In the second part of our ‘Meet the team’ series, Matt Branfield, Engineer at Bailiss & Co, talks about what inspired him to pursue a career in engineering and why curiosity and collaboration provide the foundation for delivering successful projects.

Retaining and reusing existing buildings is a central pillar of every credible decarbonisation strategy. But while the environmental argument is clear, the practical reality is complex. Determining whether a structure can be reused - and how far it can be adapted - is where sustainability moves from aspiration to execution. That decision point arrives much earlier than most clients realise, as John Bailiss, Founder of Bailiss & Co explains: “By the time you’ve fixed a brief, drawn elevations and costed the scheme, the moment of truth has already passed,” he says. “Retrofit success is decided in those first few weeks, when you discover what the building really is.”

Every project is under pressure. Costs are up, regulations are tightening, and expectations are higher than ever. Developers and architects are trying to deliver more - more performance, more sustainability, more transparency - but often with less time and on tighter budgets.

In the first of our new ‘meet the team’ series, John Bailiss, founder of Bailiss & Co., explains why the phrase ‘honest but ambitious engineering’ has shaped how he leads projects, works with clients, and plans for the firm’s future.

Every project starts with ambition – a vision of what the finished building could and should be. But between the first spark of inspiration and the delivery of a completed project, countless decisions shape the outcome. The most important of these are the ones made right at the start.