Dr Paul Harries

Head of Architecture
Paul Harries

Background

Dr Paul Harries is a practicing architect with over 30 years experience in practice and teaching. He is Head of the Swansea School of Architecture and a Director of BCHN Architects.

Having a practicing architect in a lead role in a School of Architecture is common on the European continent, perhaps less so in the UK. It underpins the objectives of both BSc and MArch courses in Architecture to closely align education and practice – with a view to producing graduates with a sound theoretical base and an ability to perform in practice.

Paul has a wide variety of experience in design, including master planning, interior design and the design of a wide range of building types. Many of his buildings have received design awards – including five RIBA Awards. He has lectured, taught, acted as visiting critic, course validator and external examiner at several Schools of Architecture, both in the UK and internationally.

He teaches the MArch Studio and the MArch Research Methods for Architects.

Specialist Subjects

  • European Modernism
  • Architectural Aesthetics and Ideology.
  • Designing contemporary buildings in historic contexts.

Professional and/or Research Experience

Paul has over 30 Years experience in practice, he is currently a Director at BCHN Architects. He specialises in the design of educational buildings, developing collaborative approaches to design along with an emphasis on sustainable architectural solutions. He trained at the Welsh School of Architecture and spent the early years of his career working in London in both the private practice and the public sector.

Paul undertook his PhD by Research titled 'Modernism and Style – The Aesthetics of Cultural Incorporation’. His primary area of research interest is the impact of ideas central to the tenets of the Modern Movement in Architecture in the UK. He has acted as External Examiner at eight universities and sat on five degree course validation panels at different universities.

Qualifications

  • RIBA Chartered Architect
  • ARB Registered Architect
  • PhD University of Wales College, Cardiff
  • BArch (Dist) University of Wales College, Cardiff
  • BSc (Hons) University of Wales, Cardiff

Languages Spoken

English

Professional Membership or Roles

Registered Architect (ARB)
Architects Registration Board
Royal Institute of British Architects

Academic Teaching

External Recognition or Rewards

RIBA Awards:
2021 RIBA Regional Award No. 4 Restaurant, Shrewsbury
2019 RIBA Regional Award Wrekin College Business School, Wellington
2010 Shortlisted for RIBA Award Upper Arley Primary School, Upper Arley
2008 RIBA Award St Judes Primary School, Wolverhampton
2005 Shortlisted for RIBA Award Mansers Antiques, Shrewsbury
2001 RIBA Award Students Canteen, Concord College, Acton Burnell

Civic Trust Awards:
2018 Civic Trust Regional Award Lawley Village Primary School, Telford
2017 Civic Trust Regional Award Fordbridge Community Primary School, Solihull
2017 Civic Trust Regional Award Coleshill Heath Primary School, Solihull
2016 Civic Trust Regional Award Pelsall Village Centre, Walsall
2013 Civic Trust Regional Award Gwernevy House, Powys
2009 Civic Trust Award (Com) St Judes Primary School, Wolverhampton
2005 Civic Trust Award 2005 Mansers Antiques, Shrewsbury
2003 Civic Trust Award (Com) Concord College, Student Canteen, Acton Burnell
1998 Civic Trust Award Heavers Farm Primary School, South London

SCALA Award

SCALA Civic Building of the Year 2007 St Jude’s Primary School, Wolverhampton

Professional Publications

  • ‘Meaning in Architecture: Post-modernism, Hustling and the Big Sell’ in Canter, Krampen and Stea ‘Environmental Perspectives, Paul Harries, Alan Lipman, Stephen Purden, Routledge 2025
  • ‘Making Hay: the sun shines’, Building review of Hay Castle by Dr Paul Harries. Touchstone The Journal for Architecture in Wales. 2024.
  • Book review of 'The Architecture of Defiance' by Jonathan Adams - Book review by Dr Paul Harries for Touchstone, Th Journal for Architecture in Wales.2023
  • ‘Freedom and Form’, Book Review, A3 Times, No. 10, Vol 4, 1988
  • ‘Old Wine in New Bottles’, Exhibition Review, Building Design, Oct, 1986.
  • ‘Working Hard at Looking Good’ (with Alan Lipman), Space and Society, 1984
  • ‘The Marketing of Meaning: Aesthetics Incorporated’ (with Alan Lipman and Steve Purden),
  • Environment and Planning B, 1982, Volume 9, pp 457-466.
  • Conference Presentation - Royal Society of Architects in Wales Spring School 2018, Portmeirion – ‘Swansea Waterfront: Swansea School of Architecture’.
  • Conference Presentation - Royal Society of Architects in Wales Conference 2017, Cardiff – ‘Equipping the next generation: How will architecture education respond to change in the next ten years.’
  • Conference Presentation - Eco Build Conference London Excel 2017 – ‘How could the Well Being of Future Generations Act frame architectural education.’
  • Conference Presentation - Royal Society of Architects in Wales Conference 2016, Cardiff – Growing the Architectural Profession in Wales.
  • Podcast: Remodelling Existing Buildings - Podcast 2 - 13.08.25 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uM4gpWanC
  • RIBA Awards Wales 2017 – Chair of regional judging panel.