Specifically Speaking: Bruce Braes on designing for adversaries and strategic security thinking in the built environment

BATH, England—In today's world of evolving threats and interconnected systems, protecting buildings and cities requires more than just adding cameras and gates. It demands a fundamental shift in thinking, one that puts adversaries at the center of design decisions. Bruce Braes knows this better than most. 

From his base in the U.K., Braes, head of security & public safety consulting at Buro Happold, leads a global practice that spans Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and North America, helping clients build security into the very foundation of their projects. 

Beyond gates and guards 

Braes' team specializes in what he calls "invisible protection” - security systems that work behind the scenes to safeguard critical infrastructure, public spaces and national assets. Their toolkit includes everything from CCTV and access control to hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) and sophisticated detection systems. 

But technology is just part of the equation, Braes says. The real value lies in his team's comprehensive approach: developing security operations centers, creating protective security plans based on actual threat intelligence, and implementing cybersecurity frameworks that meet both NIST standards and local regulatory requirements, he says. 

What sets the practice apart, Braes says, is its involvement across the entire project lifecycle. They don't just recommend solutions - they shape strategic risk frameworks, develop concept designs, and guide contractors through delivery and commissioning, he says. 

Building resilience at scale 

The team's work spans diverse sectors, with expertise in national infrastructure, transport, sports and entertainment venues, and major urban developments.  

Take Saudi Arabia's upcoming entertainment mega-city, where Braes' team developed the security masterplan for a destination that will house over 600,000 residents and welcome millions of annual visitors. Closer to home, they've supported major U.K. airport infrastructure upgrades, energy transition projects and smart city master plans, all requiring protection that scales seamlessly while remaining unobtrusive. 

From the field to the drawing board 

Braes' path to security consulting began far from any office. As a former military and police special operations officer, he spent years in covert intelligence, counterterrorism and insurgency environments. He says this frontline experience gave him something invaluable – a deep understanding of how threat actors think, operate and can be defeated. 

That real-world insight now informs a design philosophy grounded in practical reality rather than regulatory compliance alone. "It's not enough to follow standards," Braes explains. "You need to think like the adversary, because they're not following the rulebook." 

Technology revolution 

Emerging technologies are transforming what's possible in physical security. Braes highlights several game-changing developments: AI-powered video analytics can now detect anomalies in real time, while integrated drone detection and counter-UAS solutions address the growing threat from above.  

Braes says intelligent HVM systems adapt dynamically to site conditions and evolving threats, while IoT-enabled environments create unified operational pictures by linking environmental, safety, and security systems. 

In addition, digital twins allow security teams to stress-test designs and simulate attacks before breaking ground, representing a fundamental shift from reactive to predictive security. 

Future of security design 

Braes sees the industry undergoing a decisive shift toward threat-led design and operational resilience, which involves moving beyond prescriptive checklists to embrace scenario-based risk analysis. Physical and cybersecurity are merging into single protective envelopes, with continuous monitoring and response capabilities embedded directly into built environments. 

Most importantly, there's a growing recognition that security isn't a cost center, it's a strategic enabler of operations and reputation. "The buildings, cities and systems we design today must be able to operate in contested, complex environments tomorrow," Braes concludes.