Mr Steve Bowkett

I joined LSBU in 1990 having previously taught Architecture at Oxford Brookes and Greenwich Universities. Graduating with a Masters Degree from the Royal College of Art in 1986 I have combined both academic and practice work since that time. My extensive academic experience has ranged from teaching at the Bauhaus School of Design, Dessau, Germany to leading a study supported by the British Council on issues of diaspora within the Indian sub continent. My work on the regeneration and conversion of industrial buildings in the UK has been widely published extensively both in the National Press and Architectural Journals.

I have pursued two principle avenues of academic research both of which centre on a critique of innovative pedagogic practices with the aim of cultivating creative thinking within design disciplines. My most recent output within this field of study culminated in an academic paper presented at the AAE Conference, Westminster University, London, which investigated the theories of 'Cybernetics, Synectic's and Serendipity' utilising their strategies as a method for sidestepping conventional approaches to teaching architecture and design methodologies.
In parallel to this, I have had two books published in 2013 and 2017 by Laurence King Publishers. These books have continued to prove to be popular amongst both students of architecture and the general public, with 'Archidoodle' achieving sales of 100,000 and worldwide publication in 10 languages and 'Archidoodle City' achieving sales of 15,000 to date with worldwide publication in 6 Languages. These books have been critically acclaimed in the national and professional press including the New York Times and the Architectural Review. The success of these books has encouraged me to produce a third version in this series entitled 'Archidoodle Home' which I am currently working on and will form the basis for a new research paper using the feedback from these publications as a critique to inform this study;
‘A Critique on Innovative Methods of Design Pedagogy and the Development of Creative Thinking’.
As a counterpoint to my academic interests, my practice work is currently examining developments in cross laminated timber construction for a community based project for a Parish Pavilion for a 14th Century Church in Great Missenden Buckinghamshire. This is a project which has implications for the promotion of a sensitive approach to works adjacent to ancient buildings. The proposal for a new, partially buried, Church Sunday School is one whose programme has been developed and documented over the last few years. As the principal designer of this project, along with the Parish Council, it my intention to use this research and the built development as a case study to inform design policy for English Heritage who we have had close consultation in the process. The project will seek Lottery Community Funding, Commercial Grants through the development of CLT technology and
C of E connections to grant aided programmes.
I am currently an External Examiner for the BA Undergraduate course in Architecture, Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University.