Where are all the architects and spatial thinkers?

This chapter reflects on the work of an architect-practitioner turned architectural researcher. The themes of the book – making, doing and seeing space – are considered in reverse order. The chapter starts with the idea that making space begins with the careful drafting of briefing documents. Doing space entails a reflection on the current practice of professional fee-cutting where design fees are often stripped to the bone by clients or their representative groups to ensure competitive bidding. Seeing space presents a reflection on the idea of closing the research loop by learning from practice to inform future buildings and their briefs. Building design can have a causal effect on the social patterns of the people that live, work and occupy our built environments. Often it is the least powerful group that experiences the most negative impact. Dementia sufferers within nursing homes, children in schools or desk-bound office workers are just some of the occupants whose environments can have a lasting good or bad effect. Many issues that have a spatial consequence are talked about separately, in both architectural practice and in spatial research. This chapter advocates to bring practice, research and building users together to make, do and see better spatial environments.