About Us
We Shape Better Places
Founded in 1996, Design West is a centre of excellence for design & placemaking. Our mission is to inspire the public, politicians & professionals across the built environment to design, better, healthier, places to live, work & relax. We learn from our heritage to build our future. A registered charity we put design & social value at our heart. Design West is the new name for The Architecture Centre & Creating Excellence.
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Our Vision & Values
A World Designed for Life
Our programmes inspire, inform & involve people in the design of the world around them. We work across sectors & society to innovate, co-design & challenge. We are international & local, bringing the best people together to shape better places.
We are, collaborative, creative, expert, independent, open & visionary.
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Placemaking
We bring people together to co-design & vision great places. We collaborate with public & private sectors, leading with creativity & community.
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Public Engagement
Our world class public programmes inspire & involve. From the Stirling Prize lecture to Bristol Open Doors we engage 50,000+ live audiences.
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Design Consultancy
Our independent Design Review service supports local authorities & developers to shape better places across the South West. Our interdisciplinary Design Associates combine international expertise with local knowledge.
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Education
We develop skills for the future. Our award-winning Shape My City programme accelerates the best diverse talent in partnership with schools, universities & the private sector.
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Strategy & Policy
We address the challenges of today, working with local government to translate ambition into deliverable visions.
![Old Photograph of Submarines outside Design West](https://www.designwest.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Submarines-outside-Architecture-Centre.jpg)
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Our History
Located on Bristol harbourside our beautiful home is steeped in history
Design West began life as The Bristol Centre for the Advancement of Architecture a group of architects, engineers, academics & passionate citizens who cared deeply about the impact of good design on society.
In the 1990s the charity raised funds to purchase a prominent site on the quayside in Bristol, an 18th century warehouse & former sail loft, that had suffered two serious fires & was standing in disrepair. Preserving its sturdy maritime character, Architects Niall Phillips turned the space into a gallery & office space.
Opening its doors to the public on 11 September 1996, 16 Narrow Quay became home to The Architecture Centre, the first architecture centre outside London & a place where anyone could find out about the built world around them. Sasha Lubetkin, daughter of RIBA Gold Medal-winning architect Berthold Lubetkin, its inaugural director.
In 2018 new director Dr Anna Rutherford & chair Nick Childs began raising funds to regenerate the building again. Always a regional base with international reach, in 2021 the charity joined forces with respected place-maker, Creating Excellence, to extend our work across the South West.
In 2021 Design West launches as a lively new venue for Design & Placemaking on the dockside. Home to talks, events, education programmes & the co-ordinating hub for Bristol Open Doors.
Learning from our heritage to build our future, Design West shapes better, healthier, places to live work & relax. On the ground floor, The Architect café-bar will welcome visitors into the building, the charred timber beams of the old sail loft a nod to the past.
The charity would like to thank David Mellor, the late Peter Ware & Ken Brown for leading the establishment of the organisation, Timothy Cantell & all the trustees, donors, staff & volunteers who have supported our journey.
Our timeline
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2021
Design West
In its 25th year The Architecture Centre joins forces with Creating Excellence to become Design West, championing better design & placemaking across the South West.
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2020
Placemaking Charter
Commissioned to develop the first placemaking charter for the West of England.
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2019
Homes for Heroes 100
A lead partner celebrating the Addison Act & 100 years of Social Housing with Bristol Festival of Ideas, Heritage Lottery & The Bartlett UCL.
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2019
Design Review Services
Design Review expanded to West of England Combined Authority.
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2018
Stirling Prize Lectures
Established annual RIBA Stirling Prize Lecture.
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2016
UWE Partnership
Longterm partership with University of the West of England is forged.
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2014
Shape My City
A diverse talent development programme for 15-18 year olds from across the region is set up, taking inspiration from aspiring architect Stephen Lawrence.
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2014
Bristol Open Doors
The Architecture Centre takes on Bristol Open Doors (launched in 1993) to open up the citys architecture & heritage to wider audiences.
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2007
Design Review
Bristol Urban Design Forum established in partnership with Bristol City Council to improve the quality of design & placemaking in the city.
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2001
Architecture Centre Network
The Architecture Centre Director Mark Pearson Chairs national Architecture Centre Network.
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1998
Education
Education programme begins.
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1996
The Architecture Centre
The Architecture Centre opens its doors to the public on 11 September 1996, becoming the first architecture centre in the UK outside London.