Buttress Architects, a purpose-driven architecture firm and certified B Corporation, is proud to announce its transition to employee-ownership.
The company, based in Manchester and Leeds, is now 100 per cent employee-owned with the move reinforcing its long-standing commitment to equity, sustainability, and inclusive design.
Guided by its purpose – Architecture for an equitable tomorrow – Buttress has consistently championed projects that serve communities, respect the environment, and promote social value. The move to employee-ownership ensures that these values are not only embedded in its work, but also in how the business itself is run.
“Becoming employee-owned is a natural extension of our purpose,”
said Gavin Sorby, MD at Buttress.
“It empowers our team, strengthens our independence, and ensures that our mission of designing for equity is reflected in our structure. We’ve made the bold decision to become 100 per cent employee-owned to reflect our intentions and belief in the new governance structure.”
The Employee-Ownership Trust (EOT) model gives employees collective ownership and a formal voice in the studio’s strategic direction – supporting a more democratic and resilient practice model. It also provides a long-term succession strategy that safeguards the studio’s independence and design vision. This model aligns with the studio’s B Corp ethos, which balances purpose and profit.
“We’re proud to be part of a growing movement in architecture that’s rethinking ownership and leadership,”
continues Gavin Sorby.
“This is about creating a practice that’s built to last—creatively, ethically, and structurally. We believe that how we work should reflect what we design. This change is about fairness, shared responsibility, and building a practice that truly lives its values.”
Buttress joins a growing number of architecture firms in the UK embracing employee-ownership, a model shown to boost innovation, engagement, and long-term sustainability.
The firm recently held a staff event to celebrate the transition to employee-ownership and to workshop together what the future of the company could look like. Clients can expect a continuity of service with the same creative vision and expertise, along with a reinforced ethical, sustainable practice and an even stronger team commitment.
Director Andy Avery also recently retired from the business after 13 years. Andy joined the company in 2012 as a merger of the practice with MBLA and he brought with him his expertise in new build and a focus on residential projects.