Bureau: Design + Research [BDR] is an independent design-led research and consultancy unit based in one of the leading schools of architecture in the country at the University of Sheffield. We are a team of architects and researchers promoting and advancing design within the built environment through research, consultancy and practice.
The BDR specialises in school design and has been involved in many facets of the briefing, design and realisation of learning environments including:
- Designing and building schools through practice
- Researching and publishing work on the design of school environments
- Working with pupils on design workshops
- Undertaking design training with teachers and senior management teams
- Sitting on design advisory and review panels
- Collaborating with building contractors on research and development projects
We have drawn on this breadth of experience and knowledge to bring together the Imagine online resource, providing an independent, informed and accessible critical analysis of exemplary school design from around the world.
Sustainability through design is the key driver in all our work. We believe that creating a built environment that is ecologically, economically and socially sustainable can only be achieved through good design and close relationships between communities, public and private sectors.
The BDR is at the cutting edge of design innovation and we collaborate with a range of specialists inside and outside the University of Sheffield. We work across Europe on a wide variety of projects at different scales – from national strategic proposals to detailed architectural design. Our client base includes public, private and voluntary sectors. Our role as design-led researchers puts us in a unique position - allowing us to make connections between people and projects, combining innovative ideas with rigorous research methodologies.
Prue Chiles (Director)
