A number of practitioners and/or companies have been invited to attend the conference and be actively engaged in the round-table discussions. Those taking part include:

Richard Murphy Architects

Director, Richard Murphy  OBE, BA(Hons), Dip Arch,  RIBA, FRIAS, RSA, FRSA, FRSE, was educated at Newcastle and Edinburgh Universities. Before founding the practice he worked for Simpson & Brown Architects, Edinburgh, MacCormac Jamieson & Pritchard Architects London and directed the Edinburgh office of Alsop Lyall & Stormer Architects. He has also held a teaching position in Edinburgh University during which time he completed extensive research into the work of the Italian architect Carlo Scarpa at the Castelvecchio Museum Verona. He has also held part time teaching posts at Robert Gordon University Aberdeen, Edinburgh College of Art, Strathclyde University Glasgow, Technical University of Braunschweig Germany, University of Virginia and Syracuse University New York State.

Publications by Richard Murphy include: Carlo Scarpa and the Castelvecchio, published by Butterworths Architecture in English, and Arsenale Editrice in Italian; Querini Stampalia Foundation, Carlo Scarpa, published by Phaidon Press, London 1993 and by Dohosha Publishing Tokyo in Japanese; An Architects’ Appreciation of Charles Rennie Mackintosh for the Mackintosh Society, published by Bellew Publishing.

He also presented a Channel 4 documentary “Carlo Scarpa” produced by Murray Grigor, first broadcast October 1996.

Richard Murphy is a Member of the RIBA, a Fellow of the RIAS, an Academician of the Royal Scottish Academy, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, a Member of the RIAS Awards Committee, a Trustee of the RIBA Foundation Trust, a Trustee of the Turn End Trust, an Honorary Fellow of Napier University, and a frequent Chairman of Regional RIBA Awards Panels.

In 2006 Richard was voted “Scottish Architect of the Year” by the readers of Prospect Magazine. In the Queen’s New Year’s Honours 2007, he was awarded an OBE.

Ian Springford Architects

Ian Springford Architects Ltd were established in January 2000. The practice is based in Edinburgh with projects across Scotland and the UK, and provides a full range of design services from initial briefing stages through to site administration. The practice is a registered member of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) and Royal Incorporation of British Architects (RIBA).

Professional Lighting Designer's Association

PLDA aims to promote the importance of quality lighting for the human environment and of the Designer as its creator. Architects, engineers and designers are not confined to working within their country of origin. PLDA Designers identify themselves as a group of professionals dedicated to the common aim of promoting a better understanding and recognition of the critical role of light and lighting in the built environment. Although daylight, the culture of light and the application of electrical light differs from one geographical region to the other, the qualifications for the Designer and the standards of his/her professional practice are essentially the same, wherever he/she may be. The purposeful application of light and the effect this has on architecture and the users of the architectural spaces know no boundaries. Together, practising Designers can work towards the aim of increasing the awareness of quality lighting and continue to develop this through the active exchange of ideas and experience.

Iris Dunbar, Director of Education and Continuous Professional Development, the British Interior Design Association and the Interior Design School, London

Iris Dunbar’s first ambition was to go to Art School. In the late sixties there were four schools in Scotland and the choice was based on location, so she went to Dundee Art School. Following her studies in Scotland she started work with Building Design Partnership in 1972, one of the largest multi disciplinary practices in the UK. Over four years at BDP Iris was involved with commercial projects for The English Tourist Board, Logica plc, Northern Bank of Ireland and Banco de Lisboa. In the last year at BDP she spent one day a week teaching at Berkshire College of Art. In the next year Iris became a lecturer three days a week and started taking on freelance commissions. 

This led to a partnership with Andy Ewan, and her sister Jilli, both graphic design graduates from Dundee. The Yellow Pencil Company Limited was formed in 1976 offering graphics, exhibitions, events and interiors. The combination of disciplines enabled them to work with a variety of clients from The London Fashion Exhibition, Scott Howard Furniture, Logica PLC, New York New York Restaurant, Prime Time Television and Fashion Fabrex.

In 1982 Jilli and Iris parted company with Andy and set up Design Angle working on corporate identities for companies as well as exhibition and promotional work and interiors. Projects included exhibition work for Logica in Paris and Olympia, promotional graphics and exhibitions for Cardkey International, offices for Westminster Chamber of Commerce, Retail units at Albert Dock in Liverpool and the Pizza Plaza Restaurant in London.

