duncan@new-practice.co.uk
Duncan Bain
Associate
BArch (Hons) DipArch MPhil
he/him
Duncan is an Associate. He leads our London office.
He joined the team in 2013, initially part-time whilst undertaking an MPhil in Architecture, and working part time at Architecture & Design Scotland. Duncan is a First Class graduate of Architecture at the Edinburgh School of Art, and gained Part I experience working at Richard Murphy Architects.
At New Practice Duncan works with the Directors to lead our design team on the delivery of a wide range of projects. These range from digital engagement programmes, through to built design projects often with a focus on high streets and active travel, and the facilitation of complex decision-making work as part of statutory planning applications.
Duncan is skilled at working sensitively with diverse collaborators, fabricators and contractors; devising intelligent solutions to design challenges, and placing an understanding of the end user in creating new spaces at the heart of our practice.
Duncan has a particular interest in ways in which new technology can be used as a tool to better engage people in the built environment. Within his MPhil thesis, he studied approaches of open source technology, and how these are being applied within the field of architecture - with an interest in the potential for these ideas to democratise the development of places.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, Duncan led the practice to create innovative processes that engaged the public creativity through physically distanced, remotely facilitated and digital approaches - including youth engagement activity related to the redevelopment of key public spaces. One of these projects, Active Streets, was nominated by The Festival of Place | The Developer for the ‘Best in Community Engagement’ award at The Pineapples.
““I’m excited to develop tools that place greater power in the hands of people to shape their own places.
While new technologies can play a fantastic role in widening access, it’s important to remember that the heart of community design is creating an inclusive space for deliberation, creativity and decision making, and not letting the tool lead the process.””