Our Studio

John Gilbert Architects is a Scottish design studio, passionate about designing places for people and the planet. We deliver beautiful, efficient and affordable projects designed with building users and the community. We undertake design work from a strategic level to detailed architecture with creativity, enthusiasm and knowledge.

Our emphasis is quality and sustainability. We sustain and grow our practice through maintaining excellent relationships with our team, clients, associates and suppliers.

We are chartered architects and town planners with:

  • IHBC Conservation accreditation
  • RIBA Conservation accreditation
  • RIAS Sustainable Design accreditation
  • Retrofit Coordinator accreditation
  • Passivhaus accreditation
  • Section 6 approved certification
  • Living Wage accreditation

Our project delivery is certified by:

  • ISO 9001 – Quality Management
  • ISO 14001 – Environmental Management
  • ISO 45001 – Health and Safety Management

We are a TrustMark registered business.

We are affiliated to the:

  • Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland
  • Royal Town Planning Institute
  • Scottish Ecological Design Association
  • Development Trusts Association Scotland
  • Scottish Federation of Housing Associations
  • Passivhaus Trust
  • Alliance for Sustainable Building Products

We are committed to support these aims through the development and operation of an integrated management system and maintaining independent certification of these systems by FQM Ltd. We operate a process of regular review and continual improvement. It is our responsibility to ensure that these aims are supported at every level of our practice and our work.

Our Team

Our team is multi-talented, creative and strives to deliver the best possible results for every client. With a set of core skills and a blend of individual strengths we work as a strong team. All our staff receive a living wage and we are certified by Scottish Living Wage Accreditation Initiative.

Matt

Matt leads the office team, he is an architect, town planner and Passivhaus designer. He is accredited by RIAS in Sustainable Design and is an Approved Certifier of Design (Section 6 Domestic). Matt is former chair of Scottish Ecological Design Association.

Matt Bridgestock

Managing Director
Chris Morgan

Chris has over 25 years' experience. He is certified in Passivhaus, Permaculture and Building Biology. Chris holds RIAS advanced sustainability accreditation, is a former Chair of SEDA and current A+DS Design Forum member.

Chris Morgan

Director / Architect
Scott

Scott leads our conservation projects, BIM implementation and the development of our Tenement Toolbox initiative. He holds conservation accreditation from RIBA and IHBC. He is a director of the Alexander Thomson Society and chairs the Glasgow Institute of Architects Conservation Committee.

Scott Abercrombie

Associate Director / Architect
Barbara

Barbara leads our Hab-Lab projects, expert at building performance she works mainly on improving retrofit performance.

Barbara Lantschner

Associate Director / Building Performance Specialist
Rupert

Rupert Daly

Associate Director / Architect
ChrisAnt

With extensive building performance and construction knowledge, Chris works on our large scale Passivhaus developments.

Chris Antoniou

Building Performance Specialist
JB Photo BW

Working between JGA Strathclyde University and Holmes Miller on Passivhaus Research and Development

Jonathan Braid

Sussed KTP Associate
2021_October

With a background in larger projects covering a wide variety of sectors, Drew now works between our Hab-Lab services and other retrofit projects.

Drew Carr

Senior Architect
Heather 2

Heather ensures our office runs smoothly, she leads our quality management procedures and marketing activities. Heather is a PAS volunteer, community councillor and former membership secretary for the Scottish Ecological Design Association.

Heather Harbison

Office Manager
Lina khairy – jga photo

Lina Khairy

Architectural Assistant
Kirstin

Kirstin Mackenzie

Heritage Consultant
Gillies

Gillies is an award winning architect, he leads our major and complex projects from inception through to completion. Gillies is accredited in Sustainable design from RIAS and is an active member of a number of community projects.

Gillies MacPhail

Senior Architect
Nadia

Nadia is a champion for equality and diversity in the built environment, she is currently working with a number of clients and communities on new-build and refurbishment projects.

Nadia Malekian

Architect
Rachel_B&W

A recent graduate of the Glasgow School of Art, Rachel is working on a number of broader scale and strategic projects.

Rachel McKay

Architect
Nada

Nada works on a wide range of new build and retrofit projects, dealing with the technical side of things, detailing, energy calculations and ensuring our drawings standards.

Nada Murtic

Architectural Technologist
Aden Paterson

Aden Paterson

Senior Architect
Kevin

Kevin Pennington-Brown

Architectural Technologist
Hugo BW

Hugo has a broad range of architectural experience. He is part of the Hab-Lab team and working on a number of Passivhoos projects.

Hugo Target

Senior Architect
060623_EricParks_BW_600X600pix

Eric is a certified Passivhaus designer and architect with over ten years of experience in low- energy building.

Eric Parks

Building Performance Specialist
Professional_profilePic

Es is a certified Passivhaus and Retrofit designer with over ten years of experience in low- energy building.

