Chris Harding

Chair London

T: +44 [0]20 7812 8000
E: chris.harding@bdp.com

Chris is an architect and was appointed chair of BDP in January 2017. He is responsible for giving direction to the firm over the next few years both as a business and in design.

Previously Chris led the architecture profession and the education sector where his leadership focused design teams on producing inspiring, student centered, learning environments for schools and higher/further education buildings. He is a member of the reviewing panel for our bdplab which brings together the innovation and research explored across the practice, as well as acting as a stimulus for new research initiatives with both academia and industry.

Attracted by BDP's socially progressive ethos, he has been with the firm since 1989 and worked on some of our best known projects including the Channel Tunnel, St Peters Campus for the University of Sunderland, the Millennium Building for the All England Lawn Tennis Club, Bournemouth Public Library and several leading research centres for the University of Cambridge.

What is your role as chair of the architectural profession?

To stimulate design thinking and people development across the firm. BDP has a unique approach and I want to maintain our position as pre-eminent thinkers in the role of design to meet the challenges of a finite planet.

Projects

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University of Sunderland

A true marriage of art and technology. The campus is designed around the concept of ‘open accessible learning’ with a three-phase programme of building on the banks of the River Wear.

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University of East London

A stunning waterfront building fostering student centred learning. The new Business School, learning resource centre and knowledge dock, incorporating the school of computing & technology, is part of BDP’s wider Docklands Campus masterplan.

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University of Cambridge, Physics of Medicine

A building to enable a new research initiative which will push the boundaries of medical science by drawing physics deeply into the life sciences.

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Bournemouth Central Library

The library reinvented as stimulating public living room. Four key aims drove our design: encourage the public into the library, inspire users, optimise working practices and create a vibrant economic hub.

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Armada Housing, Paleiskwartier, Den Bosch

Ground-breaking residential scheme celebrates the great outdoors. We planned the location and orientation of ten mixed long and tall houses to capture the sunpath and minimise overshadowing.

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All England Lawn Tennis Club

Ace makeover for tennis championship venue. This project was underpinned by our masterplan, which reorganised the entire championship site to improve facilities while retaining the spirit of ‘tennis in an English garden’.

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National Maritime Museum, Neptune Court

A national treasure revived by creative technology. We created 11 new gallery spaces by redesigning the wings around the courtyard. Lifts, ramps, steps and a new north entrance were added to improve access.

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Channel Tunnel UK Terminal

A world-class road/rail interchange linking the UK to the Continent.

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University of Wales Newport Campus

On a very tight urban site, the building responds by layering activities vertically and integrates the Business School, and the School of Art, Media and Design.

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News

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BDP Director Honoured by University

12/09/2011

BDP director and head of education Chris Harding was part of a team awarded a Collective Honorary Fellowship of the University of Wales Newport.

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Chris Harding is elected Chair

20/12/2016

Chris Harding has been elected the new Chair of BDP and takes up the role from 1 January.

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AJ100 Practice Profile

19/06/2018

Chair Chris Harding discusses BDP's collaborative and diverse approach to placemaking for a modern world in AJ100 overview that ranks us as the second largest architectural practice in the UK.