BCO_National_Awards_2026_Suplement - Flipbook - Page 4
BCO Awards 2026
CHAIR’S COMMENT
Nicola Gillen
Introduction
“Architecture is being
used to contribute to a
wider place strategy
rather than simply
isolated buildings”
I
t is a privilege to chair the BCO’s
judging panel for the first time
this year.
There is no other benchmarking
mechanism which takes the pulse
of the sector like the BCO Awards, by
visiting buildings and spending time with
occupiers, landlords and project teams.
Assessing workspaces that are being lived
in gives us unparalleled insights into
what is working and what is not.
Without doubt, we are seeing the
importance of high-quality, wellconnected, city centre locations become
starker year-on-year since Covid-19.
Doing all the right things is pointless
if your building is in the wrong place.
We can see this in the growing appeal
of projects up to 2,500 sq m to major
occupiers as they push for the best
locations and work their real estate
harder.
The most sought-after buildings do not
necessarily need to contain a gym and a
restaurant if they are in a central location
with strong surrounding provision. The
importance of amenity remains strong,
and the focus is broadening to the
4 • ESTATES GAZETTE • October 2026
neighbourhood or city block.
Another key trend over the past three
years is the use of development as a tool
for regeneration. Community-focused
and council-led projects stood out again
this year, with Civic (Wigan) and Pixel
(Penzance) exemplifying how projects
can bring people together and create a
genuine sense of community.
Architecture is being used to contribute
to a wider place strategy rather than
simply isolated buildings. A strong
example is 71/72 Kingsway in Swansea,
which helps to establish a new pedestrian
connection, activate public realm and
support wider regeneration.
The importance of how buildings
knit into their surroundings through
ground-floor activation and public realm
development is increasingly recognised.
The best examples contribute to the life of
the surrounding city, rather than treating
reception areas as private corporate
lobbies.
It is also encouraging to see ongoing
focus on sustainability – something that
looked at risk a couple of years ago – and
continued focus on certifications. This
year we saw a greater emphasis on reuse
and circularity. The outstanding TBC.
London saved an estimated 48 tonnes of
carbon dioxide by reusing 20 tonnes of
1930s steel beams.
We also found that smart building
management is becoming more
mainstream. The strongest examples –
such as 19 Cornwall Street, Birmingham
and Civic in Wigan – actively use data to
manage energy, air quality, occupancy
and building performance rather than
displaying technology for its own sake.
To date, we are not seeing a material
impact from AI on headcount, workplace
strategy or design – but we anticipate
more on this next year.
In the meantime, I would encourage
authentic, handcrafted submissions for
the 2027 BCO Awards. I’m excited to
see how this year’s strong trends around
the role of place in community and
regeneration continue to gather pace.
NICOLA GILLEN
Chair of the BCO Awards 2026
bco.org.uk