Es Tresidder

Building Performance Specialist
John

As a Consultant, John helps us with our conservation projects, he holds RIAS accreditation in conservation, advanced accreditation in sustainable design and authored The Tenement Handbook.

John Gilbert

Conservation Consultant

Our Clients

We work with a range of public sector and private clients across Scotland. We have a high proportion of repeat business and are on a number of housing association and local authority framework agreements.

Housing Associations

Govanhill Housing Association

Shettleston Housing Association

Thenue Housing Association

Wheatley Group

Developers & Contractors

CCG Scotland

City Building (Glasgow)

Coldwells

Robertson Construction

Trusts & Charities

Glasgow Building Preservation Trust

Stirling City Heritage Trust

Pebble Trust

Development Trust Association Scotland

Local Authorities

Glasgow City Council

Renfrewshire Council

South Lanarkshire Council

South Ayrshire Council

Self-build groups

In Edinburgh & Scotlands central belt

In Scottish Highlands

In Galloway and in Lake District

Numerous private individuals

Community Groups

Above Adventure

Freewheel North

Glentrool & Bargrennan Community Trust

Nith Vally Leaf Trust

Recruitment

We are always on the lookout for talented staff but we have no specific vacancies at present.

If you wish to send us your CV for future consideration, please email recruitment@johngilbert.co.uk with your name and qualifications in the subject line.

Limit attachments to 5mb in PDF format only please, you can also include links to online portfolio of work.

You will receive an automated email in response. We will hold CVs for three months, in case a position becomes available.

John Gilbert Architects is an equal opportunities employer.

Awards and recognition

We’ve won our fair share of awards, but what’s more important to us is that our contribution makes a real difference in the community, and to the people who cross the threshold every day.

2023

Community Land Trust Awards – What a Wonderful World Award for Lune Valley CLT and Halton Mill Project

CIH Scotland Net Zero in Housing award for ACHA Whole House Retrofit Project

Inside Housing Award’s Best Affordable Housing Development – less than £5M – Award for Lune Walk, Halton

The Herald Property Green Housing Award – 107 Niddrie Road

The Dumfries and Galloway Design Award – Housing Award for Closeburn Passivhoos Homes

The Dumfries and Galloway Design Award – Award for Glentrool Hive

Unlocking Net Zero Awards – Commendation for Collaboration for Halton Mill

Scottish Home Awards 2023 – Renovation of the Year for Niddrie Road

AJ Retrofit Awards – Special Mention for Niddrie Road

ASBP Awards Shortlist – Niddrie Road

2022

Glasgow Institute of Architects Sustainability Award – Niddrie Road

AJ Retrofit Awards Shortlist – Canongate

ASBP Awards Longlist – Canongate

RIBA Open Door Finalist – Canongate

Scottish Empty Homes Award Winner – Langholm Police Station

SURF Awards (Shortlisted) – Langholm Police Station

Scotland Loves Local – Town Centre Living Award – Langholm Police Station

RIBA Rising star – Scott Abercrombie

Scottish Design Awards – Young Architect of the Year (Shortlisted) – Scott Abercrombie

Retrofit Rising Star – Barbara Lantschner

COP26 Build Better Now Virtual Pavilion – Niddrie Road

2021

Shortlisted for RIBA MacEwan Award- Passivhoos Initiative

SURF Regeneration Awards, Housing and Regeneration Awards – Closeburn Passivhoos

GIA Awards Conservation (Special Commendation) – Canongate

2019

Inside Housing Awards – Best affordable housing development (urban) – Cunningham House

Finalist of Scottish Home Awards – Small Affordable Homes category

2018

Saltire Society Housing Awards – Single Dwelling Award

2017

SHIFT Awards – Best Small Retrofit Project for Hab-Lab

2016

Saltire Society Innovation in Housing Award for Hab-Lab

2014

Saltire Society Innovation in Housing Award for PassivTEN

2013

Scottish Green Energy Awards – Kerr MacGregor Memorial Award for Innovation in Solar Energy

Glasgow Institute of Architects: commended (residential category)

Glasgow Institute of Architects: sustainability design award

Glasgow Institute of Architects: Wood for Good design award

2012

Cairngorm Design Awards: commended

2011

Herald Property Awards: best individual building

2009

Sustainable Housing Awards: sustainable smaller social housing project of the year

Roses Design Awards: sustainable design (bronze)

2006

BAFTA Scotland Award: best multimedia (with Screenmedia)

Company Details

John Gilbert Architects Limited (trading as John Gilbert Architects)

Company Number – SC347770

VAT Number – 596 6754 71

Incorporated – 2008

Directors – Christopher Rheam Morgan, Scott Abercrombie and Matthew Lloyd Bridgestock

Trademarks

Hab-Lab – Registered 10 March 2017

Passivhoos – Registered 28 April 2017

Photography Credits

All images copyright John Gilbert Architects 2022.

Thanks to: