving conveyor belt, ‘We look at local character,’ Saumarez
as 2009, that succession wouldn’t cause a where new people come in as the older Smith says. ‘There’s too much blank-sheet-
 Opposite: New Country House, Surrey
Below: Levine Building, Trinity College, Oxford

93
DARREN CHUNG/WESTBURY JOINERY

DYLAN THOMAS PHOTOGRAPHY

of-paper thinking and not enough putting But the practice acknowledges that, new commissions are far from archaic.
one’s hand in the soil and seeing what’s following Charles’ coronation, it ‘may ‘Social media, increasingly, is a big part
been there before. not do the same amount of work’ with the of our business,’ says Saumarez Smith.
‘It’s not really Classical, in any shape Duchy as before. However, other doors ‘I posted something on my Instagram
or form. I’m amazed at how frequently have opened to roll out this model of account on Saturday and got two job
I see architects of an entirely different ‘enlightened landowners looking to build inquiries on Sunday.’
architectural persuasion producing long-term value’ elsewhere in the country He adds: ‘We feel very strongly that
very rigid, symmetrical plans that look – for instance at the Burghley estate architects have a lot more in common
highly Classical.’ in Lincolnshire and at Castle Howard than they have that divide them. We see
In fact, the practice reports it regularly in Yorkshire. ourselves as part of the mainstream, not a
works with lots of other collaborators – Retrofit is a growth area, too. Re-use boutique firm on the fringes.’
including non-Classical firms – especially projects make up a third of the practice’s
on larger residential projects. workload and Saumarez Smith says the 38 qualified architects in UK
Over some years the company has practice is increasingly being asked to £116,810 UK architecture fees per
nurtured a fruitful association with the look at how historic buildings can be made member of UK architecture staff
former Prince of Wales’ private estate, the ‘more green’. 36 years of practice
Duchy of Cornwall, most famously with But if the practice’s aesthetic leanings 29% female architects in UK
ongoing commissions at the traditionalist and stylings look to the past, its ways of 8% BAME architects in UK
Poundbury village in Dorset. working, running a business and winning 4 UK design awards won in 2022
 MCCARTHY AND STONE
HUNDVEN CLEMENTS

BPTW
=074 =074 =077
BakerHicks rg+p BPTW
Previously Morgan Sindall Professional Based in Leicester, London and Based in Greenwich, the residential
Services, this new entrant operates Birmingham, rg+p increased design and placemaking practice
from five offices in the UK. Recent architectural income by 25 per cent launched a specialist urban design
projects include the Whitechapel in 2022 to £5 million. Key projects arm in 2022. Current projects include
Elizabeth Line station in London include the Walter House retirement Hartopp and Lannoy Point at the Aintree
(pictured), where BakerHicks provided apartments in Chelmsford (pictured). Estate in Hammersmith (pictured).
multi-disciplinary design services.
38 qualified architects in UK 37 qualified architects in UK
38 qualified architects in UK £60,089 UK architecture fees per £88,158 UK architecture fees per
£103,058 UK architecture fees per member of UK architecture staff member of UK architecture staff
member of UK architecture staff 44 years of practice 35 years of practice
65 years of practice 34% female architects in UK 43% female architects in UK
34% female architects in UK 5% BAME architects in UK 14% BAME architects in UK
5% BAME architects in UK 0 design awards won in 2022 4 UK design awards won in 2022
1 UK design award won in 2022

94 Up Down No change New/re-entry

=077 =077 =077

HOK Holmes Miller Leonard Design
The US practice’s London office The Glasgow-based practice has In 2022 the growing Nottingham
completed new BBC studios in Bristol. completed its seven-year Meadowbank and London practice held Breaking
Other projects include the University Sports Centre redevelopment in the Bias, a year of initiatives around
of Glasgow Advanced Research Edinburgh, a regional indoor and international men’s and women’s days.
Centre, which houses 500 multi- outdoor hub for both community Recent completions include The Beeston
disciplinary researchers (pictured). and elite sport (pictured). Social in Nottingham (pictured).

37 qualified architects in UK 37 qualified architects in UK 37 qualified architects in UK

£109,398 UK architecture fees per £56,484 UK architecture fees per £104,762 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff member of UK architecture staff member of UK architecture staff
68 years of practice 72 years of practice 17 years of practice
24% female architects in UK 22% female architects in UK 30% female architects in UK
22% BAME architects in UK 8% BAME architects in UK 27% BAME architects in UK
0 UK design awards won in 2022 0 UK design awards won in 2022 8 UK design awards won in 2022
KEITH HUNTER

CHRIS TERRY
PAUL ZANRE
 =081
DLA Architecture
Key 2022 completions include The
Waterhouse, a 252-apartment new
build residential development that
forms part of the wider regeneration
of Ordsall Riverside in Salford.

