JTP is a group of 10 energetic partners led by Managing Partner Marcus Adams, with a practice of over 100 talented architects, masterplanners, urban designers and community planners working collaboratively across two studios in London and Bristol.
The practice was founded in 1995, by John Thompson and six other directors. John’s formative experience in the 1970’s and 80’s was rooted in Community Architecture, working in urban areas experiencing significant social and economic challenges. At the time the process of involving local people in the design of their neighbourhoods was pioneering.
By the mid-1990’s Community Architecture had developed into Community Planning and since then the practice has consistently driven innovation in the fields of participatory and Collaborative Placemaking.
JTP's expertise is now sought for major UK and international projects with a wide range of clients across a range of scales from the city to the street.
20 Years of Placemaking
Some key moments in the history of our practice:
Early Successes
- Practice founded in 1995 by John Thompson with six other directors. London Wetlands Centre is the first project to be completed, for client Berkeley Group
- The public sector formed the core of our formative experience with visioning and masterplanning projects in the UK in cities including Birmingham, Southampton, Manchester, Liverpool and in Belfast in the Shankhill Road and Crumlin Roads
- In 1998 our pioneering, multi-award winning regeneration of the former Caterham Barracks marked the first time JTP undertook a community planning weekend for the private sector
Award Winning Places and Practice
- Between 2002 and 2010 JTP was the only architectural practice in the UK to win eight Building for Life Awards; the national standard for excellence in neighbourhood design and the building of community
- In 2006 John Thompson was instrumental in establishing the Academy of Urbanism, which now has over five hundred members and has the mission to recognise, encourage and celebrate great places across UK and Europe
- The new award winning neighbourhood at Graylingwell Park in Chichester, completed in 2007, is the largest zero carbon scheme in the UK
- Between 2000 to present we have designed new, multi-award winning Thameside places at Charter Quay in Kingston, Putney Wharf, Fulham Reach in Hammersmith and Kew Bridge
- JTP is ISO 9001 and 14001 accredited, a status it retains annually
- In 2012 the practice was awarded AJ100 Employer of the Year. JTP has been Best Companies accredited since 2008 and in 2018 was awarded 3 Star 'Extraordinary' status
- In 2016 JTP was named BD's Masterplanning & Public Realm Architect of the Year
- In 2017 JTP won Building's Architectural Practice of the Year
- In 2018 JTP was named in the Sunday Times 100 Best Small Companies to Work For
- At the beginning of 2019, and marking 25 years of practise, JTP relocated its London Studio and 110 employees to a new home, in the Pennington Street Warehouse at London Dock, Wapping
Building an International Profile
- JTP has developed an extensive network of partners for collaboration on international projects. In 2001, we embarked on our first project in Russia, and have since collaborated on schemes in China, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Indonesia, Sweden and UAE
- In 2013 we undertook our first project in Africa, with a masterplanning project in Lumumbashi in the Democratic Republic of Congo
- In 2014 JTP undertook its first community planning event in China at Changzhi Island
Sustained Growth
- In 2008 we demonstrated our commitment to practice what we preach in using the refurbishment of our former London Studio at Great Sutton Street to demonstrate innovative sustainable office design, minimising our own carbon footprint and winning The City of London Sustainable Building of the Year
- In 2010 JTP established its China studio
- 2015 marked the twentieth anniversary of the practice
- JTP formally announced a change in name from John Thompson & Partners to JTP
- In 2022, JTP opened our Bristol studio.
