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Peak Park house, PCA

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Classrooms for the Future, PCA

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Re-working the English Bowling Pavilion, PCA

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Learning from the building – Earlham School, Forest Gate. PCA

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House and home, PCA

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Living in space, PCA

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Details of living: inhabiting space, PCA

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Cabinet of Curiosities : Field Diaries

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At Home entrance: Inhabiting Space Exhibition

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Studio 3: Eco-Town

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Studio 3: The Coalfields

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Live project: building at Eccleshall Woods

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Bdr - community visioning

Senior Lecturer
RIBA
At the base of all my work is an understanding that placing people in the centre of architectural design and developing a strategic view of sustainability in its widest sense, is critical in any creative project. After qualifying as an architect I spent 2 years on a Rome Scholarship, studying the Early Renaissance. The next 5 years were spent in architectural practices in London, (Richard Reid and Rivington Street Studio), the US (KRJDA Roche Dinkaloo) and New Zealand (Lane Priest). I joined Sheffield as a lecturer in 1992 committing myself to the university , the city and the region. In 2002 I set up Bureau-design+research (Bdr), a unique research based consultancy/project office, designed to raise the profile of architectural design in the building process. Our team mission is to reach out with ideas and processes that are relevant to people. Aligned with this I started a small, now award winning architectural practice, Prue Chiles Architects (1999-) to pursue research through design. In both we have formed partnerships and collaborations and risen to the challenge of remaining innovative as a small enterprise; taking the lead from our clients and their projects as one of the sites for our research.
| Teaching Activities |
For many years I have taught a Studio in the MArch, Studio 3, where I remain committed to teaching and consider it a privilege to teach the next generation of architects. The studio is a site where we explore the big relevant themes of today - post-industrial regeneration, the design of learning environments, eco-towns, neighbourhoods, new paradigms for living, working and new industry. We work from regional to detail scale using I still hold to the idea that an architectural education needs to re-inforce and uphold visual qualities of aesthetics and beauty in order to improve the quality of the environment today and in the future. I mentor Live Projects after initiating and co-ordinating the Live project programme and am preparing a book, LIVE on the wider significance and long-term teaching impact of the Live projects. I supervise both standard route and PhD by design theses in humanities and social science arenas, focusing on the practice and processes of responsible architecture and sustainability. I also remain committed to teaching humanities (ARC 203/253) and have pioneered one of the first and now second year history courses that place architecture in the context of culture, civilisation and the history of ideas. I also really enjoy tutoring dissertations at all levels. Teaching Accolades: Other Teaching Activities: I have developed and delivered courses enabling communities to be more involved in the design process - for Glasshouse and for the Academy of Community Learning (ACL) (2006-2009) Design and delivery of 3-day intensive “buildings by design” course for the Senior Management Team of Blackburne House, Liverpool, with Sense of Place (2006) Many outreach teaching activities in schools in Wakefield BSF, Sheffield, Mansfield and London (2000 – ongoing) |
| Administrative Roles |
I have been instrumental in developing research through design in the school of architecture. This is also important in my teaching at all levels and administration and professional roles; exemplified in the role of Director of Architecture (2008-2010) and in the refurbishment of the Arts Tower and now as director of the PhD by design programme. Director of PhD by Design 2011- |
| Research Interests |
