BuckleyGrayYeoman, London: Inclusive, Collaborative, Open

This year BuckleyGrayYeoman celebrates its 20th anniversary. The practice has been based in the iconic Tea Building in Shoreditch for 13 years and was one of Derwent London’s first tenants to move into the space.

 Recalling the move, Director Paul White comments: “Before we moved into the Tea Building we were in two small offices in Shoreditch. The building fitted with the location and style we wanted. The building is flexible and has allowed us to expand our space as the company grew.”

 “Practices really tend to get a sense of the place and area of where they put their roots down. It becomes home. Most offices don’t move more than half a mile away from where they started,” he adds. 

BuckleyGrayYeoman currently employs 75 people in its office. Their projects continue to cross all sectors such as the arts, education, housing, hospitality, masterplanning and transportation as well as creative workplace.

The social aspect of the company is very important. Each Monday morning they have breakfast together which also acts as a chance for new starters to introduce themselves and for the rest of the practice to share competition wins and finished projects. This is followed by cake on a Wednesday afternoon and Friday afternoon drinks. 

Every quarter the office plans an event together. These outings have ranged from gallery visits, the Serpentine Pavillion as well as Ping Pong! 

“As a practice we are keen and interested in architecture but we are also social animals,” says White. “These activities are really important because they give a chance for people who don’t necessarily work together to be in the same space and talk about their interests. It is a chance to discover new things about each other.”