This article is part of our ongoing series on the Top 10 Architecture Firms around the world.
What I find most compelling about British architecture is its technical and material ingenuity. When formulating lists such as these, a common theme seems to arise and in this case, all of the firms listed below seem to share a commitment to technical excellence while providing some of the most striking, well-crafted, and thought-provoking projects around the world.
The Top 10 isn’t a ranking, just a collection of what I believe are the best firms in the country based on perceived reputation and personal opinion. I tried to find an appropriate balance between design excellence, project diversity, commitment to sustainable practices, project scale, and office size. As a result, many excellent and established names have been omitted in order to capture a true cross-section of the best of British practice.
If you missed our post on The MUST-SEE Contemporary Architecture in London, I suggest checking it out as it’s a great place to discover more about the country’s biggest architectural movements and most contemporary works.
With that said, here are my picks for The Top 10 Architecture Firms in England.
Foster + Partners
Unequivocally the largest firm in the UK, Foster + Partners is well-known for their integration of architecture and engineering on some of the world’s largest and most complex projects. Frankly, it doesn’t seem like there’s a scale of work that the company isn’t comfortable working in, and at its core is deeply sustainable. Some of their recent projects include Apple Park in Cupertino, California (pictured), a high-speed rail network in Saudi Arabia, and a wavy residence in Turkey called Dolunay Villa.
Zaha Hadid Architects
There’s unabashed confidence within ZHA’s work that I absolutely love; it rejects traditional conventions and presents something new and transcendent to the world. While first gaining notoriety under its founder and Pritzker Prize-winning architect Dame Zaha Hadid, the office has been a long-standing beacon for advancements in digital design, materials, and construction technologies. Some of my favourite projects include the Beijing Daxing International Airport, the Heydar Aliyev Centre in Baku, Azerbaijan (pictured), Napoli Afragola Station in Italy, and 520 West 28th in New York.
Adjaye Associates
What stands out about Adjaye Associates work is the very tactile nature of it. While the office is known for producing some visually stunning form-driven projects, it’s the granular elements of those designs that I believe sets their work apart – I can’t help but want to reach out and explore the materials in more detail, see how the light, textures, and shadow all come together. Some of the projects I’m most fond of include Ruby City in San Antonio, Texas, and the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture on the National Mall in Washington D.C.
Adjaye Associates should also be commended on the diversity of their leadership group in our global effort for equal representation and opportunity in this industry.
Heatherwick Studio
Led by founder and designer Thomas Heatherwick, the studio’s projects have an inventive and playful quality to them that I think is benefited by the fact that they are artists at heart. The practice has a non-traditional foundation in architecture which I think frees them from certain expectations of what a building should or ought to be. What I love about their work is the feeling I get when I’m standing within it – I feel as if life is somehow enhanced by my being in it. Some of my favourite projects include Zeitz Mocaa in Cape Town, the Bund Finance Centre in Shanghai (completed together with Foster + Partners, pictured), Maggie’s Leeds, and Coal Drops Yard in London.
David Chipperfield Architects
What I find most compelling about David Chipperfield Architect’s work is the quality of materials and meticulous attention to detail. Their buildings consistently appear elegant and refined; they have a clear concept that has been distilled to a point where the building just fits harmoniously with its site – as if it’s been there forever. A few projects that I am quite enamoured with are the James Simon Galerie in Berlin, the Zhejiang Museum of Natural History, the Jacoby Studios in Western Germany, and Museo Jumex in Mexico City (pictured).
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Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners
One of the more established names on our list, RSHP has continued to produce some of the most exceptional buildings around the world since they first shot into fame with their design of Lloyd’s of London back in 1986 (formerly Richard Rogers Partnership). In many ways, the aspects of their contemporary work that I find most appealing, such as balancing technical efficiency with architectural expressiveness, can still be seen looking at Lloyd’s. More captivating is how the firm has seamlessly integrated sustainability into their work at a fundamental level. Some of the more recent projects include the Hong Kong Border Crossing Facility, and Macallan New Distillery in Scotland (pictured).
AL_A
AL_A has always inspired me with their big ideas of what architecture and design can be. Their buildings are never just buildings, but something much greater that’s woven into the identity of a place. Their projects are unquestionably bold and assertive but seem to have an underlying feeling of playfulness and lightness to them. Some of their more recent projects include the Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT) in Lisbon (pictured), and the V&A Courtyard and Gallery in London.
WilkinsonEyre
When I think of WilkinsonEyre, the first things that come to mind are calmness and delight. The practice wields a high degree of material and technological astuteness that feels natural and restrained. It’s why I think they’ve been so successful at working on such different project types from Lille Langebro in Copenhagen, to the misty Cooled Conservatories at Gardens by the Bay in Singapore (pictured).
Caruso St John Architects
What I find interesting about Caruso St John’s work is the material richness and craftsmanship that goes into every project. Their buildings are beautiful, well-made, and economical. They are unafraid of using ornamentation when they feel that it’s appropriate and they love exploring new materials. My favourite projects include Nottingham Contemporary (pictured) which is a green precast art gallery in Nottingham, and the Bremer Landesbank Headquarters in Bremen, Germany.
Alison Brooks Architects
There’s a timelessness to Alison Brooks Architect’s work that I find quite interesting. First and foremost, their designs are beautiful; but the creativity and research-driven aspect of their practice are what I find most interesting. Their buildings are sensitive to their place while speaking concurrently to their future, and each project has a sculptural quality to it that isn’t lost in detailing. Some of their more well-known work includes the Quarterhouse in Folkestone and Exeter College Cohen Quad in Oxford (pictured).
Toughest Omissions
In a country with such a large and rich architectural history such as England’s, identifying just 10 firms does not do justice the incredible work that is going on. I thought it was necessary to identify some of the toughest omissions as a way to acknowledge and recognize their work.
Full disclosure: I am currently an employee of BDP Quadrangle and have elected to not include BDP in the Top 10 to avoid any unconscious or inherent bias.
1 Comment
Sim.
Considering what practices should be celebrated and considered top in the current climate, this list is a depressing read