Farrells

Company Profile

Farrells are internationally recognised architects and urban designers with offices in London, Edinburgh and Hong Kong. In practice for over 40 years, and led by Sir Terry Farrell, the company has completed high-profile building schemes and masterplans in cities worldwide.

Recent work in the UK includes the RIBA and LEAF award winning Home Office Headquarters in London’s Westminster, the newly completed £85m Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre in north-west London and the Green Building in Manchester, which won the Civic Trust’s 2006 award for sustainability.  Enjoying great success as visitor attractions/educational facilities are two millennium projects: the award-winning Centre for Life in Newcastle, which celebrates the story of genetics, and The Deep “submarium” in Hull, which houses a marine science centre.  Current work includes the design of a new Aquarium (Biota!) at London’s Silvertown Quays and the conversion of the historic Lots Road Power Station. A further significant scheme is a masterplan for the University of Newcastle upon Tyne to create a cultural quarter on their city centre campus.  This includes the creation of The Great North Museum – the transformation of a Grade II listed building.  

Farrells have extensive experience in urban design, urban regeneration and planning.  Our masterplanning approach is founded on innovative technical and conceptual thinking based on analysis of the site, an understanding of the client’s objectives, the history and context of the area and recognition of the needs and aspirations of all users.  Currently, the practice is working on a number of prestigious commissions including the masterplanning of Greenwich Peninsula and a masterplan for British Land and the Crown Estate at Regent’s Place, London.  Farrells worked on a comprehensive masterplan for the regeneration of Paddington Basin.  This falls within the practice’s Marylebone-Euston Road study, aimed at creating a place along this major urban corridor.  Currently, Farrells are working on improvements to Euston Road underpass, aimed at retention of the underpass for through traffic, creation of an enlarged new London square, incorporation of public art and new landscapes and simplification of traffic and pedestrian movements.  Within the Paddington masterplan, Farrells designed the first commercial office building (The Point). Farrells are also working on a range of projects focusing on the repair and renewal of UK core cities, including Leeds, Newcastle, Coventry, Edinburgh and London. 

Overseas schemes include the transportation centre at Inchon International Airport, Seoul and Kowloon Station and Masterplan in Hong Kong. Currently, Farrells are working on the £80m design of the prestigious Kingkey Dameisha Hotel in Shenzhen and the design of a National Science & Technology Museum in Seoul for the Korean government.  We are also active on a number of transportation and infrastructure projects in the far east – Beijing South Station and New Guangzhou Station in China and Punggol Station in Singapore. 

Farrells are renowned for landmark buildings in the UK and overseas and have shaped the debate on architecture and urban design. Farrells projects have won many awards and the practice’s work has been published in books and journals internationally and the company attracts talented architects and urban designers from all over the world to work with us.