Her next partnership was with Stephen Brown in 1989. They started a new company specialising in creative events with a design edge called The Very Interesting Company. They worked with companies such as Shearwater Properties, Holland and Barrett, Connell Wilson, Debenhams and British Airport Authorities. The aim of the company was to design events that enabled companies to promote their products

Throughout Iris’ career she continued part-time teaching and in the late eighties she was asked to become Director of Studies with Palladio Interior Design Academy. In 1991 she took over the management of the school and changed the name to The Design School offering a comprehensive course that covered both residential and commercial interiors.

Iris was elected on the Board of The British Interior Design Association in 2005 and she is presently Director of Education and Continuous Professional Development. She am also a Fellow of the Chartered Society of Designers and The Royal Society of Arts.

 John McNeece, Chartered Society of Designers and Managing Director, the McNeece Consultancy

 John ran his own professional interior design practice for 40 years, during which he designed the interiors of some of the world's finest ships for most of the major cruise and ferry lines as well as picking up three British National Design Awards and a Seatrade Innovation Award among others.

 John set up The McNEECE Consultancy in 2002 as a new business venture. He was previously the chairman of McNeece, the acclaimed London based company of designers and architects which he established in 1962. It was through his unique marketing and public relations skills as well as his vision, purpose and energy that allowed McNeece to become an internationally recognised brand name in its chosen field. Clients included Celebrity Cruises, Cunard Line, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, P&O Cruises, Renaissance Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruises and Saga Shipping. In the corporate sector the client list contained numerous international brands including British Aerospace, BAA, BBC, British Gas, BOC, BT, Civil Aviation Authority, Ericsson, Eurotunnel Investments, GEC, Hasbro Europe, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Jaeger, Lufthansa, Marathon Oil, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Rolls Royce, Shell Exploration, STC, T-Mobile, TSB, Touche Ross and many more. He now uses his knowledge and experience to assist companies seeking new business opportunities in national and international markets.

John is currently the Honorary Treasurer of The Chartered Society of Designers.

Kevan Shaw Lighting

Val Clugston, Director of Nomad rdc Ltd

From its inception, nomad’s purpose has been to explore and evolve the process of design through research and investigation. They offer a full range of design services from interiors to graphics, and have particular expertise in public sector projects that comprise a number of functions. Their team consists of designers, teachers, scientists and engineers, who all retain their experimental spirit through collaborative and multi-disciplinary process.

Gordon Watson, former Director SMC Group Plc

Gordon Watson qualified as an interior designer at Napier in Edinburgh in 1973 and took up his first roles with businesses in London designing retail stores, financial services outlets and office interiors. In 1978 he joined the design group created by Stewart McColl (a Glaswegian) which competed for retail store design projects against the likes of Fitch & Co and Conran Design Group. In 1982 Gordon took up a Business Development and since has played a role in securing much of the company's work across several market sectors, but principally involving shopping centres, mixed-use developments and airport retail design, which has brought him into contact with some of the most influential players in our industry. Until 2007, Gordon was a director of the SMC Group Plc, one of the largest architecture and design businesses in the UK and the largest in Scotland (with Scottish companies such as Davis Duncan, Parr, Hugh Martin and Jenkins & Marr within the fold) and elsewhere highly innovative world renowned designers such as Will Alsop.

Sumeet Bellara, Materials and Design Exchange (MADE)

Sumeet Bellara is a Materials Advisor for the Institute and represents the Institute within the Materials and Design Exchange (MADE) group of the Materials KTN. Sumeet studied and completed his PhD in Material Science and Engineering at the University of Surrey. He has worked in merchandise sourcing and designing, as a merchandiser, working with non-technical fabrics, plastics, metals and ceramics. Prior to his appointment at the Institute, Sumeet worked in Nottingham for Scott Wilson Ltd as a Materials Consultant. His expertise is in fibre reinforced plastics, tile and sanitary ware glazes, pavement and construction materials including recycled and secondary materials, chemical analysis of materials, assessment of non-metallic materials in harsh environments, bioremediation, waste minimisation, and alternative technologies for road surveying. His main duties include writing for MADE magazine and he is the curator of the MADE Materials Resource Centre at 1 Carlton House Terrace, London.

