Designing places that promote activity
The relationship between buildings, places and infrastructure can be critical in promoting active lifestyles and bringing hard to reach people to activity. We explore this theme in our latest sketchbook.
Mayor of London approves Goodsyard plans
The Mayor of London has approved our masterplan proposals to transform the Bishopsgate Goodsyard site into a characterful mixed-use urban quarter that will help drive a post pandemic renaissance in this part of London.
Social Impact Award for Student Life Building
Creating social value is a fundamental aspect of our design process. We are therefore extremely proud that Teesside University Student Life Building has been named the national winner of the RICS Social Impact Education Award 2020.
Lee Valley Ice Centre approved
Our plans for London’s first ever Olympic-sized twin-pad ice centre, have received planning approval from Waltham Forest Council and the GLA.
Work shown at the RA Summer Exhibition
One of our architectural models crafted by in-house model maker Andrew Parkin, is currently being exhibited at the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition, one of the most significant annual events in the art calendar.
Retail and Leisure Architect of the Year
We are extremely pleased and honoured to have received the prestigious title of Retail and Leisure Architect of the Year at the Building Design Architect of the Year Awards 2020.
Riverside Sunderland Masterplan revealed
In collaboration with Proctor & Matthews Architects, with specialist input from MawsonKerr Architects and landscape architects Camlins, we have announced a collaborative masterplan design that will reinvent the heart of Sunderland whilst drawing on its industrial heritage.
From fabrication yard to City Hall
Fabrication of the main accommodation staircase for our new £42m City Hall scheme for Sunderland City Council is underway at local steel fabricators Beal Architectural.
Ashfield Towers housing submitted for planning
Our proposals for a high quality, sustainable, residential development in Gosforth, have been submitted to Newcastle City Council for planning approval. The scheme will reinvigorate and preserve Ashfield Towers, one of the area’s magnificent 19th century Victorian villas, returning the building to its intended use.
Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment
We have been invited to sit on the Advisory Board for an exciting new joint initiative by Newcastle University and Northumbria University, to establish a Hub for Biotechnology in the Built Environment (HBBE).
Beacon of Light wins Civic Trust double
Beacon of Light has received a highly prestigious Civic Trust Award as well as the Special Award for Community Impact & Engagement - presented to an exemplar scheme where community engagement has helped deliver the highest standards of design, whilst meeting the needs of local people.
Construction begins on Sunderland City Hall
Construction work has begun on a major element of a £500m city centre regeneration scheme — our new £42m City Hall for Sunderland City Council. The scheme represents phase two of the VAUX Brewery masterplan, a vibrant mixed-use neighbourhood for the city.
An exciting new journey in Vancouver
FaulknerBrowns Vancouver is the beginning of an exciting new journey that offers us the opportunity to share our approach to innovation and passion for design excellence, in a new region.
Trio shortlisted for World Architecture Festival
For the fourth consecutive year, we have been shortlisted to compete against the best in global architecture at the World Architecture Festival with three future schemes.
Recent schemes bag renowned design awards
Three of our recently completed buildings, Beacon of Light, Janet Nash House and Menai Science Park, have been collectively recognised for their design excellence by regional juries for the Royal Insitute of British Architects, Royal Society of Chartered Surveyors and the British Council of Offices.
Prince Harry visits Sportcampus Zuiderpark
HRH Duke of Sussex visits Sportcampus Zuiderpark in The Hague for the 2020 Invictus Games preparations.
My year as a Part I
Reflecting back over my year out as a Part I, I can say that the experience has prepared me well for the remainder of my studies and for life in an architectural practice.
International Civic Trust Award
Sportcampus Zuiderpark received an International Civic Trust Award at the 60th anniversary celebrations of the highly respected awards programme.
Meet us at MIPIM
We will be bringing our placemaking experience and ingenuity to the MIPIM property fair this year from the 12th to the 14th March, represented by Ben Sykes, Paul Rigby, Lee McLaughlin, Tania Love and Alison Austin.
Design Practice of the Year
We are delighted to have won two prestigious accolades at the 2018 Mixology North Awards for Medium Commercial Interiors Project of the Year and Design Practice of the Year. The awards celebrated this year’s cohort of innovative and aspirational projects from across the interior design industry.
Learning from Berlin
As a practice, we believe in looking at the broader picture, taking inspiration from examples of best practice in building design and placemaking from around the world. Recently, two of our studio teams returned from study trips to Berlin.
Best of the best at the Revo Golds
Market Hall Fulham grabbed the spotlight at the Revo Gold Awards 2018, picking up the Re:lax category prize, before being named recipient of the overall, ‘best of the best’, Re:turn award.
Award-winning use of BIM at M-SParc
Alongside a beaming client and project team, I took to the stage at the national Constructing Excellence Awards 2018 to celebrate our Digital Construction Award for the realisation of Menai Science Park. Here, I will explain how digital tools were fundamental to the successful outcome of the scheme.