36 qualified architects in UK
£89,146 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff

STEVIE CAMPBELL
35 years of practice
Left: 12 King
25% female architects in UK
Street, Leeds
Below: The 11% BAME architects in UK
Waterhouse, Salford 2 UK design awards won in 2022

96

STEVIE CAMPBELL
 =081
ECD Architects
The sustainable design specialist has 71
staff across offices in London, Glasgow
and Preston. ECD is currently involved
in the deep retrofit of approximately
10,000 properties in the UK. New
builds include Thornhill Primary
School in Houghton Regis (pictured).

36 qualified architects in UK
£63,235 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
42 years of practice
58% female architects in UK
17% BAME architects in UK
3 UK design awards won in 2022

98 Up Down No change New/re-entry TRAMPENAU PHOTOGRAPHY

=081
Hyphen
The international practice was
busy at London’s transformed
Battersea Power Station in 2022,
completing retail projects for
eight global brands including Nike
(pictured), Lacoste and Mulberry.

36 qualified architects in UK
£67,235 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
63 years of practice
53% female architects in UK
14% BAME architects in UK
5 UK design awards won in 2022
TOM MORGAN
 =084
RM_A
Based in north London, RM_A is
currently working on regeneration-led
projects in the housing and retail sectors,
including the reinvigoration of East
Ham Market in Newham, east London.

35 qualified architects in UK
£82,660 UK architecture fees per

BENEDICT LUXMOORE
Left: East Ham member of UK architecture staff
housing, Newham, 9 years of practice
London
46% female architects in UK
Below: Blackhorse
Point, Waltham 17% BAME architects in UK
Forest, London 1 UK design award won in 2022

100

RM ARCHITECTS
=084
Studio Moren
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STUDIO MOREN
 Opposite: The Westin London City, London
Below: Grainger Gatehouse Apartments, Southampton

By Greg Pitcher

Studio Moren makes its inaugural

appearance in the AJ100 but only under
that name, the 30-year-old practice having
rebranded from Dexter Moren Architects
last September.
‘A few people thought I was retiring,’
says Dexter Moren himself, swiftly
dismissing the suggestion. In fact the
change in moniker was born partly of a
wish to move away from the colloquial
but indistinct DMA acronym and also to
acknowledge the growth of the practice.
‘There were three of us in 1992 and now
there are 70,’ says Moren, explaining that
the old name had become ‘too personal’.
Apart from its anniversary celebrations
and extensive rebrand, the practice had
a strong year in 2022 as the appetite for

