About the centre
The Design Practices Research Group unites designers who teach and research through practice with academic researchers using formal design methods. The group fosters a diverse environment where practical design and scholarly inquiry intersect and enrich each other. Drawing on the school’s strengths in representation, fabrication, live projects, experimental, speculative and environmental design, members critically explore the relationship between design and its impact on the physical, social, and ecological worlds. Overall, the group aims to advance understanding, promote innovative approaches, and encourage ongoing debate about the role of design within complex system interactions.
News and events
To keep up-to-date on the activities of this research group, please visit OpenResearchWestminster
Projects
Find out about the funded projects undertaken by the Design Practices Research Group.
Publications
- John Zhang, The ‘Archipelago’ as Model for the Post-Pandemic City (Translated from Chinese). in: He, K. (ed.) Social Housing Through A Global Perspective Beijing, China Architecture and Building Press. pp. 29-42, 2025
- Maria Kramer, Fluid Freedom- An Empathetic Pool Design Empowering a Client with Multiple Sclerosis, Architectural Research Quarterly (ARQ)/ Journal: Practices in Research 2025
- Will McLean & Pete Silver, Sustainable and Regenerative Materials for Architecture: A Handbook. Laurence King Publishing, Published, January 2025.
- Paolo Cascone, African Fabbers Atlas, Manual of Synthetic Vernacular Architecture, Actar, 2025
- Victoria Watson, /ATMOSPHERE/ The Origin of Air Grid, hardback edition, AIR Grid Publications, 2025
People
The convenors of this research group are: