Practice

A design-led London architecture practice

MBA specialise in new buildings and alterations in highly sensitive environments.

We employ a conservation approach: changes to a place are based on evidence-based understanding of setting, history and significance.

Our aim is to achieve sustainable use of buildings and sites to achieve best value in cultural, environmental and economic terms.

Since MBA’s foundation in 1991 we have worked in highly protected sties including many Oxford Colleges,  Grade I listed buildings, Conservation Areas, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Scheduled Monuments in and around London and the south east, as well as regeneration projects centred on heritage assets across the UK.

What distinguishes MBA is a research-based approach to conservation coupled with imaginative cutting-edge design.  We often succeed where other practices have failed.

There is no ‘house style’. Each work is developed to suit the particular circumstances of the project. We are expert at community consultation and dialogue with local and national authorities. We think beyond ‘how will it look’ to ‘what will it feel like’ to live in, because architecture comes alive with inhabitation.

Our work is energy efficient, popular in use and sustainable. It ranges from small scale interventions in listed buildings through medium sized new build projects, to larger scale urban developments. 

Most of our work is for landowners who are institutions: colleges, schools, churches and charities. We are experienced in the design of theatres, sports buildings, libraries, student accommodation, housing including new build care homes, and offices. We occasionally design one-off houses or residential and mixed use developments for individuals and developers.

We have strong links to our community is SW London and undertake selected small works projects locally.

We offer heritage consultancy services to selected architecture practices for large scale conservation projects.

MBA is an ISO 9001:2015 Registered Firm.

Architectural Services

We provide the traditional architects services from conception to post-completion, also:

  • Conservation and management plans
  • Master-planning
  • Conceptual design
  • Design review
  • Detailed design of fixtures, metalwork and joinery
  • Collaborations within larger design teams.

Collaborations

We work within design teams of other leading architectural practices giving peer review and advice from a design and conservation perspective to manage change amongst high value heritage assets.

Listening

We think laterally, listen to clients and users, assemble appropriately skilled construction teams and lead to deliver successful results: that is maximum professionalism and impact, minimum fuss.  Built results are project-specific, well researched, sustainable and popular in use.

Marcus Beale Architects - Office

Awards