Innovative practice in Architecture; testing out theoretical ideas through research and consultancy. Research through design - All areas of my research are driven by an ethos that seeks to strengthen connections between people and design and on the reciprocal relationships between people, place, teaching, learning, creativity and architectural design. Developing research themes and testing them through designed and built school work has been a major research output. However, I am now conducting research into domestic space through a number of our own built projects; investigating the relationship between builder, client and architect and the value the architect can add to this process. Also, the relationship the client and builder has with the drawings produced and the wider understanding of the line in sharing information with clients and builders. This has been supported by in the inter-faculty research group Materialising Culture and the recent Inhabiting Space Over the past ten years the two mechanisms for this have been: Identifying themes in building schools for the future; key to developing new educational paradigms for designing better schools. 3 major research consultancy reports commissioned by Carillion and Balfour Beatty have allowed us to develop our research into school design. ‘Imagine’ - A data-base and matrix of best practice in European/World wide school buildings, commissioned by Balfour Beatty and Partnerships for Schools. A Mathematical structure/outdoor classroom we have designed with GCSE maths students called Mission Addition won in competition and funded by Creative partnerships, is now built and the students have been involved throughout the whole process and a manual on the structure is now part of the curriculum. b. Inclusive and Community-led design Working with the Southey and Owlerton Regeneration Board in Sheffield to develop Neighbourhood strategies for the Regeneration Framework for the area from 2000-2005, developing a positive identity for the transformation of the area and looked at new ways of communicating this to the “outside world”. (Recipient of The Guardian regeneration award, 2003) published by CABE exemplar case study. Bdr also won a commission to develop a consensual vision for Parkwood Springs, a vast, largely redundant post-industrial area in Sheffield; developing imaginative strategies for its regeneration through partnership and inclusion. We developed new methods of community participation devised through drawing, model-making and jigsaw plans, enabling the design of more successful inclusive community space. c. New and sustainable futures 2. Prue Chiles Architects (PCA) (1999 - ) www.pruechilesarchitects.co.uk The “Classroom of the Future” project and the realization from conception to completed building of two classrooms has lead to a major interest in education buildings and this has been re-inforced by two commissions from the DfES; Two further commissions to design a foundation stage centre at a Sheffield Primary School and a Children’s Centre for Paces, a charity for Children with Cerebral Palsy allowed exploration into creative narratives in the design of. A recent commission for eco-toilets and other renovations of Earlham Primary School in Forest Gate, London was completed in 2010. Hillsborough Pavilion, which was won in an invited competition, was funded by Sport England and was used as an exemplar by them. It was recipient of an RIBA bronze medal and explores the re-interpretation of the English sports pavilion. An RIBA award (2008) for my own house and an RIBA gold medal (2011) for a house in Stockport are testament to the innovation of our domestic architecture. Three built domestic projects in the Peak district A house in Bamford, a house extension and renovation of a 2 *listed house in Bakewell and a cottage transformation outside Bakewell have led to developing a new typology for contemporary domestic architecture in the Peak National Park, particularly looking at recent domestic architecture that has suburbanized the Park. Introducing local, natural materials used in both traditional and new ways, re-looking at the old typologies and investigating new spatial narratives. |
| Grants, Awards & Consultancy |
Architectural Awards Research Grants Selected Research Consultancy Grants (grants under £3,000 not included): Invited member of RIBA Premises Committee – ongoing ( We are the client body looking at the future of the profession’s premises and estate - so it represents the profession and the highest quality of Architecture. We have carried out 4 small projects to make the Headquarters of the RIBA more relevant, useful and designerly. We are now advising on a new building) Judge on RIBA Yorkshire White Rose Awards Yorkshire Regional Design Review Panel - ongoing Invited member of Sheffield Design and Sustainability Panel - ongoing 2008 Barnsley Schools for the Future Design Panel - ongoing Invited member of Wakefield Design Panel (2008-2011) 2007 Invited member of the Central Government, DfES Primary Schools Capital Programme – at - Design & Procurement Advisory Group (2007-2008) 1993 Selection Committee for Rome Scholarships (1993-99) 1987 Media 2007-2010 Advisor to Radio 4 on Building Schools for the Future July 2010 Invited on Radio 4 PM programme 2005 Interview on Calender News