About Robert Barker, Stolon
An architect & planner with 20 years experience, Robert is an RIBA fellow, recognised for expertise in flood-risk & sociable design.

Robert Barker is one of the co-founders of Stolon Studio Ltd and an RIBA fellow. He has 20 years experience in architecture, planning and landscape design. He has delivered some unusual and highly innovative architecture, such as Forest Mews, Kaolin Court co-housing, the Thames Amphibious House, the prefab Chichester Floating Home, and the flood-resilient property at the BRE park. He has developed various master-planning projects, such as flood-resilient housing in Essex, West Sussex, Norwich, the M55 metro extension in Amsterdam, ZAC Seine Gare Vitry in Paris and other water related plans in the UK. He has been responsible for numerous projects researching zero-carbon, climate adaptation and flood-resilience; and is now developing work on sociable architecture. At Stolon Studio he has developed a growing expertise in complex backland or infill sites, with unique projects located across London. He continues to innovate in each and every architecture project, evolving and exploring new concepts, different materials and working methods in a constant search to create better living and working environments. He is currently involved in a radical new modular construction system.
Robert trained at the Royal College of Art then worked for Birds Portchmouth Russum before setting up Barker and Couts Architects (Baca) in 2003. He went on to win numerous awards and recognition as one of the leading innovators in flood resilient and adaptable architecture and spatial planning. At Baca he led the Long-term Initiatives for Flood-risk Environments (LifE) project and the Climate Adaptive Neighbourhood (CAN) project, which won the RIBA Presidents Award for Research in 2009 and 2014, followed by a commendation for the Amphibious House in 2017. Robert co-authored the Metric Handbook Flood Aware Chapter (2015) and the RIBA book - Aquatecture (2016), he also contributed to the World Bank: Cities and Flooding and various other international books.
Featured articles and news
How can digital twins boost profitability within construction?
A brief description of a smart construction dashboard, collecting as-built data, as a s site changes forming an accurate digital twin.
Unlocking surplus public defence land and more to speed up the delivery of housing.
The Planning and Infrastructure bill oulined
With reactions from IHBC and others on its potential impacts.
Farnborough College Unveils its Half-house for Sustainable Construction Training.
Spring Statement 2025 with reactions from industry
Confirming previously announced funding, and welfare changes amid adjusted growth forecast.
Scottish Government responds to Grenfell report
As fund for unsafe cladding assessments is launched.
CLC and BSR process map for HRB approvals
One of the initial outputs of their weekly BSR meetings.
Architects Academy at an insulation manufacturing facility
Programme of technical engagement for aspiring designers.
Building Safety Levy technical consultation response
Details of the planned levy now due in 2026.
Great British Energy install solar on school and NHS sites
200 schools and 200 NHS sites to get solar systems, as first project of the newly formed government initiative.
600 million for 60,000 more skilled construction workers
Announced by Treasury ahead of the Spring Statement.
The restoration of the novelist’s birthplace in Eastwood.
Life Critical Fire Safety External Wall System LCFS EWS
Breaking down what is meant by this now often used term.
PAC report on the Remediation of Dangerous Cladding
Recommendations on workforce, transparency, support, insurance, funding, fraud and mismanagement.
New towns, expanded settlements and housing delivery
Modular inquiry asks if new towns and expanded settlements are an effective means of delivering housing.
Building Engineering Business Survey Q1 2025
Survey shows growth remains flat as skill shortages and volatile pricing persist.