GG: BDP's Founder

BDP founder, born in 1908, Professor Sir George Grenfell Baines (known affectionately as GG) set up in practice as an architect in Preston (UK) in 1937.

Four years later he teamed up with two other Preston practices and the Grenfell-Baines Group was born. Expansion in various locations in the UK continued throughout the 1940s and 1950s. In 1951 Grenfell Baines was the only northern architect appointed to design a building for the Festival of Britain in London.

In 1961 Building Design Partnership, as it was then, was launched as an interdisciplinary practice. On the occasion of his retirement in 1974, the advice of Professor Sir George Grenfell Baines was to “keep going, getting better”.
Since then the practice has grown to its current position of 13 locations throughout the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands, the MENA region, China and India.

BDP has evolved from an original concept largely inspired by one man’s vision and shared by a closely-knit group of colleagues who were committed to the same idea.

BDP’s policy today remains firmly based on a strongly held and convincing philosophy established in teamwork. It was the same interdisciplinary approach that was at the root of the original partnership that grew out of George Grenfell Baines’ broad-minded conviction.

The Grenfell Baines Award (GGB/BDP Award)
This award is given in honour of BDP's founder, Professor Sir George Grenfell Baines OBE. It is presented annually to the client and winning BDP team which has completed a project of outstanding design quality deemed to create an uplifting inspiring place for people and one that reflects the benefits of integrated working. The project must have won acclaim from the client and user, and will also have considerably advanced BDP's progress.
The trophy, a stainless steel wire sphere, symbolising integration, was designed by artist Dail Behennah.