GRAINGER PLC
new hotels remained undimmed by fallout
from the Covid-19 pandemic. Architecture
fee income for 2022 stood at £4.1 million.
‘We increased our turnover by 15 per
cent; we took on some more people and,
despite the prognoses of doom and gloom, 103
things kept going,’ says Moren. ‘We have a blind are comfortable with two days’ he says.
In 2022 the practice completed a 12-year recruitment policy whereby ‘I would like to see that increased but
project to deliver the 222-key Westin everyone is happy and the work gets done.’
we pick a select group
London City on a challenging plot that One routine he has fiercely defended is
straddles a major road close to Southwark entirely from their CVs, that everyone in Studio Moren’s Camden
Bridge on the north bank of the River with no consideration office takes tea together twice a day at
Thames. In London’s Docklands, it also of background details’ 11am and 4pm. ‘It is a great chance to take
finished an 18-storey Travelodge, which people’s eyes off a screen and to socialise
features a biodiverse roof, air source heat and talk to people. We do it every day,
pumps and solar panels. architects; and we are training people to even if there are only five of us.’
There were also forays abroad to be BREEAM assessors,’ says Moren. Thirty years after founding the practice,
work on the refurbishment of the ‘We have an inclusivity steering Moren has no intention of slowing
InterContinental Hotel in Lusaka, Zambia, group and more than 85 per cent of staff down, and clearly retains his appetite
and a first scheme for the practice in responding to a recent practice survey for the challenges ahead, including
Venezuela. ‘Our model is always to team rated our inclusivity culture as good or what he describes as a ‘broken’ planning
up with a local architect,’ says Moren. ‘We very good.’ system and ‘ballistic’ price increases for
deliver concepts and direction but local Although Moren rates the practice’s professional indemnity insurance.
teams deliver the detail.’ discipline-specific gender ratios as no He doesn’t expect major growth
As well as expanding geographically, the better than average across architecture this year but, under the new name, a
practice has been diversifying in terms of and interior design, he notes that equal continuation of old themes.
the sectors in which it operates. numbers of men and women have joined ‘We want to keep momentum going and
‘Hospitality has morphed out of hotels the practice over the past two years. keep building a team that works together
into student housing, later living – even He says: ‘We have a blind recruitment well,’ he says. ‘This practice has been built
the workspace,’ says Moren. ‘We work on policy whereby we pick a select group on making clients happy so they come
the hospitality components of buy-to-let entirely from their CVs, with no back. That is the grounding.’
schemes. It has been a conscious decision consideration of background details.’
by us to expand our skill set.’ Some staff work up to three days a 35 qualified architects in UK
Expanding the diversity of its talent and week remotely since lockdown, and a few £65,442 UK architecture fees per
keeping up with evolving requirements team members have moved temporarily member of UK architecture staff
are important themes for Studio or permanently overseas, but are 30 years of practice
Moren culture. staying with the practice. Moren’s own 29% female architects in UK
‘We have appointed a head of habits are more traditional. ‘I remain 29% BAME architects in UK
sustainability; we have Passivhaus-trained five days a week in the office but people 0 UK design awards won in 2022
 MABER ARCHITECTS
STåLE ERIKSEN
JOHN KEES
086 =087 =087
LSI Architects Jestico + Whiles Maber Architects
Significant 2022 projects included the Commissions include two major Maber has completed a £23 million
£13 million refurbishment and extension projects for the University of retrofit of Swindon Institute of
of London’s Morley College (pictured). Cambridge – the recently completed Technology’s distinctive Brutalist
LSI staff received an 11 per cent pay rise West Cambridge student hub (pictured) buildings. New build projects include
in response to the cost of living crisis. and the under-construction Ray View Studios student housing in
Dolby Cavendish Laboratory. London’s Bermondsey (pictured).
34 qualified architects in UK
£76,190 UK architecture fees per 33 qualified architects in UK 33 qualified architects in UK
member of UK architecture staff £131,514 UK architecture fees per £67,139 UK architecture fees per
143 years of practice member of UK architecture staff member of UK architecture staff
18% female architects in UK 46 years of practice 40 years of practice
0% BAME architects in UK 42% female architects in UK 36% female architects in UK
3 UK design awards won in 2022 6% BAME architects in UK 12% BAME architects in UK
0 design awards won in 2022 2 UK design awards won in 2022

104 Up Down No change New/re-entry

=087
Stiff + Trevillion
Notable London retrofits include
Newson’s Yard, a 19th century
Pimlico timber yard repurposed as
a shopping arcade (pictured), and the
refurbishment of Ladbroke Grove’s Pall
Mall Deposit into flexible workspace.

33 qualified architects in UK
£132,553 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
42 years of practice
TOM NIVEN

36% female architects in UK

15% BAME architects in UK
0 UK design awards won in 2022
 105

WILL SCOTT
=090
Apt
Architecture fee income rose 12 per cent
at the London practice, which won 2022
City Building of the Year for Urbanest City
offices and student housing (pictured), a
collaboration with Hopkins Architects.

32 qualified architects in UK
£124,444 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
14 years of practice
WILL SCOTT

Left and above:

31% female architects in UK
Urbanest City, 16% BAME architects in UK
London 2 UK design awards won in 2022
 =090
Darling
Associates
Alastair Roberts has taken over as MD
from founder Chris Darling, who has
become chair. Completions include
25 apartments in Harcourt House, a
Grade II-listed Edwardian building
in Marylebone, London (pictured).

32 qualified architects in UK
£124,186 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
20 years of practice
78% female architects in UK
16% BAME architects in UK
1 UK design award won in 2022

106 Up Down No change New/re-entry BEN DALE PHOTOGRAPHY

=092
John Robertson
Architects
JRA has designed a workplace strategy
and ‘futureproofed’ design for
Skanska’s new UK HQ in Leavesden.
Other refurbishments include the
Johnson Gardens office complex in
London’s Hatton Garden (pictured).

31 qualified architects in UK
£117,641 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
30 years of practice
42% female architects in UK
10% BAME architects in UK
0 UK design awards won in 2022
MATT LIVEY
 =092
Rolfe Judd
The architecture and planning
practice has completed the 670-home
Phase 2 of the ongoing Woodberry Down
regeneration in London’s Hackney.
Refurbishments include 62 Threadneedle
Street in the City of London (pictured).

