HOUSING THE HOMELESS

Designing for Dignity & Hope ft. Peter Barber

How do we design places for people experiencing homelessness? And how do we design a system that ensures everyone has a place to call home?

The Government’s new drive to offer everyone sleeping rough in England a route off the streets by Christmas brings fresh urgency to this question. How can this ambition translate into lasting change in the West of England – and how can emergency accommodation become a stepping stone to a settled home?

Join architect Peter Barber OBE and the West of England Combined Authority to explore how architecture, public policy and support services can work together to create lasting routes out of homelessness.

A home provides privacy, safety and the stability to build a life. Yet as of December 2025, more than 382,000 people in England were homeless, including 175,000 children (Shelter).

We’ll consider what makes a well-designed place for people who have experienced homelessness: how buildings can offer dignity and security, balance privacy with social connection, and help people feel part of a neighbourhood.

Alongside the spaces themselves, we’ll examine how we can design a system that enables people to access housing and the support they need to keep it.

The Government’s new Rough Sleeping Programme, backed by £442 million over three years, brings these challenges together through funding for immediate accommodation, settled housing and ongoing support.

What can the West of England learn from Greater Manchester’s A Bed Every Night programme. What is planned here?  And how can architects, councils and support providers work together to create lasting routes into secure housing?

ABOUT OUR SPEAKERs

Peter Barber OBE RA

Peter Barber is an architect and founder of Peter Barber Architects, a London practice established in 1989 and celebrated for its innovative approach to social housing and urban design. His work includes Holmes Road Studios in Camden and Spring Gardens in Lewisham, combining accommodation for people experiencing homelessness with spaces for support and social connection.

A Royal Academician and recipient of the 2022 Soane Medal, Peter also teaches architecture at the University of Westminster. His practice’s awards include the RIBA Neave Brown Award for Housing and the Royal Academy’s Grand Prize for Housing

“I don’t think it’s an indulgence to try to create a beautiful environment for people. I think it’s essential.” Peter Barber on his Spring Gardens homelessness project (The Guardian)

Our talks are open to the public and professionals alike.
The event takes place at Arnolfini, Bristol, BS1 4QA