Architecture practice Buttress is elevating its leadership and conservation expertise as it continues to strengthen its presence in regeneration, heritage, and mixed-use development projects. The firm has announced the promotion of Grant Prescott and Jenna Johnston to Associate Director roles, alongside the appointment of Toby Cope as Marketing Director. These strategic moves align with the milestone of Buttress celebrating its first anniversary as a 100% employee-owned business.
Grant Prescott, a conservation architect with two decades of experience at Buttress, is renowned for his work in restoring and adapting historic and listed buildings. Meanwhile, Jenna Johnston leads the Heritage Consultancy team, providing essential heritage advice for development proposals. Their promotions reflect Buttress’s commitment to nurturing talent within its ranks.
Growth in Conservation Expertise
Alongside these leadership changes, Buttress has expanded its pool of AABC-accredited conservation professionals from five to eight. This increase follows the successful accreditation of Samantha Knights, Jenny Wilkinson, and Steve Kendall. The firm asserts that it now ranks among the UK’s largest employers of accredited conservation specialists, a significant achievement that enhances its reputation in the sector.
Sanj Dip-Matadeen, Director of People and Culture at Buttress, remarked, “At Buttress, we believe that our people are at the heart of what makes the business successful. As an employee-owned practice, investing in people is part of who we are and the culture we want to continue building together. Our goal is to create an environment where everyone can continue learning and developing throughout their careers.” This focus on professional development is crucial in a market where heritage-led regeneration is increasingly pivotal, especially in urban areas where historic buildings are being creatively repurposed alongside new housing developments.
Strategic Vision and Future Plans
Neal Charlton, Director at Buttress, highlighted that the practice has deliberately sought to bolster its accredited conservation resources over the past 18 months. “Our strategy was to increase the resource of our conservation accredited staff over the last 18 months, and we have achieved this. Our rich internal talent pool is now available to our clients,” he noted, emphasising the firm’s commitment to quality service. With this growth, Buttress now ranks among the top four organisations in the UK based on the number of AABC-accredited staff.
Architectural Team Expansion
Based in Manchester and Leeds, Buttress continues to grow its architectural team, now employing 49 qualified architects. The firm has gained recognition in the industry, ranking 55th in this year’s AJ100 league table, which evaluates the UK’s largest architectural practices by the number of qualified architects they employ. Gavin Sorby, Managing Director of Buttress, expressed pride in this achievement, stating, “We’re proud to be ranked 55th in the UK and continuing our upward trajectory. This milestone reflects the incredible talent, hard work, and dedication of our Buttress team and underscores our growth year on year.”