Allies & Morrison

The winner of 30 Riba awards is still best known for its UK work but is increasingly finding itself working abroad. This year Allies and Morrison Architects is ranked fourth by fee income in central and eastern Europe, with $20 million of earnings. It is working on projects in India, Germany, Beirut, Qatar and Egypt. It opened an office in Doha last year and one in Abu Dhabi is likely to follow.

Founder Bob Allies says this change of emphasis over the last three years is purely down to word of mouth as the practice is not one for trade missions and property fairs. But there is plenty to keep the team busy in London: it finally won planning for its controversial £4.5 billion Brent Cross masterplan in north London; and work is on site at a school in south London that escaped the government’s school building cuts. It is also planning to build a 22-storey tower down the road from its self-built offices in Southwark, surely the borough of London with more Allies & Morrison buildings than any other.