We are pleased to share that gcp Chartered Architects has recently been shortlisted for two awards recognising both our work and our wider contribution to the profession. Our project Wheatfield Barns, Marshfield has been shortlisted for Affordable Housing Development of the Year, and we have also been shortlisted for Architectural Practice of the Year.
These nominations reflect the hard work of our team and our ongoing commitment to delivering high-quality, thoughtful design.
The project is a landmark community-led scheme comprising 15 certified Passivhaus homes. The project marries Cotswold vernacular with technical excellence, setting a new benchmark for sustainable and affordable rural housing delivery.
The scheme was led by the Marshfield Community Land Trust, a not-for-profit organisation established to address the shortage of local affordable housing, in cooperation with the Ball family who provided the land and Brighter Places housing association by whom the properties are leased and managed. The homes are also the first in South Gloucestershire to be delivered through the Rural Exception Site Policy.
gcp Chartered Architects was approached by contractor WINSLEY-WHITE BUILDING CONTRACTORS & DEVELOPERS LTD. to provide Passivhaus expertise and technical design for RIBA stages 4-7. The layouts were developed to meet occupants’ changing needs over time in line with Part M. In keeping with the project’s fabric-first approach and by including energy efficient building services such as heat-pumps, MVHR and solar panels, gcp completed the Passive House Planning Package (PHPP) and detailed design to ensure the homes achieve Passivhaus certification. All homes also successfully achieved the Secured by Design Developers Silver Award.
award winning
gcp Shortlisted: Retrofit Design Practice of the Year!
in Retrofit
We’ve been delighted to receive the news this week that gcp Chartered Architects has been shortlisted as a finalist for Retrofit Design Practice of the Year at the 2026 Retrofit Academy Awards. This is great news for the practice that celebrates our commitment to breathing new life into existing buildings, and builds nicely upon the success of Michael Hanson winning Retrofit Designer of the Year in 2025 😊
Retrofit isn’t just about homes. Across every sector, from offices to sports to community spaces, reusing and transforming what we already have is vital for a net‑zero future. Our congratulations to all the nominees across the various categories 🏆and our thanks to The Retrofit Academy for continuing to challenge the industry with these awards.
Mark Affordable Housing wins Somerset LABC Award
Recently completed affordable rural housing designed by gcp Chartered Architects has won the ‘Best Affordable Housing’ category in the Somerset Local Authority Building Control Awards. The project, designed for South Western Housing Society and built by EG Carter Construction, provides 12 new homes for local families. gcp designed the homes to be comfortable and cheap to run, incorporating high levels of insulation with heating and hot water provided by ground-sourced heat pumps. Residents will enjoy low energy costs from a simple technology that is easy to operate and maintain.
Winner – Best Affordable Housing
Mapping new homes in Bristol
in Housing
Junction 3 mixed use, brownfield development in central Bristol
The Architecture Centre along with UWE Architecture & Planning students have undertaken a mapping exercise of new housing across Bristol that highlights the variety of methods of delivery. Available as a downloadable summary report, a series of case studies from individual dwellings through to large scale developments are explored, they include Torpoint and Junction 3 that were delivered by gcp Chartered Architects.
RICS Awards: Bristol Water
gcp are delighted that the recently completed scheme to extend and refurbish Bristol Water’s 1960’s Headquarters Building at Bedminster Down has won an RICS Award.
At the ceremony on 18 May 2016 the building was highly commended in the Commercial Buildings Category.
gcp is currently involved in a feasibility on a very similar project in central Bristol where a scheme double the size of the building to accommodate 650 staff is being considered.
To discuss your office refurbishment project, please contact Jeremy Pilling.
Bristol Water HQ Deli
Bristol Water - Highly Commended
Life and Stairwell at Bristol Water HQ
Just last night Bristol Water Headquarters was Highly Commended in the Commercial category of the RICS awards 2016.
This award honours an outstanding commercial property development whether retail, office, leisure, industrial or mixed use.
It furthers gcp's accolades at this event - J3 was winner in the Regeneration category last year.
2016 RICS Award
Bristol Water Headquarters nominated for BCO award !
Reception area at Bristol Water HQ
We are really excited to announce that gcp's extension and refurbishment of the iconic Bristol Water Headquarters building has been nominated for a British Council for Offices Regional Award!
The winner will be announced later this week at the Regional Awards Ceremony.
“We have changed the way we work and are more flexible in how we use our space, much tidier than we used to be and the building seems to have gained the respect of our people as somewhere to enjoy working.”
Bristol Water HQ now Complete
Deli at Bristol Water HQ
The three-year project to refurbish and extend the Bristol Water headquarters at Bedminster Down is now finished. Bristol Water wanted to rationalise its building stock by disposing of the Bedminster Down Depot site and relocating around 150 staff to its head office. gcp initially prepared a feasibility for the project and, with staff in-situ, the iconic 1936 structure was over-clad and re-roofed before a two-storey wing was added, supported on tapering columns over the rear car park. This enabled a progressive decanting process so that the entire building could be re-serviced and re-furbished without the need for temporary accommodation.
The upgraded facility boasts a new atrium café, computer suite and reception area as well as redesigned open-plan office accommodation with flexible workplace settings. Thomas Vale Construction (now part of Bouygues-uk) carried out the construction works.
gcp were architects for Bristol Water throughout the design phase of the project and architects for the contractor during construction.
For more information on this project, please click here.
Image: Story Photography