This time twelve months ago we were all hopeful of a gradual return to some version of pre-pandemic conditions during the year to come.

The reality has turned out to be more challenging, but the agility and adaptability of our teams has allowed us to continue to deliver ambitious architecture throughout 2021, and there has been much to celebrate, with 11 projects being granted planning consent, 15 projects completing on site, across the UK and the US, and the practice’s work continuing to be recognised with a string of awards.

At the same time the practice has continued to develop how it engages with and contributes to the profession and the wider world, delivering three pro bono projects, offering residencies to seven emerging practices at White Collar Factory, and committing to Science Based Targets for carbon reduction while endorsing the RIBA’s Built for the Environment report.

Meanwhile, Simon Allford began his two-year term as President of the RIBA, and Paul Monaghan launched the inaugural Liverpool Architecture Festival, a new initiative to uncover and celebrate the city’s architecture and architectural talent.

This has also been a year of continued development and investment within the practice, with the evolution of our structure leading to the appointment of 15 new Directors, the launch of an additional London studio at White Collar Factory, the start on site of the practice’s future Bristol home, and a clutch of exciting new projects in OKC heralding a broadening of the practice’s reach within North America.

So while 2021 has seen a more tentative re-emergence than we might have wished for, we enter the coming year in a spirit of optimism and anticipation, of new project opportunities on the horizon, as well as a number of complex and long-awaited projects finally coming to fruition.

Looking back on the past twelve months reminds us of the importance of collaboration for the things we’ve achieved, but this year more than most others has reinforced the value of meeting in the same space, enjoying each other’s company and, once more, working together.



 

Completed projects

This year fifteen AHMM projects have reached completion, from large scale masterplans to private homes, including three pro-bono projects. In south London two residential schemes welcomed their first tenants, marking the completion of the second and third AHMM projects in the wider Elephant Park masterplan. In east London another key milestone for a masterplan project was reached when Lorimer House, the first of AHMM’s residential buildings on the Bream Street site, was handed over to the client. Two pro bono projects in the city also reached completion: a small mental health and consultation space for the Soup Kitchen London, and a permanent cookery school and kitchen for the refugee and migrant charity Migrateful. Construction at Assembly Bristol Building A completed, and the project handed over to the client. In Oklahoma it has been a year of firsts, as AHMM completed its first education project in the US, a first pro bono housing project, and its first dog friendly restaurant.

 

Work in progress

In total 13 projects started on site this year (three of which also completed), and seven projects reached significant milestones. 

In north London work began on site at Tottenham Hale Island sites, and in east London construction began at 1 Broadgate. Works began at the Birmingham Hippodrome and at the newest phase of Kingswood Academy in Hull. In Bristol enabling works began at TQEC Research Hub, and at Assembly Bristol work began at Building C as Building A was handed over to the client. In Oklahoma City construction began at Western Gateway Elementary and Wheeler Residential, joining Wheeler Block 13 on the site of the former Wheeler Airport. 

Several projects have also reached their highest point of construction, including One Portwall Square, Blossom Street, Egham Gateway, Tower Hamlets Town Hall, Shoreditch Village Phase 2, and Project Nash.

 

Planning

Eleven projects have been granted planning approval this year, six of them in London, including plans to extend and sensitively refurbish 76 Upper Ground, originally designed by Sir Denys Lasdun and known as the IBM Building. Along the Thames to the east, plans for a 17-storey CLT tower above Southwark Tube station were also permitted. In the City of London proposals were approved for the redevelopment of a key site in Houndsditch to create flexible office and retail space and improvements to the public realm; and in Camden plans for Belgrove House, the practice’s first specialised laboratory and office building, were approved, as well the neighbouring schemes 330 Gray’s Inn Road and Acorn House. In Oklahoma City, planning consent was also granted for the Nova, a mixed-use scheme that includes a rooftop greenhouse on the historic Automobile Alley.

