Unusual Rigging HQ Named Best of the Best at BCO National Awards

Unusual Rigging is celebrating a landmark achievement after its Northamptonshire headquarters was named Best of the Best at the 2025 British Council for Offices (BCO) National Awards. The building, which was delivered by architects Corstorphine & Wright, and designed and constructed entirely around circular economy principles, also won the highly coveted Corporate Workplace category.

The BCO National Awards, held on October 7 at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House in London, brought together more than 1,200 senior figures from across the workplace design, development and property sectors to celebrate excellence in the built environment. Judges described Unusual HQ as a "model for how modern offices can combine innovation, sustainability and long-term vision."

"Achieving an EPC A+ rating and designed to be fully disassembled and reused at the end of its life, the headquarters embodies Unusual Rigging's deep-rooted commitment to sustainability and innovation, setting a new benchmark for environmentally responsible workplace design," the company says.

Tom Harper, managing director of Unusual Rigging says: "Winning these awards last night is immensely invigorating. They stand as a testament to the work undertaken on our HQ and research center, and to the strides we have made in our aspiration to support the acceleration towards a circular economy. We would like to thank BCO, the judges, and all of our colleagues, friends, contractors and suppliers who helped us realize our vision."

Accepting the award alongside Harper was Jonny Plant, director of Corstorphine & Wright. He adds: "We are thrilled to have been recognized by the BCO for our work on Unusual's new headquarters. It has been a privilege to help deliver such an innovative and ground-breaking scheme -- one that redefines what is possible in sustainable workplace design. Working in close collaboration with Tom and his team, we have brought to life a building that embodies circular economy principles, setting new standards for low-carbon design, wellbeing, and user experience."

BCO National Awards judging chair Mike Burton said this year's winners reflected a shift in how workplace excellence is defined. "These projects show that offices can be catalysts for wellbeing, creativity and urban renewal," he says.