Duncan Baker-Brown

In practice since 1983, Baker-Brown studied part-time while working for architectural practices in London. From 1991 - 1993 he worked in London for Rick Mather Architects on award winning ‘low energy’ student accommodation blocks for the University of East Anglia and Keble College, Oxford. While working for RMA Baker-Brown collaborated with Ian McKay on the winning scheme for the RIBA ‘House of the Future’ competition. He was responsible for delivering the built project in 1994. This unique experience involved the specification and design of a building that adhered to an extremely low energy sustainable brief. The experience gained with Futurehouse and at RMA ensured that BBM had the means and ability to deliver genuinely sustainable buildings such as the award-winning Priory Neighbourhood Centre in Hastings and Romney Warren Visitors Centre.

Together with his partner Ian McKay, Baker-Brown ran the MA in Sustainable Development at The University of East London’s School of Architecture. Baker-Brown has also taught at the School of Architecture & Design at the University of Brighton since 1994 where Baker-Brown and his BBM colleagues run a post-graduate design Studio. The research and learning that manifests from this academic work has been necessary to test emerging ideas from the practices investigations through office based and student design projects. He lectures widely on issues relating to Sustainable Development in the Construction Industry.

Baker-Brown is particularly interested in developing an new architectural language borne out of an aspiration towards sustainable development, merging with issues of how we live our lives today, as well as engaging with a sites ‘locale’, ie. creating a new vernacular architecture responding to the ‘nature’ of the place as well as to a brief and programme.

He has successfully negotiated Technology Strategy Board (TSB)-sponsored 'Retrofit the Future projects' in partnership with Prof Andrew Miller, ply Tow Piers and another housing Association, plus Mischa Hewitt of the Low Carbon Trust. And is a Design adviser to the West Sussex Design Commission.