 

Awards

In June the Alder Centre, a dedicated place for people affected by the loss of a child, was awarded a European Healthcare Design Award. Our Bristol later living scheme The Vincent was named as one of only three recipients of this year’s Bristol Civic Society Design Awards.

Three projects picked up Civic Trust Awards, and three were awarded RIBA Regional Awards, with The Ray also recognised with a National Award. The Television Centre masterplan was awarded a Golden Pineapple Award for Place. In Oklahoma, Tiny Homes was awarded a ULI OK Impact Award for Outstanding Community Building. Three projects received Housing Design Awards, including Hawley Wharf which was named the Winner of Winners.

 

Sustainability

AHMM’s Sustainability and Building Performance team has been busy working with the practice, project teams and the wider industry. The group has continued to develop its suite of in-house software to help parametrically analyse everything from overheating and daylight to embodied carbon. We have pushed forward with our whole life carbon analysis, using it to visualise where and when carbon exists in our projects, informing our design and aiding collaborative thinking. Our Knowledge Transfer Partnership research project is over halfway through and continues to explore the opportunities and constraints in large scale, mixed use buildings. We have continued to support our architectural teams in developing a net-zero carbon mixed use scheme project in east London and our first Passivhaus scheme in south London. As we return to offices and restrictions lift, we aim to pick up our post occupancy programme to feed into our lessons learned and benchmarking dashboard.

 

Practice and Culture

As Covid 19 restrictions gradually lifted this year more and more AHMM staff returned to the office and we were able to host more events both in person and online. Earlier this year we announced a list of internal promotions; fellow members of staff were also invited and elected to join prestigious organisations, most notably Simon Allford beginning his two year term as President of the RIBA. We also opened our second London office this year, a short walk from Morelands, at White Collar Factory. This expansion has allowed greater social distancing and created a safe and comfortable working environment.

 

Partnerships

Our Partnerships work continued to adapt and find new ways to engage with our communities – local, global and architectural - through donations, fundraising and volunteering, both virtually and in-person. As well as donating to education, humanitarian and climate crisis charities, we focused our support around initiatives such as LGBTQ+ History Month, Women’s History Month and Refugee Week. The practice undertook collective fundraising activities to support our Charity of the Year, The Bike Project, which repairs second hand bikes and gives them to refugees and asylum seekers. Over 2020/21 we donated £177,000 to 98 good causes and our staff team undertook 1,451 hours of volunteering.

 

Completed projects

This year fifteen AHMM projects have reached completion, from large scale masterplans to private homes, including three pro-bono projects. In south London two residential schemes welcomed their first tenants, marking the completion of the second and third AHMM projects in the wider Elephant Park masterplan. In east London another key milestone for a masterplan project was reached when Lorimer House, the first of AHMM’s residential buildings on the Bream Street site, was handed over to the client. Two pro bono projects in the city also reached completion: a small mental health and consultation space for the Soup Kitchen London, and a permanent cookery school and kitchen for the refugee and migrant charity Migrateful. Construction at Assembly Bristol Building A completed, and the project handed over to the client. In Oklahoma it has been a year of firsts, as AHMM completed its first education project in the US, a first pro bono housing project, and its first dog friendly restaurant.

Hillside Lodge

Hillside Lodge

Work has completed at Hillside Lodge a new five bedroom family home near Guildford, Surrey.

Western Gateway Elementary

Western Gateway Elementary

In September Western Gateway Elementary AHMM’s first school to be built in the US welcomed its first students.

The Railspur District

The Railspur District

The Railspur District stitches together a collection of historic structures, with a series walkways and landscaped courtyards, to create a new, cohesive piece of city.

 

Work in progress

In total 13 projects started on site this year (three of which also completed), and seven projects reached significant milestones. 

