We are pleased to announce we have opened a new, purpose-built studio in St Albans, Hertfordshire, to support an exciting pipeline of public sector projects in the south east.

Located in the historic city centre, the new space will initially welcome our south eastern based team, providing the business with a convenient hub closer to our growing client base across the home counties.

Our St Albans studio offers a space that ensures the values of the practice can be readily delivered – ensuring our staff have a positive and uplifting space to design, and our clients benefit from passionate, innovative designers, local to their projects. The new space has also been chosen as it aligns with the practice’s Sustainability Charter, ensuring that the low carbon design principles adopted across commissioned projects, is also reflected in the day-to-day operation of the business. The new-build location replicates our Minerva Street studio in Glasgow with the same approaches to breakout space, outfitting, and technology.

In over 70 years of practice, we have become a leading specialist in education, health, residential, civic and sport – and most recently in sustainable design, being one of the few Passivhaus accredited architect firms in the UK. Our current projects in the south east include regenerating Borden town centre in Hampshire; decarbonizing Watford Town Hall and Coliseum; as well as the landmark, £27m London South Bank Technical College in Vauxhall.

The new office will be headed up by director Mark Ellson, a leading champion of sustainable design and architecture. Mark was a key figure in the firm’s recently launched specialist consultancy, Sussed Sustainability, and he will be responsible for implementing the latest in sustainable design - operational and embodied - to its projects across the UK.

Callum Houston, Managing Director, Holmes Miller, said: “With increased focus on environmentally aware architecture, this is a pivotal time for the UK’s construction sector. We’ve seen demand for our services increase over the last two years, especially as civil and commercial projects recover from the pandemic. We’re committed to building on this growth, both across the UK and internationally, and this new space will be vital in allowing our team to continue producing their award-winning work in an inspiring and productive setting.”

Mark Ellson, Director at Holmes Miller, said: “We want to be considered a local partner for all our clients including those located just outside the M25. St Albans is the perfect location for us as we look to form closer ties with local councils and businesses across the home counties, as well as further afield throughout the south east. As leaders in sustainable design, our work spans the public and private sectors, helping clients decarbonise large estates and create more people-focused, sustainable architecture. Ensuring our new space replicates the green credentials of our Glasgow studio is all part of our desire to be as sustainable as we encourage our clients to be.”

The opening of the new studio builds on our  Sustainability Charter launched in 2020, which committed Holmes Miller to environmentally sustainable and ethical design and building practices. We are also in the process of delivering one of the first Passivhaus accredited swimming pools in the UK, which is a leading international design standard to reduce energy usage, whilst delivering high standards of comfort, wellbeing and health.

We are also seeking applicants for part 2 assistant architect positions in the new office, working on exciting public and private sector projects across their key markets, leisure, later-life accommodation, and sports facilities.