Reflecting on an extraordinary year

Being shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize for the second year running was an incredible honour. The Elizabeth Tower project made history as the first solely conservation-led scheme to be shortlisted, making the recognition even more meaningful.

Although we missed out on the final prize, we still had much to celebrate on the night – not least winning the People’s Poll. We hope this sets a precedent for the future, with many more conservation-led projects recognised on prestigious shortlists alongside retrofit, adaptive reuse, and the occasional new build. 

Looking back across the year, it is remarkable to see how much we have achieved as a practice. Ever closer to becoming fully Employee Owned – a target we are on track to reach in 2026 – we officially became a certified B Corporation in the spring, underscoring our commitment to being a force for good and a driver of positive change. Another important moment came in June, when we unveiled our new brand and website, reflecting our evolving vision. The refresh, led by creative agency Rabbithole, was Highly Commended at the Archiboo Awards, with judges praising the project for “reframing the practice as modern and forward-thinking, perfectly expressing the practice’s collective ambition”. 

In Australia, our work on New South Wales Parliament with Tonkin Zulaikha Greer earned both an Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) NSW Award and the prestigious Lachlan Macquarie Award for Heritage Architecture 2025. Judges praised the project’s “rigorous documentation and innovative approach to revealing the building’s layered history.” 

We continued to work collaboratively with clients across all sectors and regions to create spaces for people to enjoy. Over the past 12 months, we have secured over £20m in funding for clients from bodies including the National Lottery Heritage Fund and others, supporting an exciting range of projects. 

The increasingly urgent impacts of climate change remain at the forefront of our thinking as a practice, reinforcing our commitment to being a good ancestor.

We were recognised as such in Architecture Today’s Regenerative Architecture Index, which spotlighted our work in the ‘Good Ancestor’ category as a frontrunner. 

Mid-year, we brought together leading voices from across the built environment to explore how lessons from heritage can shape a low-carbon future. High-profile figures from heritage, policy and industry shared insights on how centuries-old stewardship principles can inform the transition to a circular economy. These conversations helped to shape our Nothing New initiative – the latest step in Purcell’s mission to drive discussion and systemic change across the construction industry. 

The past year has seen several major project milestones.

In May, the National Gallery’s transformed Sainsbury Wing opened to the public. Delivered in collaboration with Selldorf Architects, the scheme provides an elegant backdrop to the gallery’s major rehang, part of the NG200 bicentenary celebrations. The Shoemakers Museum in Street, Somerset, also opened, telling the story of high-street icon Clarks and the people behind the brand. The restoration of the North Wing at St Bartholomew’s Hospital was completed too, allowing public access to the Grade I-listed spaces for the first time in history.

Across our Asia Pacific regions, we have continued to support significant conservation and cultural projects.

This includes work across the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery precinct; the Maribyrnong Civic and Community Centre; and the revitalisation of Declared Monument King Yin Lei in Hong Kong. This ambitious project will repurpose this rare building into a Healthy Living Centre inspired by traditional Chinese medicine. We also celebrated the opening of Metro Tunnel, one of our largest infrastructure projects in Melbourne, where we have provided built heritage advice for the new stations and reinstatement of several heritage assets, statues, and monuments. 

2025 has further strengthened our reputation as trusted partners.

Working alongside leading architects, clients, consultants and craftspeople, we joined design teams for the QEII Memorial, the British Museum’s Western Range, Wallace Collection and the Courtauld Gallery. We are honoured to be collaborating with practices such as Jamie Fobert Architects, Foster + Partners, Selldorf Architects, Lina Ghotmeh, Lawson Ward Studio, Hassell Studio, and Benedetti Architects on these and other projects in the year ahead. We are also delighted to close the year with the news that we have won the major Bank of England refurbishment project – a testament to the strength and expertise of our growing team.

Looking to 2026, we will progress the next phases of Manchester Town Hall, Europe’s largest conservation project, and celebrate the opening of the Hull Maritime Museum following its ambitious restoration and redisplay. We will also begin work on site at the Royal Observatory Greenwich with Jamie Fobert Architects and complete the conservation of the 12th-century West Door of the Temple Church in the City of London – a modest but highly significant project. Works will continue at RIBA HQ in London, and at Brighton’s Madeira Terrace, where it is anticipated that the first restored section will open next year.  

In a year defined by progress and ambition, we welcomed exceptional new talent into the practice, broadening our collective expertise. Our sincere thanks to all our people for their outstanding contribution driving change, innovation and best practice and in delivering our expanding portfolio across the globe.  

We move into 2026 energised by what lies ahead with new partnerships forming, transformative projects progressing and exciting plans across our studios, and look forward to continuing this journey with our clients, collaborators and friends.