In north London work began on site at Tottenham Hale Island sites, and in east London construction began at 1 Broadgate. Works began at the Birmingham Hippodrome and at the newest phase of Kingswood Academy in Hull. In Bristol enabling works began at TQEC Research Hub, and at Assembly Bristol work began at Building C as Building A was handed over to the client. In Oklahoma City construction began at Western Gateway Elementary and Wheeler Residential, joining Wheeler Block 13 on the site of the former Wheeler Airport. 

Several projects have also reached their highest point of construction, including One Portwall Square, Blossom Street, Egham Gateway, Tower Hamlets Town Hall, Shoreditch Village Phase 2, and Project Nash.

 

Planning

Eleven projects have been granted planning approval this year, six of them in London, including plans to extend and sensitively refurbish 76 Upper Ground, originally designed by Sir Denys Lasdun and known as the IBM Building. Along the Thames to the east, plans for a 17-storey CLT tower above Southwark Tube station were also permitted. In the City of London proposals were approved for the redevelopment of a key site in Houndsditch to create flexible office and retail space and improvements to the public realm; and in Camden plans for Belgrove House, the practice’s first specialised laboratory and office building, were approved, as well the neighbouring schemes 330 Gray’s Inn Road and Acorn House. In Oklahoma City, planning consent was also granted for the Nova, a mixed-use scheme that includes a rooftop greenhouse on the historic Automobile Alley.

 

Awards

In June the Alder Centre, a dedicated place for people affected by the loss of a child, was awarded a European Healthcare Design Award. Our Bristol later living scheme The Vincent was named as one of only three recipients of this year’s Bristol Civic Society Design Awards.

Three projects picked up Civic Trust Awards, and three were awarded RIBA Regional Awards, with The Ray also recognised with a National Award. The Television Centre masterplan was awarded a Golden Pineapple Award for Place. In Oklahoma, Tiny Homes was awarded a ULI OK Impact Award for Outstanding Community Building. Three projects received Housing Design Awards, including Hawley Wharf which was named the Winner of Winners.

Hawley Wharf

Hawley Wharf

Housing Design Awards Winner of Winners

Royal Arsenal

Royal Arsenal

RIBA London Regional Award; Brick Award for Medium Housing Development; British Homes Awards - Development Transformation of the Year

Bonnington Walk

Bonnington Walk

Housing Design Award

Classen 16

Classen 16

AIA Central Oklahoma Design Excellence Honor Award – Large Commercial Architecture

Social Capital

Social Capital

AIA Central Oklahoma Design Excellence Honor Award - Adaptive Reuse; AIA Central Oklahoma Design Excellence COTE Award

The Vincent

The Vincent

Housing Design Awards HAPPI Award; Bristol Civic Society Design Award

 

Sustainability

AHMM’s Sustainability and Building Performance team has been busy working with the practice, project teams and the wider industry. The group has continued to develop its suite of in-house software to help parametrically analyse everything from overheating and daylight to embodied carbon. We have pushed forward with our whole life carbon analysis, using it to visualise where and when carbon exists in our projects, informing our design and aiding collaborative thinking. Our Knowledge Transfer Partnership research project is over halfway through and continues to explore the opportunities and constraints in large scale, mixed use buildings. We have continued to support our architectural teams in developing a net-zero carbon mixed use scheme project in east London and our first Passivhaus scheme in south London. As we return to offices and restrictions lift, we aim to pick up our post occupancy programme to feed into our lessons learned and benchmarking dashboard.

Zero Carbon Guide

Zero Carbon Guide

In early 2022 we will publish the first outcome of our KTP research project – an architect’s guide to zero carbon design from standards and definitions to practical pointers on how to deliver.

 

Practice and Culture

As Covid 19 restrictions gradually lifted this year more and more AHMM staff returned to the office and we were able to host more events both in person and online. Earlier this year we announced a list of internal promotions; fellow members of staff were also invited and elected to join prestigious organisations, most notably Simon Allford beginning his two year term as President of the RIBA. We also opened our second London office this year, a short walk from Morelands, at White Collar Factory. This expansion has allowed greater social distancing and created a safe and comfortable working environment.

