Leeds and Manchester-based architects, Buttress has become a 100 per cent employee-owned practice.
It joins a growing number of architecture firms in the UK turning to employee-ownership, a model shown to boost innovation, engagement, and long-term sustainability.
Gavin Sorby, managing director, said: “Becoming employee-owned is a natural extension of our purpose. It empowers our team, strengthens our independence, and ensures that our mission of designing for equity is reflected in our structure.
“We’ve made the bold decision to become 100 per cent employee-owned to reflect our intentions and belief in the new governance structure.
“We’re proud to be part of a growing movement in architecture that’s rethinking ownership and leadership. This is about creating a practice that’s built to last—creatively, ethically, and structurally. We believe that how we work should reflect what we design. This change is about fairness, shared responsibility, and building a practice that truly lives its values.”
The Employee-Ownership Trust (EOT) model gives employees collective ownership and a formal voice in the studio’s strategic direction.
It also provides a long-term succession strategy that safeguards the studio’s independence and design vision.
The model aligns with the studio’s B Corp ethos, which balances purpose and profit.
