Bennetts Associates

Bennetts Associates is a UK firm of architects, with a portfolio of award-winning projects and a expertise in higher education, refurbishment and sustainability.

Bennetts Associates are designers of sustainable architecture such as the Wessex Water Operations Centre in Bath, Jubilee Library in Brighton and Hampshire County Council offices in Winchester. A founding member of the UK Green Building Council, the firm promotes sustainable architecture through research, conferences, and government committees.

The firm have 125+ awards and commendations, including a number of RIBA awards, the Prime Minister’s ‘Better Public Building’ award for the Jubilee Library in Brighton and the Refurbishment Architect of the Year award in 2011.

Bennetts Associates has been voted twice as the UK Architectural Practice of the Year by Building magazine and had three projects shortlisted for the Stirling Prize. The Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon won them Major Building Project of the Year at the BCI awards.

The firm's portfolio contains projects ranging from arts and educational buildings to cultural, residential, industrial, transport, conservation and commercial. The practice is also exploring expansion of its activities into Europe, with the Mint Hotel in Amsterdam being its first project completed abroad.

Founding Directors

• Rab Bennetts

Rab Bennetts provides overall design direction for all of the firm’s projects. He plays a part in many aspects of the design and construction industry, including research projects, professional committees and education. Rab was awarded the OBE for services to architecture in 2003. He is a Board member of the UK Green Building Council, a Trustee of the Design Council and a director of Sadler’s Wells Theatre.

• Denise Bennetts

As co-founder Denise contributes to the overall design direction of the practice. She has been involved in major projects, with particular responsibility for a major City office development, a new headquarters for a software company, a school for children with severe learning difficulties and a commission for Dogs Trust. Denise also takes lead responsibility for the practice's financial and legal affairs. She is an architectural critic and is an assessor for the Civic Trust and RIBA Awards.

Directors

• Simon Erridge

Simon has been with Bennetts Associates for the majority of his professional career, joining in 1992 and becoming a director in 2005. He has particular expertise in arts buildings such as Hampstead Theatre and the commission for the redevelopment of the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-upon-Avon. Simon also has experience in other fields such as industrial (PGI Cummins, Kent), historic (Royal College of Pathologists) and transport (Network Rail).

• David Laing

David joined Bennetts Associates in 1997 and became a director in 2005. He led the practice’s largest commission, New Street Square in central London, which had a project value of £200 million and an in-house team of 25 architects. David was also centrally involved in the award-winning Wessex Water HQ in Bath. Recent commitments include Ascot Racecourse Hotel and Hospitality facilities, overseeing construction of the City Road Basin residential scheme and competitions for key sites in central London.

• Julian Lipscombe

Julian joined Bennetts Associates in 1992 and became a director in 2002. He has led projects and competitions covering sectors such as offices, education, residential and sport. He has led the practice's involvement with the public and transport sectors through projects including the award winning HQ for Hampshire County Council and Crossrail surface stations. Commitments comprise projects for public sector clients, a sustainable retrofit in London and new buildings for St Antony’s College, Oxford. Julian is a speaker at conferences and has lectured internationally in Australia.