Announcements August 20, 2026

Architect and Design Leader Jo Wright Receives Honorary Doctorate of Design

Jo Wright, managing director of our London studio and regional director for Europe, has received an Honorary Doctorate of Design from the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), recognising her role in helping push the profession forward through sustainable design, interdisciplinary practice, and advocacy for greater representation across the built environment.

Jo accepted the honour during UWE Bristol’s graduation ceremony, where she encouraged graduates to embrace lifelong learning and use design to help address pressing social and environmental challenges.

“I am deeply honoured to receive this recognition from UWE Bristol,” says Jo. “Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to work alongside talented colleagues and collaborators who share a belief in the power of design to improve lives. The challenges facing the built environment demand creativity, collaboration, and continuous learning. I hope this award encourages the next generation of designers to be ambitious, embrace new opportunities, and help create a more sustainable future.

Jo was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Design in recognition of her leadership in the profession and a career dedicated to creating positive outcomes for people, communities, and the planet.
Matthew Jones, Jo Wright, Prof. Sir Steve West (left to right).

Since joining the firm in 2023, Jo has strengthened our focus on regenerative design across Europe, advancing our Living Design approach, which looks beyond reducing environmental impact to consider positive outcomes for people, communities, and ecosystems. She was the first woman to lead our London studio and works across healthcare, higher education, science and technology, and commercial interiors, while helping shape the firm’s strategic direction across Europe. Earlier in her career, she contributed to some of the U.K.’s earliest BREEAM Outstanding-certified buildings.

Beyond her design work, Jo is a founding member of the Equilibrium Network, an industry initiative focused on increasing female representation in senior leadership and addressing the attrition of women across the built environment. Across nearly four decades, she has combined environmental leadership with a commitment to a more inclusive, collaborative profession, helping create opportunities for the next generation of designers and leaders. Congratulations to Jo on this well-deserved recognition.