Projects by AHMM, Knox Bhavan, and Squire & Partners have been named as finalists in the Workplace category for the 2024 Architecture Today Awards.
White Collar Factory by AHMM. Photo by Tim Soar.
Supported by AccuRoof, the Brick Development Association, Leviat, The Concrete Centre, Total Synergy, and VMZINC, the overarching aim of the awards is to engender a focus on building performance evaluation and shared learning that is essential if we are to bring about the step change in performance the industry so desperately needs.
AT’s Awards Committee has shortlisted 31 buildings across ten categories: Education; Healthcare; Hospitality, Sport & Leisure; Individual house; Infrastructure & Public Realm; Mixed use & Retail; Religion & Culture; Residential; Workplace and International.
This year also saw the second iteration of the AT Awards Student Prize, sponsored by VMZINC, for projects that tackle the retrofit or reuse of an existing building and/or explicitly address issues relating to long term performance, adaptability, demountability and reuse. Three projects from students across three different universities have been chosen as finalists, all of which you can see here.
Each project team will present to our expert jury at a day of live crits on 18 September 2024 at The Building Society in London.
The winners of the Architecture Today Awards will be announced at a party at Battersea Power Station on 21 November 2024.
Photos by Dennis Gilbert
Knox Bhavan Studio by Knox Bhavan Architects, 2016
London, SE15
Designed in-house, Knox Bhavan’s Peckham studio was assembled by a dedicated team under the architect’s direction. A concrete bay window and canopy enhance the old shop front, with a ramp linking the ground floor to the street. The three-story entrance includes a timber staircase to the basement and a steel stair to the mezzanine level.
Located on the ground floor, the main office space is organised around a 7.5-metre long oak worktable with 12 adjustable workstations, emphasising mental health and wellbeing. A mirrored brise soleil, stops direct sunlight falling onto computer screens and reflects the colourful koi carp in their pond back into the heart of the space. The ultra-thin, suspended mezzanine level was developed to maximise the buildings section, providing a reception meeting area with a private meeting room above.
Photos by Jack Hobhouse
The Department Store Studios by Squire & Partners, 2021
London, SW9
The Department Store Studios, a sustainable four-storey workspace by Squire & Partners, complements their refurbishment of The Department Store in Brixton, completing a campus of RIBA Award-winning buildings. Featuring 13,000 square feet of flexible workspaces, social areas, a bar/café, and screening room, it supports local businesses with free residencies for young entrepreneurs and skill-sharing events.
Completed in 2021, the brick building harmonises with its Edwardian inspiration, using raw, high-quality materials like red brick and timber for longevity and adaptability. Internally, sustainability is key, with an exposed CLT frame and brickwork, polished plaster walls, and large windows for ample daylight. A setback fourth floor offers expansive terraces with green roofs and solar panels.
Photos by Tim Soar
White Collar Factory by AHMM, 2017
London, EC1Y
White Collar Factory, comprising six buildings at Old Street Yard, houses offices, studios, incubator space, and restaurants around a new public courtyard, with a 16-storey tower featuring a 150 metre rooftop running track. Spanning 27,200m², it integrates into the city’s fabric, echoing historic urban alleys.
Led by AHMM and Derwent London over eight years, with AKT II and Arup, the development draws on 19th-century warehouses for sustainability. Key elements include high ceilings, deep plans, simple façades, a concrete structure, and smart servicing.
Consultations led to expanding the cycle store by 75 spaces, supporting flexible office strategies post-pandemic, with more employees opting for cycling over public transport.