Sportcampus Zuiderpark honoured at WAF
In our third consecutive visit to the annual World Architecture Festival, Sportcampus Zuiderpark has narrowly missed out on being named the world’s best completed sports building 2018, receiving the category’s only Highly Commended accolade.
Approval for Britannia Leisure Centre
Our proposals for a state-of-the art leisure centre and new public square next to Shoreditch Park, have been approved by Hackney Council.
Goodsyard proposals unveiled to the public
Hammerson and Ballymore, joint venture development partners for the The Goodsyard scheme, have unveiled our revised masterplan to regenerate the ten acre site, creating a vibrant new mixed-use urban quarter in the heart of Shoreditch.
Newcastle Quayside West plans submitted
Our masterplan proposals for Newcastle Quayside West, a new £250m sustainable urban village, have been submitted to Newcastle City Council by developer Newby, as an outline planning application.
Market Hall Fulham in Revo shortlist
Market Hall Fulham has been shortlisted in the prestigious Revo Gold Awards. Held annually, the awards recognise and celebrate the very best examples of development in the retail property and placemaking sector.
IAKS International Swimming Pool Conference
Participants from eleven countries attended the International IAKS Swimming Pool Conference, complete with a guided tour of our RIBA National Award winning Hebburn Central.
University of Oxford sports complex redevelopment
The first phase of our work on a pioneering new sports centre for the University of Oxford, which features the UK’s first LED lit, glass sports hall surface, has been completed.
University of Stirling sports centre approved
Stirling Council has approved our plans for a £20 million transformation of the University of Stirling’s sports facilities.
University of Portsmouth sports facility approved
Portsmouth City Council has approved our plans for an inclusive and sustainable sports facility for the University of Portsmouth.
Sportcampus Zuiderpark at World Architecture Festival
Sportcampus Zuiderpark has been shortlisted to compete against the world's best buildings at the World Architecture Festival (WAF) which begins in Amsterdam on 28th November.
Work displayed at the RA Summer Exhibition
Two of our architectural models, created by in-house model maker Andrew Parkin are to be exhibited at the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition, one of the most significant annual events in the art calendar.
Trio triumph at WICE Awards
In a fantastic evening for the practice, our outstanding finalists achieved a clean sweep of the three architectural accolades at the European Women in Construction and Engineering (WICE) Awards 2018.
Market Hall Fulham opens
Market Hall Fulham, a high street hub dedicated to home-grown food and drink, has opened to the public.
Practice of the Year shortlist
In recognition of a fantastic twelve months for the practice, we are in the running to be named ‘Practice of the Year’ by the AJ100 Awards.
Promoting the principles of active design
As a renowned innovator in the design of community sports facilities, our practice was invited to speak at the Träffpunkt Idrott Sports Summit in Gothenburg, Sweden to share our latest thinking in this area.
Women in Construction and Engineering Awards
We are delighted to have achieved four finalists in the European Women in Construction and Engineering Awards 2018.
BNA Building of the Year shortlist
Sportcampus Zuiderpark has been shortlisted to receive the title of BNA Best Building of the Year 2018 by the Dutch Association of Architects.
PegasusLife later living scheme approved
Newcastle City Council has approved our plans, on behalf of PegasusLife, for a scheme which represents a new approach to later living in the city.
Meliá riverside hotel approved
Newcastle City Council has approved our plans, on behalf of Union Property and Meliá Hotels International, for a four star hotel in a prime riverside location on the iconic Newcastle Quayside.
Derby swimming pool complex approved
Our ambitious proposals for a state-of-the-art swimming and leisure facility at Moorways in Derby have been approved by Derby City Council.
Meet us at MIPIM
Five representatives from our practice, Ben Sykes, Paul Rigby, Lee McLaughlin, Tania Love and Jane Redmond will be attending MIPIM, the world’s premier real estate event, this March.
Swindon snow centre plans submitted
We have submitted an application for planning permission to Swindon Borough Council, on behalf of Seven Capital, for a major new indoor snow centre and leisure destination in Swindon. If approved, the scheme will become our fifth indoor snow complex and only the seventh in the UK.
University of Portsmouth unveils sports facility
University of Portsmouth has unveiled to the public our plans for a new sustainable sports facility. It represents the first major phase of the university’s estate development masterplan.
Developing our people
We take the development of our staff very seriously and are committed to providing an environment in which they are able to thrive from the outset.
Newcastle Civic Centre plans approved
Our proposals for the multi-million pound refurbishment of George Kenyon’s 1968 Grade II*-listed Newcastle Civic Centre have received planning approval from Newcastle City Council.
International architecture prizes
We are delighted to have received three coveted accolades at the International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities (IAKS) Awards 2017, held in Cologne.
RICS Community Benefit Award
The Word has received the Community Benefit Award at the prestigious RICS Awards Grand Final 2017. This national accolade places the community library and cultural centre among the UK’s best new buildings of 2017.
Inspiring Graduate Prize
Architectural graduate Irina Korneychuk has been chosen ahead of three other finalists to win the AJ/Curtins Inspiring Graduate Prize 2017.
