Who are we?

Structural Assembly is a London-based structural engineering consultancy focused on high-quality, sustainable design.

Why choose us? 

Our aim is simple: to show how good advice can help deliver better buildings. We work with teams to, preserve existing building fabric, lower construction costs, and mitigate embodied carbon.

Our role goes beyond simply providing a technical justification.

We are collaborative, curious, and thorough, working alongside architects, clients, and wider design teams to create considered and environmentally responsible solutions.

Approach

Our work delivers the greatest value when we are involved at the outset of the project, helping to define and shape the project brief. This way we can help guide the design approach to reduce invasive interventions and unlock opportunities others might miss or not be able to take advantage of. Our advice at this early stage often results in more efficient interventions, which in turn helps to reduce risk.

We enjoy working on complex sites, particularly when working with existing or listed structures. These buildings carry history, nuance, and untold potential; our role is to help custodians reimagine these sites with care and creativity. We use a broad range of tools to help make the proposals work with the building, not against it.

Sustainability underpins everything we do. We seek out opportunities to reduce embodied carbon at every stage of a project and advocate for the reuse of materials wherever possible. We don’t see structure to be removed as waste. Rather, we see it as a future resource. By conserving materials, we help reduce environmental impact while preserving the character of the places we work on.

Communication

We believe engineering drawings and reports should be clear and legible for everyone. We do not prepare our information for other engineers alone. We communicate effectively with clients, architects, and contractors. Simple steps, like adding colour to a drawing may seem like a small thing, but it helps communicate the key messages before the notes are even read.

By sharing clear and accessible information, we reduce the risk of misunderstanding, which could otherwise lead to additional costs and delays.

Our Projects

Our portfolio spans cultural, community, and residential projects across the UK. Our current and recent work includes Alexandra Palace, the Victoria & Albert Museum, Tylorstown Welfare Hall in Wales, and high-end residential projects.

Our team

As a team, we bring over 20 years of experience working on historic buildings. Our team includes members of both the Institute of Structural Engineer’s History Group and the International Council on Monuments and Sites UK Wood Committee. We are also members of the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings, the 20th Century Society, and the Victorian Society.

Robert Walton and Samuel Bourne Orme met when they worked at the engineering firm Alan Baxter & Associates . They spent the early years of their careers working on a vast range of different construction typologies.

Robert has worked on some of the UK’s most important historic landmarks, including the British Museum, the Houses of Parliament, Alexandra Palace, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the National Gallery. He is a highly experienced Chartered Structural Engineer with a passion for taking inspiration from historic building techniques to solve modern problems. His career has been defined by the ability to create strong, collaborative relationships with clients, architects, and project teams to achieve high-quality structural solutions that balance risk, cost, and sustainability.

Samuel has worked on many sensitive interventions to historically significant buildings, including Bletchley Park in Milton Keynes, Smithfield Market in London, and the vast Mausoleum to Queen Victoria and Prince Albert in Windsor. His experiences span a diverse range of projects across the building industry, including super-prime residential, cultural buildings, high-end hotel developments, and mixed-use retail developments, involving both new and existing structures. Samuel has a particular passion for conservation-led projects, enjoying the opportunity to give new life to otherwise unused or neglected buildings.

Robert Walton

Director

Samuel Bourne Orme

Director