Practice History
Design Engine was formed as a Partnership in 1999 and became a Private Limited Company in 2001.
We enjoy working in all sectors and at all scales; from masterplanning through to interiors and furniture design. Recently built projects are receiving critical attention and we have been recognised with an RIBA International Award and International LEAF Award for the new British Embassy in Yemen, the Special Civic Trust Housing Award and RIBA Award for Roseville Housing in Guernsey and an RIBA Award for the Student Centre for University of Winchester.
The practice has grown from strength to strength but in a controlled manner, with a head office in Winchester and 30 staff. Our concern is to ensure long-term financial stability by offering a first-class quality-driven service to our clients. In particular, we hold issues of sustainability at the core of our design philosophy, for which we have won a number of awards.
2010 is a defining year for us, with a new publication, DE9 (see ‘In Print’ above), this new website and a move into our new studios in central Winchester. Here, we will have a single studio for up to 35 designers, complemented by project rooms, model making workshop, meeting rooms and forum space.
Richard Jobson
Richard is a co-founder of the practice and has been the director responsible for the new RIBA International Award-Winning British Embassy in Yemen and the RIBA Award-Winning University of Winchester University Centre. Currently, he heads up the new 20,000sqm redevelopment of Oxford Brookes University’s Headington campus, which is has just received detailed planning permission.
Richard is an external examiner at Kingston University School of Architecture and a regular visiting critic at Portsmouth University School of Architecture. His expertise in bridge design, gained during his time as part of Ramboll’s bridge team in the 1990’s, led him to co-edit a book called ‘Bridge Builders’ in 2002.
Richard Rose-Casemore
Richard is a co-founder of Design Engine and has worked on all Design Engine projects in some capacity since the formation of the practice. His particular interest is in fostering a collaborative approach to design and often takes the role of ‘review director’, where he can offer twenty years of experience to our internal design review process.
Richard runs a post-graduate design unit at Oxford Brookes University Department of Architecture. He has also taught Professional Practice at the Architectural Association and is a regular visiting critic at Bath, Bartlett and Plymouth Schools of Architecture as well as acting as an External Examiner at the Portsmouth School from 2004-2008.
Previously with Richard Rogers Partnership, ORMS and Architecture PLB, Richard has been responsible for designing award-winning projects in the UK and in Spain prior to the creation of Design Engine. He has been responsible for six RIBA and two Civic Trust award-winning projects to date and was the winner of the 2001 Stephen Lawrence Prize for his own house in Winchester.
He is a member of the Chartered Society of Designers, a CABE Representative, an RIBA Client Design Advisor.
Rodney Graham
Rodney is a co-founder of Design Engine and has been responsible for the delivery of a number of our significant buildings; most recently an exemplary housing project in Guernsey which was awarded a Civic Trust Special Award and an RIBA Award. Rodney leads our housing team within the practice, which also carried out the design auditing role on five sites for the ‘Design for Manufacture’ Competition (also known as the ‘£60k House) for English Partnerships.
Design Engine projects in other sectors have included an environmental award-winning visitor centre in Warwick for the Hill Close Gardens Trust and refurbishment of The Examination Schools for Oxford University.
Rodney is a visiting critic at Portsmouth University and Huddersfield University Schools of Architecture and is an RIBA recognised examiner in Professional Practice. He intends to become a Code Assessor for Code for Sustainable Homes in 2010.