Simon Allford Becomes President of the RIBA

Simon Allford Becomes President of the RIBA

In September Simon Allford became President of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). Simon will serve as the institute’s 79th President for a term of two years.

Katharine Storr elected president of AIA UK Chapter

Katharine Storr elected president of AIA UK Chapter

In April AHMM architectural designer Katharine Storr was elected President of the American Institute of Architects UK chapter for 2021.

Wade Scaramucci Honoured in Oklahoma Awards

Wade Scaramucci Honoured in Oklahoma Awards

In July director Wade Scaramucci was named as one of the honourees of the 2021 Oklahoma City Journal Record Excellence in Construction and Real Estate awards.

Architecture Foundation residencies for young architects

Architecture Foundation residencies for young architects

Following a call for applications in July, the Architecture Foundation announced the seven young architecture practices for the 2021/22 AHMM sponsored residency programme at White Collar Factory.

 

Partnerships

Our Partnerships work continued to adapt and find new ways to engage with our communities – local, global and architectural - through donations, fundraising and volunteering, both virtually and in-person. As well as donating to education, humanitarian and climate crisis charities, we focused our support around initiatives such as LGBTQ+ History Month, Women’s History Month and Refugee Week. The practice undertook collective fundraising activities to support our Charity of the Year, The Bike Project, which repairs second hand bikes and gives them to refugees and asylum seekers. Over 2020/21 we donated £177,000 to 98 good causes and our staff team undertook 1,451 hours of volunteering.

