Dr. Jenni Barrett
Senior Lecturer
School of Art, Design and Fashion
Harris Building
+44 (0) 1772 89 3240
Subject Areas: Architecture, Business and Management, Construction and Surveying, Design, Energy and Sustainability, Engineering, Psychology
Following extensive experience in practice, Jenni Barrett now conducts interdisciplinary research about and for the construction industry. Combining social psychology with thinking and practice in the engineering, architecture, and design fields, Jenni’s research is carried out in partnership with industry to analyse and understand behaviour that promotes effective multidisciplinary collaboration across the physical and digital worlds e.g using BIM platforms. Jenni is also PhD supervisor and Programme Co-ordinator for the suite of postgraduate design courses in the school of Art, Design, and Fashion.
Full Profile
As a chartered landscape architect and urban designer, Jenni’s early practice was in regeneration strategies that combined public art and the social regeneration of neighbourhoods in East London. She worked on one of the UK’s largest Arts Lottery funded project and worked on a number of multi-million pound PFI and multidisciplinary projects. As practice Principal, Jenni also developed urban masterplans for coastal resorts and university campuses, created therapeutic landscapes for hospitals and schools, culminating in a practice portfolio spanning 15 years.
Following completion of the Interdisciplinary Design for the Built Environment programme at the University of Cambridge, Jenni embarked upon an academic career. After performing the role of Course Leader for the new Masters of Architecture programme at UCLan, Jenni completed her doctorate with thesis entitled “An Exploratory Study of Collaboration in Built Environment Design Teams: A social psychology perspective,” in UCLan’s School of Psychology. Jenni continues this research, collaborating with industry to explore themes such as the impacts of gender homogeneity and virtual design space on design outcomes. Jenni has presented her findings at the University of Cambridge’s Centre for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) and as speaker at numerous industry events.
Jenni particularly welcomes PhD applications that transcend disciplinary boundaries in the design and construction fields.
Jenni is also Director of coLAB, a consultancy offering research, training, and project facilitation for the construction industry.
Qualifications
- PhD, School of Psychology, University of Central Lancashire, 2018
- MSt. Interdisciplinary Design for the Built Environment, University of Cambridge, 2006
- MA(Hons) Landscape Architecture, Edinburgh College of Art/Heriot-Watt University, 1997
Publications
Barrett, J. (2010) Blogging It: Encouraging Reflective Thinking For Architectural Practice in CEBE Transactions, Vol. 7, Issue 1, pp38-50 (13)
Barrett, J. (2010) Evolving The Idea: Designing teams for detailed design in Proceedings of the 9th International Detailed Design in Architecture Conference, University of Central Lancashire
Landscape Design (Autumn 2006): Team Roles and Design Outcomes
Urban Design (Autumn 2005): Experiencing the Millennium Bridge
Teaching activities and responsibilities
Programme Co-ordinator, MA Design Suite, School of Art, Design, and Fashion.
External Activities
Director, coLAB
Research Activities
Interdisciplinary design and practice; collaboration in construction; gender and diversity in construction; creative thinking; workplace environments.
Member of the Centre for Sustainable Development
Memberships
- Chartered Member of the Landscape Institute
- Fellow of the Higher Education Academy