Chris Blust

Chris is Design Director at SD Engineers, bringing over 16 years of experience in structural engineering, architectural design and the transformation of existing buildings. Recognised in Building Magazine’s 40 Under 40 Class of 2025, he has led and contributed to some of the UK’s most ambitious heritage regeneration and retrofit projects, combining technical ingenuity with a strong commitment to sustainable design.

In western England, Chris oversaw the transformative regeneration of Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings, the world’s first iron-framed building. The project has received numerous accolades, including the Europa Nostra Award for Conservation and Adaptive Reuse. In London, he has spent eight years helping shape the transformation of New Zealand House with The Crown Estate, championing the retention of the existing structure to such an extent that less than 10% requires remodelling, while delivering a revitalised, world-class building.

Chris has also championed the redevelopment of the Grade I-listed former In and Out Club into Cambridge House, a forthcoming boutique hotel on Piccadilly. The technically complex scheme incorporates acoustic isolation from the adjacent Piccadilly Line, with the historic buildings supported on more than 550 bearings. Internationally, he has contributed to the transformation of the former Ku Klux Klan auditorium in Fort Worth, Texas, into a place for truth-telling, reparative justice and liberation.

Across these diverse contexts, Chris advocates a first-principles approach to structural design, challenging conventional assumptions to maximise the reuse of existing buildings, reduce embodied carbon and unlock new architectural possibilities. His work reflects a belief that engineering innovation and environmental responsibility must go hand in hand, helping to drive a more collaborative and ambitious response to the climate crisis.