welcoming and inclusive atmosphere . Bunting and lights stretched across the street between buildings . It looks like a permanent festival : a happy , vibrant place that invites exploration .
At public meetings , some residents were vocal that limiting vehicle access was inconvenient . Darren realised he had to change the conversation : ‘ In every challenge there ’ s an opportunity . One of the hardest things for us as designers is being able to get people to think in a slightly different way .’ So he explained the idea of “ the 20-minute city ”, which is being applied in Paris . Wherever you live in a district , you should be able to do whatever you need - from work , to healthcare , to retail and leisure - without having to walk more than 20 minutes from home . It ’ s about a shared vision to both tackle emissions and improve quality of life within communities . Darren recalls , ‘ Suddenly the noise changed and people went , “ Oh , okay . This is bigger than me not being able to drive my car .”’
Community consultation is central to the Studio : B . A . D ethos : ‘ As architects , you get more power if you are aligning with the community , because they can see they ’ re adding to the process .’
The roots of Darren ’ s unique approach go back to his time studying at Portsmouth : ‘ You were encouraged to explore and take risks . Everybody employed there was somebody you could go and talk to about not just architecture but philosophy or theory . It was quite an awakening for me .’ Today Studio : B . A . D will keep exploring the world of possibilities that building back better has to offer .
‘ ARCHITECTURE HOLDS THE POTENTIAL TO BE A VEHICLE FOR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CHANGE FOR THE BETTER ’
Darren Bray The Bedford Place project