BCO_National_Awards_2026_Suplement - Flipbook - Page 3
BCO Awards 2026
Contents
4
16
CHAIR’S COMMENT
CORPORATE WORKPLACE
Assessing workspaces that are being lived
in gives the BCO judges unparalleled
insights into what is working and what is
not. Nicola Gillen draws out the key trends
to emerge from this year’s judging process.
The judges recognised Deutsche Bank’s
success in maximising the potential of its
complex site. It has created an exemplary
workspace directly above Moorgate
Station, responding to the movement
of millions of passengers while also
prioritising user-focused and futureready workplace design.
5
LIST OF WINNERS
And the winner is…. Find all the national
and regional winners at a glance.
6
22
FIT OUT OF WORKPLACE
The rigour and depth of the judging
process is a fundamental part of what
makes a BCO Award so highly sought
after and highly regarded within the
industry. It must be earned, not won.
With ‘pickable walls’, the showroom at
Christopher Ward’s new headquarters
allow visitors to handle its watches
without the barriers typical of luxury
retail. Administration, design studios,
logistics and repair have all been brought
under the same roof, with process-driven
layouts.
7
30
PRESIDENT’S AWARD
REFURBISHED / RECYCLED
WORKPLACE
THE JUDGES
This year’s President’s Award recognises
the extraordinary contribution of
Professor Janice Kirkpatrick OBE RSE,
who co-founded design consultancy
Graven in 1986. Across four decades,
she has made possible better workplaces,
stronger businesses, renewed places,
economic placemaking, new careers and
a more ambitious understanding of the
value of creative design.
Civic Wigan transforms a longabandoned Brutalist structure into
33,000 sq ft of high-quality workspace.
With a public-facing café, gym, mini
cinema, roof terrace and enhanced green
space, this conservation-led retrofit
reconnects the site to the town around it.
38
PROJECTS UP TO 2,500M2 NET
8
BEST OF THE BEST / COMMERCIAL
WORKPLACE
The development of a state-of-theart workplace on the site of a former
nightclub in Swansea has transformed
expectations of what the city can
offer. With its rooftop terrace, bold
architectural design, solar panels and
heat recovery systems, it impressed the
judges with its seamless integration
of architectural quality, sustainability,
and innovation.
bco.org.uk
The strength of Overbury’s new Northern
headquarters lies in its zoning. A mix of
touchdown workstations, private focus
rooms, informal and formal meeting
spaces and a wellness retreat enables
employees to choose different settings
throughout the day.
44
INNOVATION
The UK’s first purpose-built lecture
theatre building has been successfully
repurposed as a dynamic innovation
hub where all tenants must work in
the sustainability industry. The judges
described the Renold Building as a living
example of circular economy.
48
ESG
TBC.London is the ambitious reimagining
of a 1990s office as a modern, sustainable,
net-zero-ready workspace. As well as
adapting and retaining more than 70% of
the existing structure, it uses 40 tonnes
of 1930s steel beams salvaged from the
former House of Fraser on Oxford Street.
54
JUDGES’ CHOICE AWARD
Sitting on Causewayhead in the heart of
Penzance town centre, Pixel transforms a
site most recently used as a car park into
a workspace for more than 40 creative
small and medium-sized enterprises. The
project drives economic regeneration and
community engagement.
56
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
COMMERCIAL LANDLORD
The team at M&G Real Estate’s 40
Leadenhall excels at taking care of
its customers in a way that is both
measurable and genuinely warm – two
vital components in bringing people
back to the workplace. The judges
were impressed by how the vertical
neighbourhood they created has become
a welcoming community.
58
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
CORPORATE OCCUPIER
GSK’s commitment to creating one of the
world’s healthiest workplaces is woven
into every aspect of its new headquarters
at 79 New Oxford Street. The judges were
particularly impressed by the clarity of
the strategy, detailed employee journey
mapping and robust change programme
underpinning the experience.
October 2026 • ESTATES GAZETTE • 3
