Hawkins Brown

Hawkins Brown is a contemporary architectural practice established in London in 1988 by founders Roger Hawkins and Russell Brown. The firm operates as an internationally-renowned, award-winning practice, employing over 250 architects, interior designers, urban designers, and researchers. The company maintains offices in several locations across the UK, including London, Manchester, and Edinburgh, and has an international presence with studios in Dublin and Los Angeles. In 2021, Hawkins Brown transitioned to an employee-ownership model, where 100% of the business shares are held in an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) on behalf of all colleagues. This structure aims to foster innovation and responsiveness within the practice.

The firm's services encompass architecture, urban design, and interior design. Beyond these core offerings, Hawkins Brown provides a range of specialist services, including environmental intelligence, creative conservation, foresight, digital design, social research, urban data analytics, briefing and estates optimisation, and design for manufacture & assembly. The practice works across a diverse array of sectors, including residential, education, workplace, infrastructure & transport, civic, community & culture, and healthcare. This broad engagement reflects the firm's approach to various project types and scales.

Hawkins Brown's work approach is centered on creating spaces that respond to both social and contextual needs, actively engaging with people and their surroundings. The firm addresses contemporary architectural issues such as community engagement, innovative work practices, research, sustainability, mixed-use developments, cultural considerations, new construction, retrofitting, and public spaces. The company uses the phrase "from district to doorknob" to illustrate the level of detail and the variety of scales explored in its projects. This philosophy is underpinned by an aptitude for navigating complex challenges, often incorporating thoughtful and engaging elements into their designs.

Within the education sector, Hawkins Brown is recognized as one of the UK's leading architectural practices, particularly in higher education. The firm has completed numerous academic buildings throughout the country. Notable projects include the Beecroft Theoretical and Experimental Physics Building for the University of Oxford, which opened in 2018 and was shortlisted for RIBA national awards in 2019. The practice also completed the Bartlett School of Architecture for UCL in 2016. Additionally, the firm has worked on projects such as the Coventry University Hub. This experience demonstrates Hawkins Brown's involvement in designing facilities for academic institutions.

Over its history, Hawkins Brown has received various accolades and recognitions. The practice was shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize for its work on the regeneration of Park Hill in Sheffield. The firm has also been recognized in the Architects' Journal (AJ) AJ100 survey, winning Sustainable Practice of the Year and Employer of the Year. In 2016, Hawkins Brown achieved a 2 Star Accreditation with The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For. The company is also a Certified B Corporation, reflecting its commitment to social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency. The practice grew significantly between 2010 and 2021, moving from 45th place to 7th place in the AJ100 ranking.