University of Portsmouth Alumni Magazine - 3 Edition 3 | Page 6

ARCHITECTS OF A BETTER TOMORROW

Build back better ” is a phrase we ’ ve all heard a lot in the last 18 months . Its precise meaning sometimes seems to rest on rather slippery foundations . But Darren Bray BA ( Hons ) ’ 96 DipArch ’ 98 has a clear idea of what building back better is all about . And as Founder and Director of Studio : B . A . D Architects , he ’ s already showing the way .
Studio : B . A . D has a striking core belief : ‘ Architecture holds the potential to be a vehicle for social and economic change for the better ’. Their innovative work on Southampton ’ s Bedford Place is a shining example . A hub of independent retail , Bedford Place sits apart from the city ’ s modern shopping malls . When roads were temporarily closed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic , Darren and colleagues were asked to produce a feasibility study into the future of the area .
‘ Traditionally ,’ Darren explains , ‘ you ’ ve got to design and deliver a building to call yourself an architect . That ’ s not where I see architecture going . Architecture , fundamentally , is about creative problem solving .’
The team ’ s proposal for Bedford Place played to the advantages of road closure . They sought to ‘ change the dynamic ’ of the area , making it a greener , friendlier place for the community . Darren recognised the power of approaching the area as if it were a brand : ‘ It ’ s about changing the way people see that place . Part of our job is to deliver the idea of a place ; an identity .’ Get it right and the public ’ s photography on social media becomes a driver to the area .
The vision for Bedford Place gives it real personality . Pedestrianised roads painted in geometric patterns of pink , yellow and turquoise . Streets lined with alfresco dining tables , topped with vibrant yellow and orange parasols . Bollards and barriers cheered up with street art and greenery , creating a
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