Buro Happold has acquired London-based Abell Nepp, specialists in laboratory planning and design in the science and higher education sectors.

Buro Happold has already built a strong working relationship with directors Chris Abell and Bruce Nepp over the past two decades, both prior to and following the founding of Abell Nepp in 2009. The two firms have collaborated on various projects including Imperial College London’s Michael Uren Biomedical Engineering Hub and the London Institute of Medical Sciences for the Medical Research Council. Building on this foundation, the two firms have taken the natural next step to combine practices.


Abell Nepp boasts a wide-ranging knowledge of the science, research and technology sector. It has worked on a range of campus, building, and laboratory planning projects covering biomedical, biopharma, and physical and forensic sciences. The integration of Abell Nepp will strengthen client-consultant teams, ensuring Buro Happold can provide a seamless offer to clients that includes design alongside integrated engineering services for its growing sectors.