on the City Centre Regeneration 2000- Regular invited Conversant on Radio Sheffield 1994 Interview on The Late Show, BBC 2, 14 November Referee for book proposals and journal articles - Periodic referee for Architectural Research Quarterly ARQ and Routledge Architecture books. Invited lectures, plenaries and keynotes 2010 Invited plenary speaker SOAS conference, Sheffield University ‘Participation and community-led regeneration’, Invited lecture Futurescape 2010, Sackler Centre, V &A, London, sponsored by Architecture Centres Network, CABE Arts Council, Sustainable Communities Excellence Network. “Tactics for designing schools” Invited talk to School Works – high profile practice symposium on School design organised by Sergison Bates Architects and the London Borough of Islington held at the German Gymnasium, St Pancras, London. 2009 Sheffield labour party MP briefing– Meg Munns - asked by the RIBA Yorkshire region to brief on the success of architectural regeneration in Sheffield and our work in BDR “Transforming our Schools” - talk at Universitas 21, Department of Education, Nottingham University Invited to talk to the North Wales Society of Architects of Wales on the work of Prue Chiles Architects and in particular Hillsborough Pavilion. “Canklow - the slow process of community led regeneration” - invited presentation at Lancashire regeneration conference, Digging Deeper (with Leo Care). Invited debate and banquet participant (representing Architecture) – “Noguchi art or design”, Yorkshire Sculpture Park and St John’s University York. Invited contributor Arts Council “Conditions /of Creativity” Leeds Metropolitan University Invited talk to teachers “Tools of the Trade” BEAM public realm learning, Wakefield. 2008 “BDR and research by design”, Invited Research talk on University of Manchester “the work of BDR and Prue Chiles Architects “Invited evening public lecture, Queens University Belfast Invited plenary participant in Public debate on the role of participation in public art for Public Arts, Midlands Arts in Nottingham. “Green Homes- Made for Sheffield” - Urban Design Week, Sheffield ‘Schools for the future - process and product’ Invited lecture on for PLACE -The Architecture and the Built Environment Centre for Northern Ireland “Building our Childrens’ Futures: Best Practice in School Design” Millennium Court Arts Centre, Portadown, Northern Ireland. Chaired by Shane O’Toole. Invited speaker CABE Design South Yorkshire one-day event at on community-led regeneration projects carried out by the Bdr. 2007 2006 “A New Future for the Coalfields” Invited before dinner speaker, for the national regeneration agency English Partnerships and Millennium Communities Practitioners Network MCPM, Thorpe Park, Leeds. “The work of the Bdr and Live Projects” Public evening lecture at London Metropolitain University, Faculty of the Built Environment 2005 2004 “Re-imagining the Coalfields “ invited presentation of Studio 3 for English Partnerships (national regeneration agency) and CABE (the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment) and for regional development heads, Derby. “Ballifield School “ invited presentation on design as part of DfES Classroom of the Future Initiative for the RIBA Midlands, National Space Centre, Leicester. “The Four Sheffield Classroom of the Future Schemes “ invited lecture on, RIBA, School Design Symposium. London “on Ballifield School “ invited presentation design as part of DfES Classroom of the Future initiative. Millennium Gallery, Sheffield 2003 “Creativity in the City”, invited lecture, at Women in Architecture - Millennium Gallery, Sheffield – organised by Sheffield City Council I am currently an External Examiner at the department of Architecture XJTLU, Suzhou, China University of Liverpool (BA(Hons) and MArch), Dundee (MArch) The Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) with University of East London - new Professional, Sustainable Diploma course. London Metropolitian University Ba(Hons) Cardiff BA(Hons), South Bank (BA (Hons)) Kingston (Diploma) |
| Publications |
Books Care, L. and Chiles, P. (2007) “Re-thinking Learning - Innovation, imagination and Care, L. and Chiles, P. (2006) “Primary Ideas” Projects to enhance Primary School Book Chapters Chiles, P. and Holder, A. (2009) What if – technology blended with people and place in “Growing by Degrees - Universities in the future of Urban Development.” RIBA Futures pp. 32,33,41-44 Chiles, P (2007) “The Future is a Foreign Country” in Ed. Kossak, F. “Shifts - Projections into the future of the Central Belt” pp. 142-149 Lighthouse publ. Glasgow Chiles, P (2005) “What if” …a narrative process for re-imagining the City in Architecture and Participation Eds. Blundell Jones, P Petrescu, D, Till,J, Routledge pp. 187-207 Chiles, P (2005) “The classroom as an evolving landscape” in Childrens’ Spaces Ed. Dudek, M. Amsterdam/London Architectural Press p101-113 Chiles, P (2000) “The real Client and the un-real