31 qualified architects in UK
£128,661 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
17 years of practice
10% female architects in UK
10% BAME architects in UK
2 UK design awards won in 2022

108 Up Down No change New/re-entry HUFTON + CROW

=092 =095 =095

TateHindle AWW LOM architecture
The practice delivered new milestones The practice’s Bristol studio has moved
and design
at two long-running residential to Pivot + Mark, a reinvention of the
projects – a new community hub 1950s Bridge House, which AWW Architecture fee income was up 12 per
at Great Kneighton in Cambridge has upgraded to provide 3,900m2 of cent at LOM, which is working on its
and Phase 9 of Millbrook Park creative office space (pictured). largest-ever construction project – a
in north London (pictured). UK head office for Santander at Unity
30 qualified architects in UK Place in Milton Keynes (pictured).
31 qualified architects in UK £110,469 UK architecture fees per
£88,095 UK architecture fees per member of UK architecture staff 30 qualified architects in UK
member of UK architecture staff 48 years of practice £116,526 UK architecture fees per
32 years of practice 27% female architects in UK member of UK architecture staff
42% female architects in UK 7% BAME architects in UK 33 years of practice
23% BAME architects in UK 1 UK design award won in 2022 37% female architects in UK
3 design awards won in 2022 3% BAME architects in UK
0 UK design awards won in 2022
LOM ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN
BILLY BOLTON
LUKE HAYES
110

DANIEL HOPKINSON
=095
shedkm
The Liverpool and London practice is
working towards B Corp certification.
Recent completions include Crusader +
Phoenix and Kampus, both residential
retrofits and new-builds in Manchester.

30 qualified architects in UK
£97,868 UK architecture fees per
DANIEL HOPKINSON

member of UK architecture staff

26 years of practice
27% female architects in UK
3% BAME architects in UK Above and right: Crusader +
5 UK design awards won in 2022 Phoenix, Manchester
 TRACY WHITEFOOT

KEITH HUNTER

JILL TATE
=095 =099 =099
Whittam Cox Michael Laird P+HS Architects
Architects Architects Healthcare is one of the returning
practice’s key sectors, with 2022
Significant completions in 2022 include The Edinburgh and Glasgow completions including a Day Treatment
the Northern Gateway Enterprise practice returns to the AJ100 for the Centre at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital,
Centre, which provides 2,400m2 of office first time since 2016. Completions delivered in less than 38 weeks (pictured).
and collaboration space in the practice’s include the National Robotarium
home town of Chesterfield (pictured). innovation hub at Heriot-Watt 29 qualified architects in UK
University, Edinburgh (pictured). £78,245 UK architecture fees per
30 qualified architects in UK member of UK architecture staff
£81,518 UK architecture fees per 29 qualified architects in UK 38 years of practice
member of UK architecture staff £73,413 UK architecture fees per 45% female architects in UK
51 years of practice member of UK architecture staff 0% BAME architects in UK
23% female architects in UK 68 years of practice 3 UK design awards won in 2022
7% BAME architects in UK 38% female architects in UK
1 UK design award won in 2022 3% BAME architects in UK
1 design award won in 2022

Up Down No change New/re-entry 111

=099
The Fairhursts
Design Group
In 2022 Fairhursts refurbished one of
its own designs from 1961, providing
co-working space at Linley House on
Manchester’s Dickinson Street. New
builds include the Extreme Photonics
Applications Centre, Oxford (pictured).

29 qualified architects in UK
£102,488 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
127 years of practice
45% female architects in UK
31% BAME architects in UK
3 UK design awards won in 2022
THE FAIRHURSTS DESIGN GROUP
112

SAUL CALDWELL/AEW ARCHITECTS

=100
AEW Architects
The Manchester AJ100 debutant’s
projects include the transformation of
Oldham Spindles shopping centre into a
mixed-use hub, and a sustainable concept
store for the Co-op in Steeple Claydon.

28 qualified architects in UK
£94,063 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
30 years of practice
21% female architects in UK
Above: Oldham Spindles
11% BAME architects in UK Right: Cornhill Quarter,
BM3

2 UK design awards won in 2022 Lincoln

 =100
Associated
Architects
The practice collaborated with Arup on
the £72 million upgrade of Birmingham’s
Alexander Stadium for the 2022
Commonwealth Games, and is now
working on the £26 million legacy phase.

