About the practice

UPB is an architecture and urban design practice specialising in education and residential design. We work with schools, academy trusts, local authorities, developers and private clients to deliver well-crafted buildings within tight budgets and complex constraints. We see design as a practical tool: a way to unlock value, reduce risk and create generous, durable spaces, even where funding is limited. Our work is driven by careful planning, intelligent management structures and clear communication, allowing us to make the most of every pound spent. We are experienced in supporting schools through CIF bids, feasibility studies and estate planning, translating funding and policy requirements into buildable, efficient and climate-responsive architecture. Our portfolio ranges from housing and private homes to school buildings, refurbishments and community-focused projects. We are particularly skilled in working with difficult sites, live environments and constrained programmes. We understand the pressures faced by education clients operating within strict funding, safeguarding and operational frameworks. Alongside built work, Urban Projects Bureau undertakes strategic and research-led projects that inform our approach to practice. This ensures our buildings are not only carefully detailed and robust, but socially useful, adaptable and long-lasting. We work closely with clients, consultants and contractors as collaborative partners, combining design intelligence with technical rigour and delivery experience to produce architecture that is economical, responsible and quietly ambitious.