project: a diploma case study” in “Changing Architectural Education towards a new professionalism” Eds. Pilling, S. and Spon Press pp 93-100 Journal Articles Chiles, P. Petrescu, D (2009) “Exploring needs, possibilities and capacities for action…” Architectural Research Quarterly pp. Chiles, P. Care, L. (2008) A Vocabulary of Engaging Practices: Reflections on the Imagine (2008) Internationally acclaimed website www.imagineschooldesign.org/ Chiles, P. (2006 ), "Re-imagining the City of Sheffield " in Materialising Sheffield – place, culture, identity” eds. MacDonald, S. and Symonds, J http://www.hrionline.ac.uk/matshef/ Chiles, P. (2003) “Classrooms for the Future – an adventure in design and research” Architectural Research Quarterly - ARQ vol. 7 no’s 3/4 pp. 244-261 Chiles, P. Plowden, M. (2002) “Close your eyes and think of England”, on the framework document for North Sheffield in New Start 10.2002 Chiles, P. (2000)“Bearing the Cross” invited article - comment Building Design (BD) September 2000 p10 Chiles, P. (1998) "Architecture on the Move " Article and illustration of design work on Arts Council funded exhibition, Architects Journal, October 1998 pp 72-73 Chiles, P. (1998) “Television and Architecture - Mountains, Fountains and implied Hodges.R, Chiles,P et al. (1997)"Late Antique and Byzantine Butrint; interim report on the port and its Hinterland 1994/5 Journal of Roman Archaeology Vol 10 pp 207-234 Chiles, P. (1996) "Butrint, an Ancient City revealed" Special Issue - Architecture and Anthropology in Architectural Design (AD) Oct. 1996 Vol. 2 pp 6-10. Conference Papers Butterworth, C. and Chiles, P. Field Diaries, joint paper for Field Work, AHRA Conference, Edinburgh (2009) Chiles, P. and Holder, A. Extended Abstract, The Role of Live Projects, Oxford Conference on Architectural Education (2007) Chiles, P. (2003) “Re-imagining the city – planning or branding” published proceedings ISUF International Conference, Bari, Italy on the Planned City – pp 1182-1186 Chiles, P. (1997) "Vulcan still sits on top of the Townhall" Eds. George Cairns and John Worthington. Institute of Advanced Architectural Studies pp 119-125 (IoAAS) publication Recent Teaching Publications : Care, L., Chiles, P., Petrescu, D (2011) “Live Projects abroad, building networks for internationalisation” in "Intercultural Interaction, Engaging in Architectural Education"ed. ASD for CEBE (Centre for Education in the Built Environment) Chiles, P (2011) Essay “On narrative” Student Journal produced by MArch students biannually Chiles P, Holder, A (2008 ) Live Projects Extended abstract, papers of the Oxford Conference on Architectural Education, Oxford Brookes July 2008 Chiles, P (2007) “The Future is a Foreign Country” in Ed. Kossak, F. “Shifts - Projections into the future of the Central Belt” pp. 142-149 Lighthouse publ. Glasgow. Design and project work featured/cited by others: 2008 2007 AJ Small Projects special edition profile of a house in Sheffield (My own House) Architects Journal (AJ) p32/33 “Chiles play as Prue goes for design award” Yorkshire Post feature by Sharon Dale on a house in Sheffield - “Living in your own design” Feature article in the Sheffield Telegraph Open House Exemplar - Learning by Design, England. Profile of Ballifield School pp 12-15 2006 2005 2004 2003 Ballifield School in “Classrooms of the Future” - Innovative designs for Schools Eds. DfES, Stationary Office. pp 36-37 “Classrooms of the Future” Feature article in the Sheffield Telegraph 1998 1997 "Drawing on Diversity - Women, Architecture and Practice" RIBA Heinz Gallery, London. RIBA Catalogue 1997 pp 32 1996 1995 Exhibitions: A Cabinet of Curiosities Curio-US Exhibition, Sheffield Sheffield Showroom Festival Centre Entries Exhibited shortlisted RIBA architectural competition scheme, PCA, at the Showroom, Sheffield, June 2007 Bathing Beauties - exhibited shortlisted entry in International competition to re: think the idea of the Beach Huts, Lincolnshire, 2007 Exhibition on the School design work of Prue Chiles Architects at BEAM (Yorkshire region’s Art and Architecture Centre) 2007 Exhibition of Barnsley School Children’s sustainable schools at the Design Centre North, sponsored by Barnsley Education Authority, July 2006 Local RIBA travelling exhibition – Designed in Sheffield at the RIBA Portland Place, 2000 "On the Move, Living in the City Centre", Mappin Art Gallery, Sheffield. 1998 Funded by the Arts Council. (£5,000) Drawing on Diversity, RIBA exhibition on Women Architects, Drawings from the National Centre for Popular Music. RIBA Heinz Gallery, London. 1997 Exhibited Competition Entry for the National Centre for Popular Music at the Royal Institute of British Architects, (RIBA) Leeds, 1996 Exhibited Competition Entry for the National Centre for Popular Music at the Royal Institute of British Architects, (RIBA) London. 1996 Exhibited Competition Entry for the National Centre for Popular Musiic at the "Workstation", Sheffield. 1995 |