The Materials and Design Exchange – MADE - brings together the communities of design and materials technology in order to stimulate innovation, promote the transfer of materials knowledge and improve the competitiveness of UK business.

Kees Spanjers, ECIA

Kees is a registered architect and lives and works in Amsterdam and New York. He is a director of Zaanen Spanjers Architects in Amsterdam, specialising in cultural buildings and public interiors. He is the recipient of numerous awards, in particular the Architectural Record Interiors Award, European Parking Award.

Kees is the current President of the ECIA (European Council of Interior Architects) and a co- opted board member of IFI (international Federation of Interior Architects/Designers). He is the current president of the Dutch Board of Arbitrage for Architects and a board member of the Dutch Historic Interiors Society.

He is a past President and honourable member of BNI, the National Organisation of Interior Architects in the Netherlands. He has made an excellent contribution to the interior architecture profession and particularly in IFI taking the role of project manager co-ordinator in the 'Joining Forces' and is currently project managing the IFI 2007 Yearbook publication.

He is passionate about the profession and brings to IFI a breadth of knowledge about the practice of Interior Architecture particularly in Europe. Kees has written many professional articles in numerous publications. He continues to strive for excellence in professional practice and has been instrumental in this role for ECIA and for IFI.

Professor Ric Russell OBE RSA DA RIBA ARIAS, Nicoll Russell Studios

Ric Russell is a senior partner of the award winning Nicoll Russell Studios which he co-founded in 1982. Ric graduated from the Dundee School of Architecture at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art, qualifying 1971.   NRS has gained wide ranging experience in housing, commercial, industrial and arts buildings as well as being a specialist in contextual, environmental and interior design. 

He has had direct responsibility for several RIBA Award-winning buildings, including Dundee Repertory Theatre, The TSB Bank in St Andrews, the Grianan office Building in Dundee Technology Park, Scrimgeour's Corner, Housing Development, Crieff, The Byre Theatre of St Andrews and The Scottish School of Contemporary Dance at Dundee College, known as 'The Space'. Also acknowledged by 4 prestigious architectural awards is the "experimental" Whitetops Foundation Centre, a building at Dundee University for adults with profound disabilities. Recently Ric has been involved in the development of an Lanntair Arts Centre and Theatre, Stornoway. He has collaborated with Engineers on many projects with landscape and civil engineering content including a series of motorway bridge projects in Scotland, England and Ireland and the Beckton Gateway, a major bridge for London Docklands. He was responsible for the innovative concept for the Falkirk Wheel which was the re-linkage of the Union and Forth/Clyde Canals involving the construction of the unique mechanised boat lift, aqueduct and tunnel combination negotiating a 35 metre level change.

He has had a continued involvement with many Schools of Architecture throughout the UK and has addressed the RIAS Convention on several occasions and delivered lectures to a wide ranging audience of professional and lay people. In 1996 he was elected as an Associate of the RSA, the Royal Scottish Academy and in 1998 he was granted Honorary Professorships at Heriot Watt University School of Architecture and at Dundee School of Architecture, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art. Ric was awarded an OBE for services to architecture in 2005. Currently Ric is on the RIAS Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland Student Awards Committee and is a member of the Saltire Housing Design Panel. He has been on the Adjudicating Panel of several Architectural Competitions; and served as a Commissioner for Royal Fine Arts Commission Scotland from 1998 to 2005.

Antonia Cairns, DEGW

DEGW is a leading global consultancy operating from offices in Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Americas. Established in 1973, London is DEGW's largest office with some 120 people from a wide range of backgrounds including architecture, interior design, project management, ergonomics, psychology and statistics. Recent clients include BP, GlaxosmithKline, Accenture, HM Treasury, Ministry of Defence, BBC and J Walter Thompson.

Antonia is a designer and consultant with the firm.

Speirs and Major Associates, Lighting Architects

Originally established in 1992 Speirs and Major Associates was formed from the merger of Jonathan Speirs and Associates and Speirs and Major (Lighting Architects Group). From their two studios in London and Edinburgh they offer a full range of professional lighting design services, from daylight and sunlight analysis to artificial lighting design and specification. They have completed a wide variety of award-winning projects for both public and private clients, including corporate headquarters, museums and exhibitions, hotel and retail developments, transport projects and religious buildings. They also have extensive experience of working on lighting masterplans, public realm and landscape projects, bridges, towers and other special iconic structures and have been commissioned to produce a number of light-art installations.