Rab Bennetts RSA grew up in Aberdeen and Edinburgh, studying architecture at Edinburgh College of Art where he met his wife Denise. After ten years working in London they established Bennetts Associates there in 1987, opening an Edinburgh studio in 1994. The practice is now around 70-strong, with a wide-ranging portfolio in UK and abroad that embraces offices, universities, performing arts projects, hotels and many other building-types. Notable projects include the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford Upon Avon, Edinburgh University’s Futures Institute and Potterrow developments, Brighton’s Jubilee Library and New Street Square in the City of London. Among its 200 awards are four ‘UK Architect of the Year’ and 24 RIBA awards but the practice is also known for combining sustainability and low carbon with its pursuit of architectural excellence. Bennetts Associates has been an employee-owned trust since 2016
Bennetts is also involved in numerous activities outside Bennetts Associates including setting up the UK Green Building Council in 2007 and periods on the trustee boards of organisations such as the Design Council. He currently chairs the Sadler’s Wells Foundation and is campaigning for an Architecture Centre in Edinburgh.
He was awarded OBE for services to architecture in 2003.
