A7 Architecture is the only Channel Islands practice shortlisted at the Archiboo Awards 2025, competing against UK rivals in the Best Brand category.
The 10-strong practice has been shortlisted in the Best Brand (1-10 people) category at the only awards dedicated to celebrating how architecture is communicated in the digital age.
A7 is one of just three firms shortlisted, alongside practices from London and Brighton, and the only Channel Islands company to make the cut across all 12 award categories.
The recognition comes hot on the heels of A7’s Bunker Six Eighty One project being shortlisted at the national Architectural Technology Awards last month — proving that island-based practices can compete with the biggest names in UK architecture.
“On an island, everyone knows everyone – that works for you or against you,” said Jody Warren, Architectural Design Manager at A7.
“A strong brand gives people something specific to say about you when your name comes up. It makes referrals easier and more powerful.”
“Good people have choices. They can work anywhere,” Mr Warren added. “A strong brand isn’t just client-facing — it’s about attracting industry professionals who want to be part of something with a clear identity and values they believe in.”
The Best Brand award celebrates practices whose identity goes beyond logos and straplines, recognising those who tell a consistent story through language, visuals, and experience.
“We wanted a brand that looked and felt different,” Mr Warren said. “It had to feel like us, informal, unpretentious, but most importantly, it had to tell the stories of the people behind the buildings, not just the buildings themselves. Being recognised on a platform like Archiboo shows there’s space in architecture for voices that put connection and storytelling on the same level as strong design.”
A7’s 2024 rebrand was built on values already embedded in their work: approachable, unconventional, and always serious about design — but never about themselves, said Rachael Cumberland-Dodd, branding consultant at Feed Marketing, who worked on the rebrand.
“From day one it was clear who A7 were and what they stood for,” she said.
“This wasn’t about inventing a brand from scratch — it was about surfacing the humour, empathy, and rebellious streak already there. The brand came together naturally, because it was already alive in the way they work.”
A7 founder, André Rolfe-Bisson and Mr Warren will travel to London to attend the awards ceremony on 13 November at Shoreditch Arts Club, where winners will be announced.