Design West

Design West Centre of excellence for design & placemaking. We bring people together to shape better places across the South West.

Founded in 1996, Design West is a centre of excellence for design & placemaking. Our mission is to inspire the public, politicians & professionals across the built environment to design, better, healthier, places to live, work & relax. We learn from our heritage to build our future. A registered charity we put design & social value at our heart. Design West is the new name for The Architecture Cen

tre & Creating Excellence. Our programmes inspire, inform & involve people in the design of the world around them. We work across sectors & society to innovate, co-design & challenge. We are international & local, bringing the best people together to shape better places. We are, collaborative, creative, expert, independent, open & visionary.

13/04/2026

🚨 Last spaces left for our Urban Sketching evening course 🚨

Starting this Wednesday, this 6 week course is a creative way to engage with architecture, streetscapes, & public space✏️

Tickets in comments👇🏼

09/04/2026

Is Affordable Housing a pipe dream? 🏠

📣 : Affordable Housing
📅 Wed 15 Apr
📍 The Architect
👇🏼 Ticket link in comments

What do we mean by affordable housing? What is working and what isn't? And what can we do to give everyone a decent home?

Join the debate as we plot a way forward together

Our journey through the History of Art continues with new course '19th Century European Art'🎨⭐️ 6 week Monday evening co...
23/03/2026

Our journey through the History of Art continues with new course '19th Century European Art'🎨

⭐️ 6 week Monday evening course
👇🏼Tickets: link in comments

Led by celebrated historian Andrew Foyle, broaden your art history knowledge with this 6 week course.

21/03/2026

Our ever-popular Urban Sketching course is running again this spring! 📣

Ever wanted to be able to draw the world around you? Urban Sketching is a creative, hands-on way to engage with architecture, streetscapes, & public space✏️

This 6 week evening course is a sell out every term, so secure your place now! Link in comments.

Meet our wonderful speakers for this Thursday's talk at Arnolfini!Julia Barfield will be in conversation about her life ...
19/03/2026

Meet our wonderful speakers for this Thursday's talk at Arnolfini!

Julia Barfield will be in conversation about her life & career as one of the UK's leading contemporary architects with Editor of the RIBA Journal, Eleanor Young.

👇🏼Ticket link in comments

Interior Design Foundations is back! 📣This 5 week course is for all home improvers & interiors enthusiasts 🛋️Whether you...
17/03/2026

Interior Design Foundations is back! 📣

This 5 week course is for all home improvers & interiors enthusiasts 🛋️

Whether you're renting or renovating, you will come away with the confidence & knowledge to transform your space.

👇🏼Ticket link in comments

05/03/2026

Leadership in architecture is not only about height or scale, but about vision✨

Join us for a special lecture from Julia Barfield, one of the UK's most influential contemporary architects. From the London Eye to the proposed West Somerset Tidal Lagoon, Julia's visionary infrastructure changes skylines for a culturally meaningful, greener future.

❤️ Julia Barfield
📆 Thur 26 Mar
📍Arnolfini
🎟️ Ticket link in comments

This International Women’s Day hear more about Julia's life in architecture & her visions for the future.

And just like that, tomorrow's talk 'The Good City' is SOLD OUT! 🚨If you missed out on this one, tickets are already on ...
25/02/2026

And just like that, tomorrow's talk 'The Good City' is SOLD OUT! 🚨

If you missed out on this one, tickets are already on sale for next month's lecture by visionary architect Julia Barfield. Act fast.

Sign up to our newsletter to stay up to date with everything we have going on.

Links in bio👆🏼👆🏼

Meet the speakers for this week's talk The Good City at : Eiji Okada - NK Urban TokyoNatalia Uribe - Andy Macintosh - ...
25/02/2026

Meet the speakers for this week's talk The Good City at :

Eiji Okada - NK Urban Tokyo
Natalia Uribe -
Andy Macintosh -
Adam Crowther -

🚎 The Good City
📆 Thur 26 Feb
🚨 Final remaining tickets: link in bio

With thanks to our event sponsors

09/02/2026

What makes a city tick?

How can we make a city work for its people? Hear live from Tokyo, "one of the safest, cleanest & most transit-oriented cities in the world."

🚌 The Good City
📍 Arnolfini
📆 Thur 26 Feb
👇🏼 Ticket link in comments

Join us for a talk exploring cities around the world. What do they get right? What do they get wrong? And how does Bristol compare...?

Banish the winter blues & escape to Da Vinci's Italy 🎨Join us on a journey through the History of European Art from 1400...
23/01/2026

Banish the winter blues & escape to Da Vinci's Italy 🎨

Join us on a journey through the History of European Art from 1400-1800, led by celebrated historian Andrew Foyle.

⭐️ 6 week Monday evening course
👇🏼 Tickets: link in comments

Whether you’re looking to rediscover your love of the old masters, or simply want to broaden your art history knowledge, this 6-week course is for you.

Address

16 Narrow Quay
Bristol
BS14QA

Opening Hours

Monday 11am - 11pm
Tuesday 11am - 11pm
Wednesday 11am - 11pm
Thursday 11am - 11pm
Friday 11am - 11pm
Saturday 11am - 11pm
Sunday 11pm - 5pm

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