John Roycroft
Principal, Head of Civil and Structural Engineering

John is a principal and leads our civil and structural engineering group across the practice.

He studied architecture at the University of Bath before moving into structural engineering after finding an excitement and resonance in the engineering history lectures that Ted Happold gave at Bath. He has contributed to, led and delivered many of BDP's most innovative engineering projects ensuring that fresh conceptual thinking is married with excellence in delivery and that clients are left in no doubt about the quality, importance and role of the civil and structural engineer.

John’s approach is fundamentally one of collaboration and he is a keen advocate of clear and effective communication, leading from the front in teaching his team (and wider industry) how to sketch structural concepts ensuring a good idea is never lost. He has a great respect for design but also a deeply rooted understanding of the reality of construction (he built his own house and is passionate about the importance of his team spending time on site). He likes to get the best out of the wider team on a project and often refers to taking them on a ‘Brunellian journey’.

He is a respected industry figure and has represented many external organisations including chairing the Institution of Civil Engineers Structural Expert Panel from 2011 to 2015 and in 2024, was awarded the Milne Medal from the International Association of Bridge and Structural Engineering for his outstanding achievements in structural engineering and design.