Hugh trained at The University of Edinburgh and set up Hugh Broughton Architects in 1995. His projects have gone on to win many awards from organisations including the RIBA, American Institute of Architects, the Civic Trust, the Architects’ Journal, and the British Construction Industry. In 2023, HBA won Public Building Architect of the Year at the Building Design Awards and in 2024, were named as Creative Conservation Architect of the Year, and won the title of World's Best Small Architecture Firm at the Architizer A+ Awards.

Hugh is considered the world’s leading designer of research facilities in the Polar Regions. He is a Trustee of the UK Antarctic Heritage Trust and his polar work has been exhibited widely, including at the Venice Biennale.