Joe recently joined Purcell as Regional Partner, bringing with him extensive experience in the design and construction of commercial buildings, workplaces, and large-scale urban regeneration projects.
We sat down with Joe to find out what interests him about heritage architecture, how he’s found his first few weeks, and what he’s looking forward to in the new role.
Hi Joe – thanks for speaking to us! Can we start off by asking what drew you to Purcell at this point in your career?
Until now, my practice has focused on commercial architecture and workplaces: office space, high-rise apartment buildings, and complex mixed-use developments. I’ve always been passionate about well-engineered, environmentally conscious design approach, but in a new-build context, that meant tight performance specifications, defining thermal efficiency, responsibly sourced materials, and low carbon energy strategies.
What excites me about Purcell, is approaching sustainability from a different angle – by championing the adaptive reuse of built environment. It’s a huge privilege to reimagine how existing buildings will be enjoyed by future generations – I think that’s one of the most meaningful design challenges we face.
How have you found your first few weeks?
Really positive! Everyone’s been incredibly welcoming. I’ve visited an interesting mix of live building sites, including a town hall, university library, fire station, office space, an art gallery and hotel. It’s been a brilliant way to meet the team and get a feel for the work.
I’ve been impressed by Purcell’s conservation-led design approach – the detailing, the craftsmanship and ingenuity of the team to sensitively incorporate technology to improve user experience.
Walking around Manchester Town Hall for example, it was great to see cherished artwork being protected in climate-controlled enclosures; how the building’s original gas and hydraulic systems are being replaced by a cleaner all-electric network; and the many sensitive alterations of the Alfred Waterhouse-designed building to address modern fire and accessibility standards.
Ceiling restoration in progress at Our Town Hall, Manchester
What are your priorities for your first year in the role?
My initial focus is to learn from the subject matter experts at Purcell. Each historic building has a distinct architectural language – characterised by its material palette, fabrication methodology and means of assembly – so to absorb as much as possible.
Beyond that, I’m looking forward to supporting and growing our work in the commercial office space and workplace sector. A huge number of older buildings in London fall short of the energy targets and workplace standards that occupiers are looking for. Helping building owners to de-carbonise their buildings, retrofit into office space responsibly, especially in listed or heritage contexts, is something I believe Purcell is very well placed to do.
How do you approach balancing contemporary needs within heritage settings?
The appeal and challenge of working with heritage buildings, is that there are no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solutions. These buildings were often constructed in a way that gives them excellent thermal mass, but upgrading things like glazing, ventilation, and energy systems – especially in a visually sensitive way – takes real expertise.
Purcell works with suppliers to develop building components and systems to help historic buildings meet modern environmental standards without compromising their integrity. This includes collaborating closely with engineers and specialist contractors to think creatively about what is possible.
What excites you most about the future of architecture?
I’m curious but a little cautious about the impact AI might have on how people interact with buildings. There are already systems that adapt to user behaviour, and that’s only going to grow. But there’s a fine line between convenience and over-curation. I believe there’s something valuable about discovery and serendipity in spaces.
That said, AI could be a force for good – by optimising building management systems, we could significantly reduce energy consumption and respond positively to climate change, urban pressures, and shifting ways of living and working. Retrofitting historic buildings to meet modern needs is at the heart of that.
It’s a space where architecture is both responsible and imaginative – and I’m excited to be a part of it at Purcell.
Thanks, Joe, we’re excited to have you on board!