 
Link Date Title Location
17.12.21 Simon Allford marks 100 Days In date211217
17.12.21 Review of 2021 date211217
16.12.21 Planning approval for Riverside community living scheme Riverside Community Living date211216
22.11.21 AIA Oklahoma Design Excellence Awards 2021 Social Capital Classen16 Wheeler Block 13 date211122
19.11.21 Planning approval for 115-123 Houndsditch date211119
18.11.21 Plans submitted for Holloway Prison site Holloway date211118
18.11.21 AJ Architecture Award for Workplace 1 Finsbury Avenue date211118
24.11.21 The Post Building wins WAF Award The Post Building date211124
17.11.21 The Well opens The Well date211117
15.11.21 British Homes Awards The Officers’ House date211115
11.11.21 Brick Award for the Officers’ House The Officers’ House date211111
27.10.21 Migrateful Cookery School opens Migrateful Kitchen date211027
25.10.21 Planning success for the TQEC Research Hub date211025
21.10.21 Seven young practices join AHMM at White Collar Factory White Collar Factory date211021
13.10.21 AIA Central States Awards Social Capital date211013
11.10.21 Hawley Wharf overall winner at Housing Design Awards date211011
08.10.21 1-4 Marble Arch tops out date211008
21.10.21 Bristol Civic Society Design Awards The Vincent date211021
04.10.21 Liverpool Architecture Festival date211004
01.10.21 Wheeler Block 13 completes Wheeler Block 13 date211001
30.09.21 One Portwall Square tops out One Portwall Square date210930
29.09.21 Planning approval for 334 Oxford Street date210929
28.09.21 AHMM commits to science based carbon reduction targets date210928
21.09.21 Pedelle 2021 date210921
20.09.21 New London Awards shortlist 2021 Lansdowne House Belgrove House EH Smith date210920
15.09.21 Western Gateway Elementary welcomes its first students Western Gateway Elementary date210915
14.09.21 Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2021 Belgrove House date210914
09.09.21 RIBA National Awards 2021 The Ray date210909
07.09.21 Building and British Homes Awards shortlists The Post Building The Alder Centre The Officers’ House Park Central West, Elephant Park Park Central East, Elephant Park date210907
02.09.21 Open House London 2021 Burntwood School Barking Central New Scotland Yard The Bower The Ray The Library at Willesden Green 1 Finsbury Avenue date210902
01.09.21 Simon Allford becomes President of the RIBA date210901
27.08.21 2021 RIBA London region awards The Ray The Officers’ House 1 Finsbury Avenue date210827
25.08.21 Malcolm Wicks House and Bloom House reach practical completion Queen's Quarter date210825
24.08.21 AJ Architecture Awards 2021 shortlists announced The Post Building The Alder Centre The Officers’ House 1 Finsbury Avenue Riverside House EH Smith date210824
16.08.21 Simon Allford joins RIBA President’s Medals judges date210816
03.08.21 AHMM Summer School 2021 date210803
28.07.21 AHMM director honoured in Oklahoma awards date210728
27.07.21 Architecture Foundation residencies for young architects White Collar Factory date210727
26.07.21 Victor Kite Award for Design Technology date210726
19.07.21 Awards update The Post Building The Alder Centre Television Centre Masterplan Belgrove House date210719
09.07.21 Planning approval for 330 Gray’s Inn Road 330 Gray's Inn Road date210709
08.07.21 Elephant and Castle phase three welcomes its first residents Park Central West, Elephant Park Park Central East, Elephant Park date210708
08.07.21 Supporting future architects date210708
07.07.21 AHMM’s Head of Sustainability joins the Architects Declare Steering Group date210707
06.07.21 Migrateful Cookery School starts on site Migrateful Kitchen date210706
01.07.21 AIA UK award for 1 Finsbury Avenue 1 Finsbury Avenue date210701
01.07.21 Shoreditch Village Phase 2 tops out Montacute Yards date210701
30.06.21 Planning approval for 76 Upper Ground 76 Upper Ground date210630
29.06.21 Planning consent for the Nova The Nova date210629
24.06.21 The Soup Kitchen London The Soup Kitchen London The Soup Kitchen London date210624
18.06.21 European Healthcare Design Award for the Alder Centre The Alder Centre date210618
04.06.21 Planning approval for Leinster Avenue KnowleDGE Leinster Avenue date210604
21.05.21 Proposals launched for 334 Oxford Street date210521
25.05.21 Progress at 2 Ruskin Square 2 Ruskin Square date210525
18.05.21 Topping out in Tower Hamlets Tower Hamlets Town Hall date210518
21.05.21 Chronicle shortlisted for D&AD award date210521
07.05.21 Construction begins at 1 Broadgate 1 Broadgate date210507
11.05.21 SOLO’s Park and Pub now open SOLO's Park and Pub date210511
06.05.21 Work begins at Tottenham Hale Tottenham Hale Island Sites date210506
05.05.21 Magna Square tops out Magna Square date210505
22.04.21 AHMM designs new cookery school for Migrateful Migrateful Kitchen date210422
19.04.21 AHMM: Constructing a Practice date210419
15.04.21 One Waterloo planning finalised One Waterloo date210415
16.04.21 UKGBC Whole Life Carbon Roadmap date210416
15.04.21 Katharine Storr elected President of AIA UK chapter date210415
31.03.21 Allford Hall Monaghan Morris announces new Director role date210331
24.03.21 Planning approval at Barking Riverside Barking Riverside 209B date210324
08.03.21 Civic Trust Awards 2021 The Post Building The Officers’ House 1 Finsbury Avenue date210308
06.01.21 Civic Trust Awards The Post Building The Officers’ House 1 Finsbury Avenue date210106
26.02.21 Planning consent in Camden date210226
18.02.21 Lorimer House completes Bream Street date210218
08.02.21 A new phase for Kingswood Academy Kingswood College date210208
05.02.21 Big win for Tiny Homes Tiny Homes date210205
04.02.21 On site at City Road date210204
03.02.21 On site in Birmingham Birmingham Hippodrome date210203
29.01.21 AJ Retrofit Awards shortlist 2021 The Officers’ House 1 Finsbury Avenue date210129
22.01.21 On site in the Wheeler District Western Gateway Elementary Wheeler Block 13 date210122
 

Allford
Hall
Monaghan
Morris