Jude wins 'Creative Industry Leader of the Year'

Director Jude Barber won ‘Creative Industries Leader of the Year’ at the Scottish Women Awards 2018 yesterday and the practice is very proud of her achievements.

Jude has worked tirelessly over the last decade to achieve so many positive benchmarks which have pushed at the boundaries of the Architecture profession.

There is no formula to the success of Jude's work; it is a result of her determined and engaging personality. Her unique combination of design ability and social awareness linked with her constant effort to pursue all forms of equality is always present, and evident in; The Empire Cafe, interrogating Scotland’s involvement in the Slave Trade, Voices of Experience, an on-going project that shines a spotlight on key female figures who have often been overlooked, and ‘The Better Days’ solo exhibition which called on politicians to recapture post-war optimism and put quality architecture and the built environment back at the heart of Scottish life. Jude has also won the inaugural National Achievement Award and has been active in several campaigns and marches to promote women in architecture.

The ethos of Collective Architecture mirrors Jude’s inclusive approach, and individuals are encouraged to develop their own architecture leading to a richness of ideas and debate within our two studios. Jude’s influence in promoting this view extends beyond our practice, from her involvement in A New Chapter, seeking reform in the RIAS, to teaching and lecturing at various Schools of Architecture across the UK.

With regards to Jude’s own (multi award winning) work it is important to highlight her ability to work collaboratively and still produce unique and distinctive architecture. This is particularly evidenced by projects that required skilful sculpting of form and material such as Centrepoint Hub, Gowkthrapple, superbly crafted housing projects across Scotland and the recently completed Glasgow Women’s Library which was shortlisted for the Art Fund Museum of the Year 2018 and awarded the title ‘Recognised Collections of National Significance’ by Museum Galleries Scotland.

Jude is a talent who enriches architecture and the lives of those she works with and her role within Collective Architecture is never underestimated.