Scott Brownrigg’s Design Research Unit (DRU) has published the latest issue of Intelligent Architecture (iA).

The iA publication casts a spotlight on those fields of research and design activities that can make a difference to the practice, the built environment and to a client’s projects, as well as on the individuals and groups that carried out that research.

The latest issue focuses on the theme of ‘Architecture and Movement’. It expands the definition of what architecture and movement actually includes, looking at movement in relation to wider topics such as current themes and trends within infrastructure through Scott Brownrigg’s national and international projects and where current thinking may lead. The publication also includes a review of research into projects that have notions of movement embedded within their concept in a less obvious way. Insights are also provided into the idea of architecture and movement in a broader sense; how it equally operates from the micro as well as the macro; from the design of a chair to that of an airport.

Design Research Unit (DRU) is an ideas-led centre of expertise at the heart of the practice. It is simultaneously a knowledge base, think tank, school, driver for change, research and development body and ideas fulcrum. It tackles design, technological, sustainability, economical and sociological factors that impact on the built environment. Through collaboration, both internally and with external bodies it aims to lead the way in incubating original thought, to develop intelligent design and innovative technical solutions to address these specific industry challenges, with an interest in ‘Design through Research and Research through Design’. The Unit’s ethos is: research – discovery – intelligence – knowledge – disseminate.

Neil MacOmish, Group Board Director who leads Design Research Unit said: “The very notion that architecture is inclusive of movement is, of course, obvious. We have, however, within our thematic proposal in this addition of iA, expanded the definition of what architecture and movement actually includes. This new definition is not, however, wilfully liberal; it tries to challenge what might be conceived to be the orthodoxy, but at the same time is grounded in the real engagement in an architecture that embodies movement as its essence.”

Originally founded in London in 1942, Design Research Unit was responsible for some of the most important designs produced in post-war Britain. The Unit devised some of the first and most comprehensive corporate design schemes for key players in British industry including work for the London Transport Network, the Festival of Britain and British Rail. In 2004 it became part of Scott Brownrigg. The Unit’s intent - to combine creative intelligence with technical research, and the principles of cross discipline collaboration and research for the advancement of design and the built environment remain its focus today.

Should you be interested in finding out more about the Design Research Unit and or wish to discuss any potential research programmes which might be of interest to the Unit please contact DRU@scottbrownrigg.com