MANIFESTO
‘…..the passion for improvisation, which demands that space and opportunity be at any price preserved. Buildings are used as a popular stage. They are all divided into innumerable, simultaneously animated theatres. Balcony, courtyard, window, gateway, staircase, roof are at the same time stages and boxes.’
-Walter Benjamin, ‘One Way Street’, 1924
In his 1924 book ‘One Way Street’ the Marxist cultural critic and philosopher Walter Benjamin describes the culture and form of the city of Naples. In it he captures fleetingly but beautifully the idea of a city and of architecture animated and activated by the business and activity of its occupants and of space as inert without people and culture. He sketches for us the colour and frantic activity made possible by spatiality that is ‘permeable’ – which invites occupation. He gives an intimation of the fragile and complex reciprocal relationship that exists between people and space, between culture and architecture.
WE THINK THAT SPACE CONDITIONS, AND IS IN TURN CONDITIONED BY, SOCIETY AND CULTURE AND THAT ARCHITECTURE CAN CREATE THE POTENTIAL FOR SOCIAL ACTION AND ACTIVITY.
http://www.peterbarberarchitects.com/manifesto
Copyright 2019 Peter Barber Architects Ltd
PETER BARBER
Peter Barber worked with Richard Rogers, Will Alsop and Jestico+Whiles prior to establishing his own practice in 1989. He is currently a lecturer and reader in architecture at the University of Westminster.
He has lectured about the work of the Practice at many institutions, including the Royal Institute of British Architects, the Architectural League in New York, and numerous international and domestic university schools of architecture including Helsinki, Pretoria, Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Burma, Munich, Genoa Istanbul and Colombo as well as Oxford University and The Bartlett – University College London.
He has been invited by the Government to lead a discussion on « Designing for Better Public Spaces » with a team of top built environment professionals.
He has been described by The Independent as one of the UK leading urbanists.
PRACTICE
Peter Barber Architects was established in 1989 in studios built by the practice on a canal side wharf in the East End of London. In 2002 the practice moved to a grade II listed Victorian print works which it has refurbished in King’s Cross.
We are an award-winning design-orientated practice with numerous ground-breaking mixed-use and residential schemes, award-winning planning studies across the UK and individual buildings such as the Villa Anbar, twice short-listed for the international Aga Khan Award for Architecture.
In October 2001 the Practice’s Donnybrook Urban Quarter won first prize in the Architecture Foundation’s prestigious Innovations in Housing Competition. The project won a Housing Design Award, runner-up in Royal Academy Summer Exhibition, AIA Award and RIBA Award. It was also short-listed to the last 10 for the 2006 Stirling Prize and included in the exhibition of 50 of the most significant UK buildings of the last half century. A series of radical urban housing projects have followed which have variously won Housing Design Awards, RIBA Awards and AIA Awards.
Peter Barber Architects was UK Housing Architect of the year in 2007 and 2011 and won the Royal Academy Grand Award for Architecture in 2015. In 2016, the practise’s Holmes Road Studios was the New London Architecture’s Overall Building of the Year and in 2016 and 2017 were included in The Guardian’s top 10 buildings (worldwide) for the year.
The Practice’s varied portfolio of work is underpinned by a consistent commitment to radical solutions and excellence in design, which has put it at the forefront of a new wave of high profile practices in London. The practice has built unusual and innovative projects with clients such as St Mungo’s Community Housing Association, Circle 33 Housing Group, East Thames Housing Group and The London Boroughs of Newham, Enfield, Greenwich, Camden and Barking.
AWARDS
2019
RIBA London Award | Ordnance Road
WINNER
RIBA London Award | Moray Mews
WINNER
NLA Health & Care Award | Burbridge Close
WINNER
NLA Housing Award | Beechwood Mews
UNBUILT WINNER
The MacEwen Awards | Burbridge Close
SPECIAL COMMENDATION
2018
NLA Housing Award | Moray Mews
COMMENDATION
2017
UK Housing Architect of the Year
FINALIST
2016
NLA Overall Building of the Year Award | Holmes Road Studios
OVERALL WINNER
NLA Wellbeing Awards | Holmes Road Studios
WINNER
NLA Conservation and Retrofit Awards | Mt Pleasant Studios
WINNER
NLA Education Awards | Employment Academy
COMMENDATION
2015
Royal Academy Grand Award for Architecture | Coldbath Town
WINNER
2013
RIBA Stirling Prize | Beveridge Mews
MIDLISTED
RIBA Award (National) | Beveridge Mews
WINNER
New London Award |Beveridge Mews
WINNER
2012
Masterplanning Architect of the Year
FINALIST
2011
Royal Academy Summer Show | Mud Village
HIGHLY COMMENDED
BD Architect of the Year Award | Housing
WINNER
2010
RIBA Awards | Baden Powell Close
SHORTLISTED
2008
Civic Trust Awards | Endell Street
HIGHLY COMMENDED
2007
BD Architect of the Year | Affordable Housing
ARCHITECT OF THE YEAR
2006
AIA Excellence in Design Awards | Donnybrook Quarter
WINNER
Housing Design Awards | Donnybrook Quarter
SHORTLISTED
RIBA Stirling Prize Building of the Year | Donnybrook Quarter
FINAL 8 SHORTLISTED
RIBA Awards Regional | Donnybrook Quarter
WINNER
Homebuilder Design Awards | Donnybrook Quarter
SHORTLISTED
2005
Housing Design Awards | Tanner Street Gateway
WINNER
Arena ‘Man of the Year’ | Peter Barber
SHORTLISTED
2004
Housing Design Awards | Donnybrook Quarter
WINNER
Royal Academy Summer Show | Various
HIGHLY COMMENDED
2003
Housing Design Awards | Mildmay Grove
WINNER
2001
Innovations in Housing Competition | Donnybrook Quarter
1ST PRIZE
Olympic Village Competition
SHORTLISTED
Housing Design Awards | Colony Mews
SHORTLISTED
Housing Design Awards | Tanner Street Gateway
SHORTLISTED
RIBA Awards Regional | Tanner Street Gateway
WINNER
2000
RIBA Award | Doris’ Place
SHORTLISTED
1998
Aga Khan Award | Villa Anbar
SHORTLISTED
1995
Aga Khan Award | Villa Anbar
SHORTLISTED
1991
Raftopolous Competition | Beach house, Ithaca
1ST PRIZE
1989
Kortrijk Biennale, Design for Europe | Metachron Table
CONTACT
Directors
Peter Barber
Phil Hamilton
David Gouldstone
Associate Director
Alice Brownfield
Peter Barber Architects Ltd.
173 King’s Cross Road
London
WC1X 9BZ
t: +44 (0) 20 7833 4499
e: info@peterbarberarchitects.com
