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INSIGHTS
with LETI and the NZCBS.” The practice continues to go beyond established standards, setting itself the ambitious goal of reducing emissions by 75% by 2030. In 2025, Bennetts Associates achieved the highest B-Corp score of any architecture practice worldwide, an accomplishment Bearyman calls a “proud achievement.” The company’s ‘more with less’ research explores how to reduce cost, carbon and risk simultaneously by simplifying buildings and avoiding over-design. Performance is validated through carbon benchmarks, NABERS ratings, and post-occupancy studies, ensuring sustainability is both evidenced and verifi able.
Projects Edinburgh Futures Institute © Hufton+Crow
design and the measure of value it brings. He continues, “What began as a stand against superfi ciality in the late 1980s has evolved into a practice shaped by the climate emergency and the call for inclusivity.”
That ethos extends into emerging technologies. The fi rm approaches AI with what Bearyman calls “cautious curiosity”. The primary value at present is that AI can manage repetitive tasks, freeing up architects’ time. Bearyman explains, “The ethos of the practice is built on integrity and evidence, which means AI must always be transparent and under human oversight”. Bearyman describes the practice’s leadership style as “rooted in
respect, trust and openness.” He adds, “Our focus on environmental performance and integration informs how we mentor, encouraging teams to see structure, services and fabric as connected systems rather than separate disciplines.” This solidifi es the fi rm’s belief that architecture is both collaborative and educational. Mentoring is treated as two-way learning, embedded in day-to- day operations and reinforced by what the practice calls its Next Generation mentoring programme. Relationships are valued “not just for their outcomes but for the enjoyment of the process,” with collaboration viewed as something to be rewarding as well as productive.
The practice has embraced the guiding principle of “doing more with less,” which leads to its vision of creating buildings that “reveal their beauty and utility over time.” While the fi rm does not subscribe to a signature aesthetic, it seeks a consistent approach rooted in context. As Bearyman explains, “Each generation of projects strengthens that ethos, ensuring consistency across time while remaining relevant to changing conditions.” He adds, “If there is a signature, it is an attitude rather than a style, one that prizes honesty, responsiveness and long-term value.” Bearyman describes the practice’s approach to sustainability as “embedded in rigorous, measurable ways rather than aspiration.” The fi rm was the fi rst to adopt approved science-based targets and is transparent with its own emissions and those of their projects. As Bearyman explains, “We were founder members of the UK Green Building Council, are involved in the RIBA Sustainable Futures Group, and most recently have been heavily engaged in developing embodied carbon guidance for designers in partnership
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An award-winning creative adaptation at the Edinburgh Futures Institute maximised space and usability, a sequence of large, multi- purpose rooms that eliminate redundancy while providing the adaptability demanded by modern teaching. Six Nightingale ward wings were restored and reconnected through widened circulation routes and staircases, now serving as natural breakout spaces and informal meeting areas. The wards have been carefully stripped of intrusive additions to recapture their former grandeur. The public realm has also been reimagined, with a new ‘communal scale’ plaza creating a refi ned setting for the main entrance. Another demonstration of reuse combined with a new design is Landsec’s Timber Square, London. A 10-storey Grade A commercial offi ce was reworked from an extended 1950s printworks, and a 15-storey addition is a new hybrid steel and CLT Grade A commercial offi ce building, comprising offi ces, retail and leisure uses, with terraces and/or roof gardens. It is currently by volume the largest commercial development in the UK using CLT and has the tallest hybrid frame. Bennetts’ design approach prioritised minimal fi nishes and exposed joints, with performance validated through carbon assessments, NABERS and post-occupancy studies. The practice has been shortlisted three times for the RIBA Stirling Prize (for Hampstead Theatre, Jubilee Library in Brighton and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon). It has also received multiple RIBA National Awards and Civic Trust Awards. Bearyman says that while awards validate the ethos, attract talent, and set benchmarks for the wider industry,” the greatest achievement is “the body of work.”
Future
The industry is facing pressures to deliver greater environmental and social value while adhering to tighter budgets. To address these, Bennetts Associates is focusing on brand and identity, diversity and inclusion, effi ciency and competence, business development, and fi nancial governance. Bearyman explains, “The challenges are signifi cant, but they reinforce our clarity of purpose.” The fi rm has pivoted towards whole-life carbon accountability,
retrofi t and circular economy principles. Bearyman adds that inclusivity and wellbeing are increasingly on the agenda “as essential components of environmental design.” The practice continues to deliver projects across its broad portfolio while progressing international work in India. Bearyman says the aim is to “set benchmarks for resource conscious design in demanding climates.” He explains, “It’s not about diversifi cation for its own sake, but about applying established principles of resilience, adaptability and design clarity to sectors and regions where they can make the most difference.”
ADF OCTOBER 2025
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