Cullinan Studio named as a frontrunner in the 2026 Regenerative Architecture Index
Cullinan Studio is a frontrunner in the ‘Being a good ancestor’ category of the 2026 Regenerative Architecture Index (RAI), and runner-up in ‘Creating a just space for people’.
Announced at the launch of Regenerative Design 2026 (RD26) last week, the recognition reflects our longstanding commitment to long-term thinking, collaboration and our ethical, inclusive, and participatory design processes.
Ted Cullinan and his co-founders set up our studio as a cooperative 60 years ago, with an inspirational manifesto asserting ‘The design of buildings is a social act’ - acknowledging that it takes a team to make architecture, and that everyone should be treated with respect. In practice, this means we have evolved through the generations while carrying on the ethical foundations of Ted’s vision.
Now in its third year, the RAI (run by Architecture Today and UK Architects Declare) benchmarks practices’ progress in the move towards regenerative practice and projects. It looks beyond reducing environmental impact by asking how design can have a positive impact for people, communities and the natural world. This is our second consecutive year on the Index.
From project inception, we look to empower our clients to exceed conventional sustainability goals and encourage long-term thinking around climate and social resilience. Within our design process, we are committed to using the UK Architects Declare Regenerative Design Guide to inform decisions at each work stage.
This approach can be seen across our projects, from the co-designed retrofit of Harvist Estate and the community-led GreenSCIES research project, to the circular approach being developed for Marlborough Sports Garden. At Dudley College Animal Studies Centre, an integrated procurement process helped us challenge the original proposal for demolition and demonstrate how revitalising the existing 1950s building could deliver significant embodied and operational carbon savings.
Our design for BOST’s Marlborough Sports Garden in the London Borough of Southwark, sets out a vision of a sustainable development based on circular economy principles.
The RD26 launch brought together a diverse group of practices and created an open, constructive space for sharing ideas and approaches. Alongside Cullinan Studio, the 2026 frontrunners include Collective Architecture, Useful Simple Trust, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios, Elliott Wood, We Made That, Bioteckta, SOM, Purcell, Jan Kattein Architects, Root and Erect, Ridge and Partners, Assemble, Gale & Snowden, Exploration Architecture, Studio Knight Stokoe, Atelier One, shedkm, DSDHA and Max Fordham.
Regenerative design is a collective endeavour. Throughout October, we look forward to being part of the wider RD26 programme, sharing what we have learned and learning from others as we work towards a more resilient, equitable and regenerative built environment.