28 qualified architects in UK
£87,033 UK architecture fees per
Left: Thomas member of UK architecture staff

BEN MCPHEE
Telford School,
54 years of practice
Wolverhampton
Below: Alexander 11% female architects in UK
Stadium, Birmingham 7% BAME architects in UK
0 UK design awards won in 2022

113

FRASER MCGEE
 =100
dMFK Architects
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New/re-entry

114

By Kit Heren

‘We’ve never focused on growth new-build jobs such as One Chapel Place, and working out what original details are
particularly. We’ve just tried to do the best a proposed 11 storey office redevelopment worth keeping.’
possible work we can do and learn,’ says near Oxford Street. How do they know what to retain and
Julian de Metz, founder of de Metz Forbes ‘We quite often get knotty, difficult, what to disregard? De Metz says: ‘Over
Knight (dMFK). awkward, existing buildings or historic the years we’ve just developed a good eye
Founded in 2000 and appearing in the contexts, and that’s what we’ve developed for that. It’s not purely based on heritage.
AJ100 rankings for the first time, the a skill at doing,’ says de Metz, adding: You need to be quite fearless about saying
practice may not have aimed for growth, ‘It’s because we are good at managing “that may be historical, but that doesn’t
but it has expanded considerably in recent the complexity.’ mean it needs to stay there if it’s not in the
years. Architectural staff numbers have He gives an example of Hamilton House, spirit of the project”.’
risen from about 25 before the pandemic a 5,500m2 Grade II-listed office building Jonny Wong, a dMFK director, recounts
to 44 in 2023, driven largely by dMFK’s near Blackfriars. dMFK was hired by the example of a 35,000m2 residential
burgeoning reputation as an office Dorrington for a phased retrofit of the scheme for Barratt at the former Nestlé
specialist at a time when many companies 1880 building, designed by Sir William factory in Hayes. dMFK is responsible for
are trying to entice employees back to in- Emerson, into an office block fit for the 400 homes in the wider redevelopment of
person working. 21st century. the early 20th century site.
Retrofit is an important part of its ‘It is a really slow process of unpicking, One of the buildings the practice is
offering, although the practice also gets unpeeling, editing, finding original detail working on in that scheme has ‘Regent
 Opposite: Former Nestlé Factory, Hayes Village
Below: Hamilton House, London

115

JACK HOBHOUSE
JACK HOBHOUSE

Street disease’ – a common occurrence approach. Desks are organised in a most financially rewarding thing you
in buildings of the era whereby steel U-shape, with a meeting room in the could choose to do.
encasement in brickwork rusts and spalls, middle and a shared workspace and ‘It’s important to have projects that you
due to water ingress. meeting area at the front by the street. are proud of and do the best designs that
‘We said we would need to replace all The architects worked with Sher + White you feel you can do.
the render in that building,’ Wong says. to soften the acoustics and ventilate ‘We’ve made a couple of errors in the
Keeping the original render would be the office. past by taking on some bigger-delivery
‘conservation, not preservation. You have Despite the practice’s recent growth projects where there’s no joy in it. You
to understand what’s important about spurt, construction inflation and getting could grow the company that way. But does
that building in order to bring it into the clients who want to spend the money that sustain your soul?’
next century.’ remain big challenges, de Metz says:
dMFK brought its office experience to ‘Finding quality projects is always a big, 28 qualified architects in UK
bear on its own workspace. Previously big challenge.’ £67,442 UK architecture fees per
based across two offices in north London, Will dMFK be expanding at the same member of UK architecture staff
the practice moved to a ground-floor rate in future? ‘We will grow, but I don’t 22 years of practice
space in Fitzrovia in October 2022. Most want to grow for the sake of it,’ says de 61% female architects in UK
staff are in the office full-time, which de Metz. ‘We want to have fun over the next 21% BAME architects in UK
Metz says is vital to their collaborative 10 years, because architecture’s not the 0 UK design awards won in 2022
116

JARRELL GOH/STUDIO EGRET WEST

=100
Studio Egret West
The London practice has completed
Mayfield Park, the first new city-
centre park in Manchester for a
century. Commissions include
masterplanning the Arden Cross
JARRELL GOH/STUDIO EGRET WEST

regeneration for Muse in Solihull.

28 qualified architects in UK
£106,393 UK architecture fees per
member of UK architecture staff
19 years of practice
32% female architects in UK
Above and left:
Mayfield Park, 29% BAME architects in UK
Manchester 2 UK design awards won in 2022
Reproduced with permission of copyright owner. Further reproduction
prohibited without permission.