RIBAJ Rising Star
Architect Nathalie Baxter has been awarded a place in the 2017 RIBAJ Rising Stars cohort. This prestigious honour is presented to the rising architects that are making a difference in architecture and the built environment.
Social Infrastructure Project of the Year
The Word has been named Social Infrastructure Project of the Year at the prestigious British Construction Industry Awards 2017. The national award recognizes a project which is improving society by providing better social infrastructure.
Award for planning excellence
The Word has been awarded the top prize at the North East Awards for Planning Excellence 2017. Organised by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI), the awards are designed to encourage and reward outstanding achievements in planning.
Derby swimming pool complex unveiled
Derby City Council has unveiled to the public ambitious plans for our state-of-the-art swimming and leisure facility at Moorways in Derby.
Centre for Teaching and Learning approved
Our planning application on behalf of Durham University for the addition of a new state-of-the-art Centre for Teaching and Learning has been approved by Durham County Council.
Excellence in Architectural Technology
We are delighted to have been presented with the Award for Excellence in Architectural Technology at the Architectural Technology Awards 2017 for our contribution to the delivery of The Word in South Shields.
University of Portsmouth appointment
Following an internationally competitive procurement process, we have been selected by the University of Portsmouth to design a new state-of-the-art indoor sports centre.
The Word at World Architecture Festival
The Word has been shortlisted to compete against the world's best architecture at the World Architecture Festival (WAF) which takes place in Berlin from 15th-17th November.
Sandcastle Challenge 2017
We are very pleased to have helped Holystone Primary School to victory in the Children North East Sandcastle Challenge 2017.
RIBA National Award for The Word
The Word has been awarded a coveted RIBA National Award. The awards recognise the best buildings created in the UK in the last twelve months and the winners will now be considered for the prestigious Stirling Prize shortlist.
Sportcampus Zuiderpark opens
The spectacular Sportcampus Zuiderpark, an innovative sports campus located in the heart of the historic South Park in The Hague, the Netherlands, has opened to the public.
Britannia Leisure Centre appointment
We have been appointed by The London Borough of Hackney as the leisure architect to design a new swimming pool and leisure centre as part of the mixed-use Britannia project in Shoreditch.
RIBA North East Building of the Year
The Word has received the esteemed title of ‘Building of the Year’ at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) North East Awards 2017.
Beacon of Light receives royal attention
Michael Hall was invited to Buckingham Palace with Foundation of Light Chairman of Trustees Sir Bob Murray CBE and Chief Executive Lesley Spuhler OBE to update HRH Sophie the Countess of Wessex GCVO on progress at the Beacon of Light.
Generation 4 Change Awards success
Our three nominees for the Generation 4 Change (G4C) North East Awards enjoyed a fantastic evening, Nathalie Baxter receiving the prestigious award for ‘New Professional of the Year’.
RICS North East Project of the Year
The Word receives the esteemed title of Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) North East Project of the Year, one of five accolades we received at the prestigious awards evening.
RIBA Journal praises The Word
The April edition of the RIBA Journal features an in depth article praising the architectural ambition of The Word in South Shields, written by architecture critic Hugh Pearman.
Sports & Leisure Architect of the Year
We are extremely pleased and honoured to have received the prestigious title of Sports & Leisure Architect of the Year at the Building Design Architect of the Year Awards 2017.
Four RICS Awards shortlistings
The Word and Freeman's Reach have been shortlisted across four categories in this year’s Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) North East Awards.
Dundrum masterplan commences
We have been appointed by Hammerson as the masterplan architect for phase two of the re-development of Dundrum town centre.
An opportunity to join our practice
We are currently seeking talented and experienced individuals to join our thriving international design practice.
Rutherford Street planning application approved
Planning permission has been granted for our Rutherford Street regeneration scheme which challenges the existing pattern of city centre housing development in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Sports & Leisure Architect of the Year shortlisting
We have been shortlisted by architecture publication Building Design, for the title of 'Sports & Leisure Architect of the Year' 2017.
Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon receives backing
Proposals for a £1.3 billion tidal lagoon in Swansea Bay - which include our plans for an international watersports centre - have been backed by a government-commissioned review.
Visitors and new members delight in The Word
The Word, National Centre for the Written Word, has enjoyed astounding success since opening in October, welcoming 88,000 visitors in its first two months.
The silk road
Over this past few weeks, Assia Stefanova and I have been collaborating with Professor Rachel Armstrong from Newcastle University on the Fairy Tales 2017 competition.
Freeman’s Reach named Civic Trust Awards finalist
The office-led, mixed-use development at the heart of Durham city centre has been announced as a regional finalist for the 2017 Civic Trust Awards.
Sportcampus Zuiderpark at WAF
The innovative project has been shortlisted to compete against the world's best architecture at the World Architecture Festival (WAF), which takes place in Berlin from 16th-18th November.
Feeling at home in the workplace
Modern workplace design is evolving to satisfy a growing demand for attentive design, with the ability to connect people in inspiring, well-considered and responsive places.