Buro Happold secures new Bath HQ in landmark low‑carbon move
Buro Happold, the global engineering, design and advisory practice, has begun a new chapter in the city where it was founded, relocating from its home of 38 years at Camden Mill to new premises at Pinesgate. The move comes as Buro Happold celebrates its 50th year – a milestone that affirms the practice’s roots in Bath and its continued commitment to the city.
As one of the city’s largest employers and a major contributor to the region’s STEM economy, remaining in Bath was a priority for the practice. The challenge lay in securing a single workspace for its 600 staff, and the Pinesgate site emerged as an opportunity to deliver a low-carbon, sustainability-focused commercial retrofit in the heart of the city.
Working with architect AWW and landlord Watkin Property Ventures, Buro Happold is engaging in a back-to-frame retrofit of the Pinesgate West office that will retain the existing concrete structure and renew it with a new high-performance façade. The refurbished building will target WELL Platinum, BREEAM Excellent with an ambition for Outstanding, and net zero carbon in operation.
All-electric systems, supplemented by renewable energy generation at roof level, will significantly reduce operational carbon, while the reuse-first approach to the existing structure minimises the embodied carbon associated with new construction.
The transformation of Pinesgate West reflects Buro Happold’s commitment to upholding the sustainability principles and performance standards it advocates for clients around the world. When complete, the new Bath office will act as a living demonstrator of low energy, high-performance refurbishment, showcasing what can be achieved with existing commercial building stock.
While Pinesgate West is being refurbished, Buro Happold is occupying interim office space at Pinesgate East. Interventions here have been carefully considered to reduce embodied carbon and waste, with a strong circularity ethos running throughout. Where possible, furniture and other elements have been reused from Camden Mill, with surplus pieces donated to local schools and charities. Salvaged IT cabling and A-grade reuse carpet, which will later be returned to the supplier for future reuse, are further thoughtful elements in a creative, low-carbon fit-out.
The approach at both Pinesgate West and Pinesgate East reflects the commitment to “touching the earth lightly” that has defined the practice from its earliest days. Buro Happold was founded in 1976 by engineering visionary Sir Edmund ‘Ted’ Happold, who was Professor of Architecture and Engineering Design at the University of Bath at the time. The practice began life as a seven-person start-up operating from a small townhouse office in central Bath and has grown into a leading global consultancy with 3,700 employees across 37 locations worldwide.
Buro Happold’s home city has remained at its heart throughout the years, with projects of local, national and international significance delivered from its Bath base. Close to home, these include Bath Abbey Footprint, Bath Theatre Royal, Aerospace Bristol, the award-winning EQ building, and major regeneration at Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus. Buro Happold has also delivered national landmarks such as the London Olympic Stadium, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, the Millennium Dome and O2 Arena, and Everton’s new Hill Dickinson Stadium, while international icons include the Grand Egyptian Museum, and Louvre Abu Dhabi.
Buro Happold expects to move into the completed Pinesgate West building during 2027.
Phil Lines, Bath Office Director at Buro Happold, said, “After nearly four decades at Camden Mill, this move marks an incredibly exciting moment for us – and it feels fitting that it comes in our 50th year. Bath is where Buro Happold began and it remains central to everything we do. Pinesgate West will bring our people together in a space that truly reflects who we are and what we stand for as environmental leaders, while deepening our connection to the city as we look ahead to the next 50 years.”
Councillor Paul Roper, Cabinet Member for Economic and Cultural Sustainable Development, Bath & North East Somerset Council, said,“I am absolutely delighted that this move is going ahead. It’s exactly the outcome we hoped for. Buro Happold was looking for a new, sustainable headquarters in their home city of Bath and we’re very pleased that their search has been successful; to have lost such an important organisation would have been a terrible outcome for the city and our wider economy.
“Our planning department worked closely with the landlord throughout the planning process to ensure a timely approval for what will be a flagship, low-carbon headquarters in their home city. It will be a shining example of how existing buildings can be transformed while supporting high-quality jobs and innovation. It also reflects the council’s focus on supporting greener businesses and demonstrates how Bath and North East Somerset, on so many levels, can lead the way in delivering economic prosperity alongside meaningful climate action.”
Mark Watkin Jones, Chief Executive of Watkin Property Ventures, commented, “We are delighted to be supporting Buro Happold as it begins this important new chapter in Bath. Pinesgate is a significant building in the heart of the city, and this investment reflects our shared belief in the value of high-quality, sustainable workspace that meets the needs of leading businesses for the future.”
Duncan Taylor, Director and Architect at AWW, added, “The refurbishment of Pinesgate West for Watkin Property Ventures embodies our retrofit-first approach, striking the right balance between reuse and renewal. By transforming an outdated office building into a modern workspace, we will be dramatically improving its energy while reimagining its external identity and refreshing the external appearance to feel considered, contemporary, and confident. The result is a workplace ready for the future, and a unique new home for Buro Happold.”
