Low-energy retrofit: At the Burrell Collection in Glasgow, high-performance glazing and recycled insulation were discreetly integrated into a protected modernist building, preserving its character while reducing emissions by 70 per cent. The low-carbon strategy also included upcycling original fabric and installing on-site renewable energy generation.
Values that govern the way we work are set out in our Sustainability Manifesto. It commits us to exemplary standards, and affirms our belief that design excellence is inseparable from duties of care to society and the environment. We recognise the responsibility of the construction industry to combat climate change and biodiversity loss. We know, too, that the built environment has profound effects on social equity and cohesion.
For every project, we develop an individual Sustainability Strategy using our ‘3P’ framework: Place, Planet and People. We measure performance in each area, reporting throughout the design process.
Fabric first approach: In Doha, we designed a stone mosque and museums that draw on the self-shading principles of traditional Qatari architecture to minimise the cooling load.
Responsible design begins with care for what exists. Through retrofit and repair we reduce waste and conserve embodied energy. Over the lifetime of the practice we have specialised in the efficient adaptive reuse of both ordinary and historically important buildings. For new construction we prioritise lean, efficient structures and long-life, low-carbon materials that wear gracefully. Architecture should work with time, not against it.
Buildings must take less energy to run. We favour a fabric-first approach, using form, orientation and materials to minimise demand for artificial lighting, heating and cooling. Whole-life assessments quantify embodied and operational carbon impacts.
Our work in transport design is focussed on cutting the carbon impact of cities, through changes to long-established patterns of behaviour and the development of intelligent infrastructure.
Environmental stewardship extends beyond buildings to the public realm and the natural world. With an in-house landscape studio, we have a joined-up approach to placemaking, embedding ecological principles in all projects.
Ecological design: At Sloane Street in London, landscape architecture delivers quantified improvements in biodiversity and climate resilience alongside economic uplift and pleasure for residents.
Civic contribution: At the Stanislavsky Factory in Moscow, an obsolete industrial complex was transformed into a characterful mixed-use district, structured around landscaped lanes and courtyards and open to the public for the first time.
The built environment underpins cultural continuity. We build in ways that are particular to their setting, using local materials and learning from established patterns of use and urban life. We anticipate later adaptation and the repurposing of building elements in a circular economy.
Every construction project has consequences beyond its own footprint. Procurement choices can support local industries, and thoughtful planning can bring life to surrounding neighbourhoods. As project leaders, we work to establish partnerships that endure beyond completion.
Amplified effects: In the aftermath of the Haiti earthquake, reconstruction of the landmark Iron Market was a symbol of resilience for Port-au-Prince. The project was conceived to create local employment, repurpose salvaged materials and spread economic activity through surrounding districts.
Places for all: Drawing on extensive consultation, the renewal of George Square in Glasgow combines numerous measures to promote active travel with blue and green infrastructure, supporting the local authority’s commitment to embed climate action in city-shaping projects.
Through consultation and dialogue, we shape places with and for the communities they serve. We work to create more equitable societies with buildings and landscapes that are accessible to all, and allow new opportunities for economic development, healthy living and collective activity. People-centred design is also key to the green transition: care for the environment relies as much on collective behaviour as on technical solutions.
Our work in transport infrastructure enhances social equity and sustainability at an urban scale. We combine low-carbon mobility and welcoming public space in cohesive systems that make movement through the city efficient and enjoyable, and public transport the natural choice.
Public generosity: the new concourse at King’s Cross Station is an open urban room organised for daylight, natural ventilation, structural efficiency and new connections through the neighbourhood.
People, Place and Planet are three strands of a holistic approach. They combine to make sustainable architecture in the fullest sense: useful and beautiful, resource-efficient, and a good neighbour.
Our focus on sustainable design includes the way we run our practice. We have mapped a pathway to net zero and report progress against clear targets, ensuring that we are accountable. Advocacy initiatives continue that undertaking beyond the studio, contributing to the development of shared knowledge in a field that requires individual responsibility and collective effort.