Having scored the highest of any UK-based architecture practice when receiving B-corp certification in 2024, Barr Gazetas is reinventing practice by proving commercial retrofit can be radically ethical, delivering lasting value for clients, communities and the public realm.
Studio manager Lauren Lashmar, photographed with Director and Sustainability Lead, Jonathan Allwood in Barr Gazetas’ London office.
In 2024, we became B Corp Certified, earning the highest score of any UK architectural practice. We only work with clients whose values align with our own, and we would decline opportunities that conflict with our ethical standards. While such refusals are handled privately and professionally, our stance is clear.
As our work primarily focuses on refurbishment, we often deal with buildings that have already surpassed their intended design life. Our goal is to extend and enhance the longevity of these structures. For instance, our Grainhouse project involved heritage buildings dating back to 1861.
We actively support nature both locally and nationally. As a practice, we calculate our carbon footprint annually and offset 110% of it through schemes that support UK-based forestry and rewilding programmes.
Many of our projects are for clients who are partners of Wild West End. These projects contribute to a wider ecological network across London’s West End – supporting pollinators and wildlife while reconnecting people with nature.
In addition, our design thinking aligns with principles of ecosystems thinking and circularity, taking cues from natural systems in how we manage materials and energy across a building’s life cycle. This includes adaptive reuse, minimising waste, and enhancing local biodiversity.
We actively support charities and community groups through fundraising, pro bono work, and in-kind donations. Our team regularly organises in-office fundraising events like Bake Offs, as well as participating in larger events such as the JLL Triathlon. We also organise regular charity shoot days, such as our annual Birdshot Charity Shoot.
At Greenwich Market, we collaborated closely with market traders to understand their needs and priorities. Their input directly influenced the design outcome, ensuring the space supported their day-to-day operations and preserved the market’s character.
Within the constraints of our specialism in the commercial sector, our projects often offer something back to the public realm, as well as being designed with neurodiversity, accessibility, and social value in mind.
Reinventing practice features participants in the Regenerative Architecture Index.
