Cardiff University's award-winning spark|sbarc building was named 'Best Corporate Workplace' in South of England and South Wales by the British Council for Offices (BCO).
Praising the innovative building, which officially opened in 2022, the BCO judges said: "sbarc|spark sets a new standard for academic and enterprise collaboration, with its state-of-the-art amenities, public event spaces, and seamless integration of social science research and enterprise."
They particularly noted its visually striking and functional centrepiece - the ocular staircase - which spirals upward through the seven-storey space, encouraging movement and interaction, as well as the flexible workspaces, labs, and exhibition areas which create an inspiring environment for students, academics, entrepreneurs and the wider community.
Situated on Cardiff University's Innovation Campus, sbarc|spark features 12,000m² of workspaces, labs, exhibition areas, recreational zones, and breakout spaces. It supports a dynamic and growing community of more than 700 individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, encouraging innovation and cross-sector collaboration.
-
sbarc|spark's oculus staircase
It hosts SPARK - the world's first social science research park - which unites 16 Cardiff University-led interdisciplinary research groups alongside more than 20 third-sector partners, who are working together to tackle local and global challenges.
Professor Chris Taylor, Academic Director of SPARK, said: "We are absolutely delighted that sbarc|spark has been named 'Best Corporate Workplace' in the South of England and South Wales by the British Council for Offices.
SPARK is a truly unique environment - as the world's first social science research park, bringing together researchers, policymakers, and partners in a purpose-designed workspace that fosters collaboration, creativity, and impact. This award is a powerful endorsement of our vision to create not just a workplace, but a vibrant community dedicated to addressing society's most pressing challenges.
It is also home to Cardiff Innovations, which accommodates more than 40 external organisations - from graduate entrepreneurs to NGOs and private sector companies - within its co-working spaces, lettable offices, and laboratory facilities.
Rhys Pearce Palmer, Innovation Operations Manager at Cardiff Innovations, said: "sbarc|spark is a beautiful inviting space, which has become home to a community of over thirty businesses of all sizes, stages, and sectors. It was designed to encourage new connections through being open and social. It has fully delivered on those designs, and sbarc|spark has become a thriving place where new opportunities and collaborations can bloom."
Held on 1 May 2025, at We The Curious in Bristol, the BCO's annual South of England and South Wales Awards Dinner celebrated the high-calibre of the region's offices in terms of design, fit-out, and sustainability, setting the standard for excellence across the sector. The winners across the seven categories of this year's competition stood out for their occupier-centric approach, reflecting the growing importance of inclusivity, wellbeing, and environmental, social and governance performance.
John Wright, Chair of the BCO Committee for South of England and South Wales, said: "These projects challenge design teams to be creative in reinventing buildings, and to deliver spaces that support the variety of work settings and social spaces required in a modern workplace, and they offer opportunities to produce highly sustainable buildings. Offices continue to play a vital role in any vibrant town or city, and the winning projects are splendid examples of how creative and intelligent design can contribute to thriving communities."
Winners of the South of England and South Wales awards will now compete for the BCO National Awards on 7 October 2025 at the Grosvenor House, London.
