Deborah Saunt facts for kids

Deborah Saunt is an architect and urban designer from Australia who also teaches. She helped start a design studio in London called DSDHA with David Hills. This studio works on architecture, urban design, and research about spaces.

Early Life and Learning

Deborah Saunt was born in New South Wales, Australia. She grew up in Kenya and England. She studied at Heriot-Watt University and the University of Cambridge.

She also earned a special degree called a PhD from RMIT University. This degree focused on how architects actually work. She also received a special award called a Fellowship from the Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 for her work in the built environment.

Career

Deborah Saunt started her architecture career working with other famous architects. In the early 1990s, she helped with the design of the British Library in London. Later, she began teaching architecture in 1997 at the Architectural Association School of Architecture.

She has taught at many well-known universities, including the Royal College of Art and the University of Cambridge. She was even a visiting professor at the Yale School of Architecture in the United States.

DSDHA Projects

Deborah Saunt started her own company, DSDHA, with David Hills. Together, they have designed many interesting buildings. Some of their projects include:

• A unique "flat-iron" shaped building for Bosideng on South Molton Street in London.
• A residential building for the Riverside development on the Greenwich Peninsula.
• A block of homes in the Olympic Village in East Village.
• A special studio and gallery for artist Edmund de Waal in West Norwood.
• A jewellery studio for Alex Monroe in Bermondsey.

In 2009, one of DSDHA's projects, the St Anne’s SureStart Centre in Colchester, was nominated for a big European architecture award. In 2010, Saunt and Hills designed a new building for Christ's College in Guildford. This design was so good that it was shortlisted for the RIBA Stirling Prize, which is a very important award in British architecture.

Making Cities Better

Deborah Saunt is also involved in making cities better for everyone. She is a commissioner for the Independent Transport Commission, which advises on transport issues. She also helps Historic England protect important historical places.

She believes that everyone should have a say in how cities are built and designed. She often talks about architecture on TV and radio. She has been recognized as one of the most influential people in London by the Evening Standard newspaper.

Deborah Saunt always thinks beyond just one building. She works on big plans for how entire areas of a city can be improved. She also works to make architecture more open to everyone and to celebrate the work of women in her profession. She helped create the Jane Drew Prize in Architecture, which honors women architects. She also helped start the London School of Architecture, where she is now a trustee.

Personal Life

Deborah Saunt is married to her business partner, David Hills. They live in Clapham and have two children.

See also

In Spanish: Deborah Saunt para niños