Kim Neville speaks to Glyn Emrys, director of Emrys Architects, about the practice’s evolution, its people-focused ethos and its longstanding commitment to finding new possibilities in existing buildings.
Glyn Emrys founded his first practice in 1994, during a recession, ostensibly not the most auspicious time to start a new venture. But, reflecting on the decision to go it alone three decades later, he explains what prompted the transition from employee to practice owner. “I have always been a doer and a maker, and I guess because of that, I always assumed that one day I would have my own practice.” When the practice he had been working for started making redundancies, Emrys made the bold decision to establish his own firm.
Every practice’s first project is memorable, and Emrys is no different. The first major commission was the design of the main office and trade showroom for Caterpillar Boots in London. Emrys recalls: “It was in an old warehouse building in Primrose Hill. It was very low budget, but it got us up and running.”
Over the years, the practice has grown from a small studio into a multidisciplinary team working across a range of sectors. One of the major milestones, Emrys recalls, was the design of the first 24-hour library at Imperial College. It was a project whose relevance he only recently came to appreciate. “I realised the long-lasting relevance of this project when I saw it quoted in a book on co-working and how it began.”
Another recession – in 2008 – marked another turning point for the practice, explains the architect, with its title formally becoming Emrys Architects during this period.
Bringing things up to date, the practice recently completed its largest project – a major retrofit scheme for department store Barkers of Kensington in west London. The project began as a competition during the Covid-19 pandemic, with Emrys triumphing over several established practices. “It started as a competition during Covid and we won it against some very good practices. It is our largest project to date, and has given us confidence to back ourselves against larger practices.”
Adapting to change
Although the practice has designed several award-winning university buildings, Emrys explains that the old OJEU procurement system made it difficult to secure further projects in the education sector. This prompted a shift towards private-sector commercial projects.
Emrys goes on to outline the challenges the practice faces today. “Today, the two biggest challenges are fire and planning. Fire, post the Grenfell disaster, has understandably called for a whole new level of compliance. This does create time lags which can sometimes be a bit frustrating. I still wonder if it would have been a lot better to simply update and tighten up the Building Regulations to ensure fire safety, making the complicated process smoother. In terms of planning – we need to find a way to unblock the system to get things moving and built.”
Ethos
While the practice has evolved considerably over the years, one of its core principles has remained constant. Emrys explains, “The principle that has remained constant is that it’s not all about me. This has meant that the studio has naturally evolved.”
This ethos is reflected in the studio’s “Practice with purpose” philosophy, which sits at the heart of Emrys Architects. The practice’s stated mission is to improve the world, placing purpose and the wider impact of its work at the centre of its approach. Emrys expands on this: “In our case, our purpose is to design every project as well as we possibly can, thereby improving the lives of those that inhabit our spaces, and hopefully through that design journey, influence/nudge their views about the built environment.”
The practice also hopes that this dialogue encourages people to be more aware of the issues of the day, while potentially helping them to address the challenges of tomorrow.
Culture
The practice’s emphasis on listening extends to its staff. Emrys believes that creating an environment where everyone feels able to contribute is essential to the way projects develop. “Listening to clients is key to any project. If you don’t listen, then you don’t get the brief right, and if you don’t get the brief right, then the project goes off the rails very early on. We have been very lucky with our clients. They have been very loyal to our practice, and part of the reason for that is because we listen, and then we go the extra mile to make sure we have interpreted their requirements correctly.”
That same principle applies within the studio, where Emrys encourages team members to take ownership of projects from the outset. “As part of this listening process, it’s also important that all members of our team feel involved from the get go, and that their opinions are also listened to. To achieve this, we encourage ownership and autonomy, because we think that is the way people build confidence. We also discuss projects as a team so that everyone understands the issues and opportunities. Wherever possible, we try to avoid ‘second hand’ briefings.”
The practice has also retained a studio-based way of working, post-Covid, viewing it as beneficial for communication and collaboration. Alongside the day-to-day interaction between colleagues, the practice has a regular social and cultural programme. This emphasis on connection, he suggests, is part of the wider responsibility the practice feels towards its people.
Ultimately, the same consideration for people informs how the practice approaches project designs. Emrys’ ethos doesn’t separate looking after the team and delivering good architecture, seeing them as facets of the same approach: understanding what people need, listening carefully and reflecting those needs in the work.
