The international design practice, headquartered in Newcastle, has been named Architectural Practice of the Year at the annual Building Awards ceremony, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on 5 November.
Over 1,000 professionals from across the construction industry gathered to honour the most innovative and impactful achievements in the sector over the past 12 months at the 30th anniversary of the event.
The judges shared their praise for Ryder, noting: “[They] showed real quality, and a commitment to investing in staff training and career development. It has also invested in sustainability skills, improving knowledge sharing within the business and its services to clients.”
In addition to winning the coveted title, Ryder was also recognised as the Best Companies to Work For top company in the Architect and Surveyor category, further cementing its reputation as a leader in the built environment, as well as taking the overall number five spot in the North East regional category and winning the Learning and Development Special Award.
These recent accolades mark the culmination of a period of growth and success for the practice, which has included strategic acquisitions, achieving world class status in the Best Companies to Work For rankings, and several industry project awards.
Mark Thompson, managing partner at Ryder said: “I’m extremely proud of everyone at Ryder and the projects that we’ve delivered over the last twelve months – a huge thank you to all our clients and project partners. We have grown our teams, locations, expertise and services and, importantly, contributed a positive impact to the many communities in which we work. To be awarded Architectural Practice of the Year for the second time is an incredible achievement and a real testament to our people and our ethos of empowerment, which underpins everything we do.
“To also win the Best Companies Learning and Development Special Award and be named the top architect in the same week is fantastic. Attracting and retaining talented people is key to our ongoing success and demonstrates our commitment to the ambitions of everyone at Ryder. Another fantastic collaborative effort that reinforces that it’s all about the team.”
The Ryder designed One Strawberry Lane in Newcastle also celebrated winning the British Council for Offices national Environment, Social & Governance award in October, which sets a new benchmark each year by recognising top quality design in the office sector. The judges said it “truly succeeded” in displaying how positive social impact can be pushed to new levels and that a workplace is so much more than just an office.
Ryder was awarded Architectural Practice of the Year at the annual Education Estates conference in October, which brings together industry, education professionals and government to celebrate excellence in the sector.
About Ryder Architecture
We are more than an architectural practice – we’re a team of teams with diverse and extensive expertise. We lead projects in our unique integrated way, delivering exceptional value and a positive impact for our clients and communities.
Founded in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1953, we now have teams collaborating across the UK and internationally, with a shared commitment to our ethos of Everything architecture – to improve the quality of the world around us and, in doing so, improve people’s lives.