FaulknerBrowns

FaulknerBrowns is an architectural design practice established in 1962, with studios located in the UK, Canada, Ireland, and the Middle East. The firm has cultivated a reputation for delivering forward-thinking buildings and masterplans globally. FaulknerBrowns' core purpose is to create structures and environments that serve as catalysts for sustainable communities and foster a clear sense of belonging. This objective is achieved by integrating an appreciation for everyday life with knowledge and data accumulated over decades of experience. Since its founding, the practice's projects have garnered critical acclaim for their exemplary design, positive community impact, sustainability, and functional efficiency.

The company operates as both creative specialists and typological innovators, believing that architecture must evolve as the world changes. FaulknerBrowns investigates and refines design solutions, often to the point of reinvention, to adapt to new understandings of architectural needs. The firm begins its process by listening, engaging in collaborative conversations to comprehend client ambitions, share knowledge, and explore ideas. Clients have expressed appreciation for the practice's ability to rigorously rethink project briefs and building types. FaulknerBrowns draws upon its extensive experience and technical knowledge to simplify complexities and propose novel solutions, balancing commercial constraints with a commitment to enduring design quality from initial concepts through to on-site delivery. The firm's consistent habit for innovation, encompassing community, commercial, residential, and sports-led thinking, is evident across its diverse portfolio of architecture and placemaking projects of varying scales, types, and contexts.

Collaboration and curiosity are fundamental to FaulknerBrowns' operational ethos. The practice shares its expertise through open and creative processes, ensuring continuous regeneration in alignment with the evolving needs of humanity. The team actively engages with the broader industry, with members holding roles in organisations such as the International Association of Sports and Leisure Facilities (IAKS). This collaborative approach extends internally through working groups that promote democratic management of various aspects, including sustainability initiatives, social events, mental wellbeing support, and charitable donations. The firm's skilled architects, designers, and technicians also contribute as tutors, thought-leaders, fundraisers, makers, and mentors.

While FaulknerBrowns' portfolio spans multiple sectors including civic, sport, education, residential, and culture, the firm also possesses specific expertise in Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA). The company has designed a five-storey student accommodation building featuring over 200 rooms, comprising studio apartments and en-suites. This project incorporated ground-floor spaces for study and social interaction, connected to a central courtyard, with bedrooms strategically placed around the perimeter to maximise natural light and ventilation. The firm utilised off-site construction methods to enhance site development potential and efficiency, resulting in a construction-to-occupation timeline of just 12 months. Additionally, FaulknerBrowns designed a Pathway Centre for international students at Newcastle University, which includes teaching facilities, flexible classrooms, communal student spaces, and 537 bedrooms, offering a mix of self-contained studios, twin rooms with kitchenettes, and clusters of six to eight rooms around shared living areas. The practice has also been involved in revising plans for a student accommodation scheme in Southwark, specifically at 31 Amelia Street in Walworth, to incorporate a second staircase, a project that will provide 146 student rooms alongside commercial space.

FaulknerBrowns operates from four studios located in Newcastle, Dublin, Vancouver, and Dubai. The company is committed to supporting the professional development of its team members, offering opportunities to collaborate on unique projects with an experienced and passionate group. The firm maintains a flexible 4.5-day work week and organises regular social events, such as cycle rides, study trips, breakfasts, and summer parties, to encourage enjoyment both inside and outside the studio. Employee benefits provided by the company include an enhanced pension scheme, enhanced maternity and paternity leave, financial support for academic studies, and competitive salaries. FaulknerBrowns also supports apprenticeships, work experience placements, and school engagements, aiming to encourage the next generation to contribute to the architectural profession.