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.
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.
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.
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