B Corp Certified
Certification is not a badge for us. It is a framework that mirrors what our practice has valued for decades: care for people, responsibility to place, and a commitment to designing buildings that respect the limits of the planet.
A New Standard for Practice
SPACE is proud to be a certified B Corporation, part of a global community of organisations working to redefine what progress looks like. We achieved B Corp certification in 2022, becoming the first architectural practice in the North East to earn this recognition.
Commitments You Can Measure
Principles matter, but they must also be supported by systems that sustain them. Our B Corp certification sits alongside the accreditations and frameworks that guide how we work. These standards provide the structure that turns ambition into accountable action, ensuring that quality, environmental responsibility, and social purpose remain embedded in our work.
Our environmental commitments are guided by Science-Based Targets, which align our carbon-reduction plans with climate science. Our social commitments are strengthened through Investors in People and Best Companies, which recognise how we support the well-being and progression of our team. These accreditations sit within a wider set of benchmarks that we carefully engage with, selecting only those that reflect our values.
Decarbonising the Built Environment
As architects, our greatest responsibility is to the planet. Every project relies on its resources. We are actively working to reduce whole-life carbon across our projects, investing in research that helps us design buildings with longer lifespans and lower impact. This is why we develop tools such as D-CARB, our open-access platform that brings early carbon insight into the design process. By removing barriers, we hope to support better decisions not only within our own studio but across the wider industry.
We share what we learn openly. Each year, we host _shift, our climate conference dedicated to accelerating decarbonisation within the built environment. The event brings together local and global voices in the North East, creating a space where researchers, practitioners, community groups, and policymakers can exchange ideas and challenge one another constructively. By sharing our knowledge freely, from livestreaming the event to maintaining an archive of more than 200 _shift recordings, we hope to support collective progress and spark collective action.
Our role as a B Corp extends beyond our projects. The ways we contribute are varied, grounded in the belief that architecture sits within a wider social landscape. We stay involved in our communities, supporting regional institutions, local initiatives, and the organisations that dedicate their time and care to helping people across the region.
We want our work to benefit people in ways that help them feel more connected to the places they spend their time. Every project asks us to truly understand who will use the building and to ensure their needs and voices are considered. This approach shapes why we are a B Corporation. It reflects our belief that social value is not an addition to our work but part of its foundation.
We take pride in supporting organisations across the region that better the profession and celebrate the progress being made across the industry. From groups such as YAPF North East to Constructing Excellence. We also take an active role within the B Corp community, attending B-Local North East events, contributing to conversations, and exploring how we can help grow the movement in our region.
What It Means in Practice
To work with SPACE Architects is to choose a partner who treats every project as a responsibility. It means buildings designed to contribute positively, to use resources carefully, and to leave behind more value than they take.
B Corp certification reinforces these beliefs. It frames the decisions we make today with tomorrow in mind. Above all, it reflects our view that architecture should be a public good.