Seven workplace developments throughout the South of England and South Wales have been recognised because the area’s most excellent workplaces on the annual British Council for Workplaces (BCO) Awards. Among the many winners had been three Bristol-based initiatives, highlighting town’s rising fame for modern, inclusive and sustainable workplace design. The awards ceremony, held at We The Curious in Bristol, celebrated excellence in workplace design, fit-out, and environmental efficiency. With a robust emphasis this yr on ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance), wellbeing, and inclusivity, the judges praised the profitable initiatives for his or her forward-thinking, occupier-focused approaches.
Main the winners was Cardiff College’s spark|sbarc, which claimed the Finest Company Office title. The seven-storey growth fosters collaboration between academia and enterprise, providing state-of-the-art facilities, public areas, and versatile work areas. At its coronary heart is a dramatic spiral staircase that encourages motion and interplay, symbolising the constructing’s ethos of openness and innovation.
Studying’s ONE Station Hill secured the award for Finest Industrial Office. As a part of an bold £850 million regeneration scheme, the 275,000 sq ft constructing units a benchmark for sustainable workplace design. It’s totally electrical, web zero carbon, and BREEAM Excellent, with options together with rooftop terraces, a health membership, and built-in good expertise. The event has already attracted main tenants equivalent to PepsiCo and PwC.
In Bristol, fintech agency Dojo was awarded Finest Match Out of a Office for its vibrant headquarters on Victoria Avenue. The 54,770 sq ft workplace helps over 400 desks and incorporates versatile working zones, wellness areas, and a barista bar. The fit-out merges Bristol’s cultural identification—via native graffiti artwork—with sustainability, utilizing recycled supplies and energy-efficient lighting, all whereas putting inclusivity and luxury on the centre of the design.
The Englefield Property Yard in Studying triumphed within the Tasks as much as 2,500m² class. A former Grade II listed sawmill has been remodeled into a contemporary workplace area that helps native suppliers and prioritises power effectivity. The judges praised its delicate restoration, use of renewable power, and biophilic design, all of which contribute to an A-rated power efficiency.
Additionally in Bristol, BLOK at One Fort Park gained Finest Refurbished/Recycled Office. This adaptive reuse undertaking reimagined a Nineteen Eighties constructing with carbon-conscious upgrades, including a communal enterprise lounge, espresso store and landscaped gardens. Its versatile structure and sustainable options supply a blueprint for the way forward for city workplace developments.
The Innovation Award went to Meeting C, one other Bristol undertaking, which remodeled a disused brownfield website right into a dynamic industrial area. Notable for its daring structure and environmental credentials, together with BREEAM Wonderful and EPC A rankings, the constructing utilises off-site prefabrication and connects to town’s warmth community. It additionally options public areas, amphitheatre seating, and prioritises neighborhood engagement.
In Woking, Nomad Meals’ European headquarters was recognised with the ESG Award for its excellent dedication to sustainability and employees wellbeing. The design course of concerned in depth session with staff, leading to a versatile, inclusive office. Attaining SKA Gold and BREEAM Wonderful, the area integrates real-time power monitoring, ergonomic furnishings, and biophilic design components to help hybrid working and worker well being.
Reflecting on the regional achievements, John Wright, Chair of the BCO Committee for South of England and South Wales, stated: “It’s no shock that lots of the excellent entries this yr had been refurbishments and fit-outs. These initiatives display how design groups can creatively reinvent buildings to fulfill fashionable calls for and sustainability objectives. The profitable workplaces are good examples of how clever design enhances communities and helps a wide range of work types.”
The regional winners will now go on to compete on the BCO Nationwide Awards, to be held on Tuesday 7 October 2025 on the Grosvenor Home, JW Marriott Resort in London.
This yr’s BCO Awards had been led by headline sponsor AET Versatile House, with further help from gold sponsors AECOM, Glamox, and Troup Bywaters + Anders.