Design approach
The studio doesn’t claim a standard design signature, but instead deploys a ‘consistently bespoke’ strategy to each project by enquiring, questioning and keeping an open mind. Emrys explains, “Having that open outlook always creates a bespoke and often surprising design solution for each project. As much of our work is retrofit, every project has a unique signature.”
This approach is something the practice actively encourages staff to pursue with every project. Emrys characterises the outcome as a “narrative/handle that gives each building an overall coherence/legibility to the design.”
For Emrys, the constraints of the sites the practice works with can also become a catalyst for creativity. “As much of our work is in central London, on tight, highly constrained sites, that pressure often seeks creative solutions, which is our true signature.”
With each project, Emrys aims to combine both efficiency and delight. Emrys explains that the key to providing a result that embodies a client’s character is to “take the client with you. At the end of the day, it is their building/home, and therefore it needs to reflect their sense of humour.”
Sustainability has long been closely tied to the practice’s approach, particularly shown through its work in retrofit. However, Emrys questions an approach that focuses too heavily on numerical targets at the expense of the wider picture. He explains, “We have always enjoyed the challenge of working in the world of retrofit.” However, the architect admits, “what does irritate me sometimes is this fixation on numbers. There should be a more holistic view as to the best next life for a building.“
Projects
The practice’s approach is best understood through its projects, such as how they demonstrate an ability to find new possibilities within existing buildings. Retrofit has been central to Emrys since its inception, with recent schemes showing how environmental considerations can be combined with ambitious design.
One recently completed project that illustrates this exploratory approach is a retrofit office building on King Bench Street, near London Bridge, for GMS Estates. Originally an old fizzy drink bottling plant, the building will be marketed under the name Soda. “It was our oldest unbuilt project” he confirms. In 2014, the practice was asked to obtain planning for “as large a building as possible” on the site – this included a full basement, where none existed before. However, given building inflation over the years, this proved unviable. “Second time around, we were asked to look at a much more carbon friendly retrofit solution. It was also a viable scheme – so win, win!” The project shows how changing economic and environmental considerations can prompt a fundamentally different, lower-carbon approach.
A more new-build oriented office project in the City of London saw the practice combine new construction with the retention of an existing historic facade. The 56,000 ft2 office building, designed for CLI Dartriver, replaces two poor-quality buildings while retaining the facade of Sixty Three Coleman Street. Contemporary facades to Coleman Street and Moorgate reflect the locality through limestone, black faience and bronze window frames, alongside a communal rooftop terrace, yoga and relaxation space, and end-of-journey facilities.
In Bloomsbury, the Courtyard building for Great Portland Estates brings together two buildings to create a flexible office offering. The existing courtyard will be glazed over as an events and seminar space, while a new fourth floor will provide communal facilities, including a bar, meeting rooms and terraces. A repurposed cupola will form a garden room.
At Glasshouse Street, Grade II-listed buildings for The Crown Estate are being transformed into office and retail space, with two light wells combined to create a dramatic atrium. A sculptural staircase will form the centrepiece, complemented by extensive roof terraces and communal spaces.
Tracking technology
Looking back over three decades, Emrys sees longevity as one of the practice’s most meaningful achievements. The practice continues a working relationship with clients it has known for more than 25 years, while relationships with some consultants used stretch back more than 35 years. For the practice, these enduring relationships are rooted in a shared ambition to keep improving.
Awards and industry recognition are welcomed, but Emrys places greater value on what happens beyond the awards circuit. “Awards are always welcome, but probably industry recognition, repeat business, and of course any recommendation, is probably more valuable.” In that sense, the longevity of the practice’s relationships and the continued return of clients provide a measure of success that is less visible but perhaps more significant.
Technology is inevitably becoming part of that evolution. AI is already being used within the practice on the creative side, particularly to turn three-dimensional information, basic sketches and Revit outputs into highly realistic visualisations. Rather than simply presenting an abstract design, these tools can give clients an immediate sense of how a building might look, feel and function.
For Emrys himself, the most interesting question is where the technology goes next. “The power of AI is evolving so fast, in so many areas, who knows how we will use it in the future.” For a practice whose history has been shaped by changing economic conditions, procurement, regulation and the evolving demands of retrofit, that openness to what comes next is emblematic of the way the architect has operated throughout his career.