About us

Baxter Phillips Architects is a practice of architects that has been formed by Robert Baxter ( RBD Architects ) and Michael Phillips ( Michael Phillips Associates) for the joint promotion of our expertise and experience.


ROBERT was born in Cheshire and was educated at Shrewsbury School and Oxford Brookes. His maternal grandfather, William Morris (alas not the other William Morris) was a well known Cheshire Architect who was head of ICI Estates Department (known then as Brunner Mond) based in Northwich.
Robert worked in Cheshire as an assistant for Eric Thompson Architects in Northwich, followed by a year out placement with James Parker Ltd, Refurbishment Contractors in Chester.
As a project architect Robert worked in Chester, with James Brotherhood and Associates and McCormick Associates.
He gained practical experience in refurbishment work in Chester before becoming a partner in Brook Baxter, based in Camden Town in 1985.
Robert has considerable expertise in alterations to listed buildings and has worked on projects ranging from timber frame buildings to Georgian and Victorian town houses for both individual and commercial clients.
Robert has undertaken a considerable number of projects in the Inns of Court, in central London, including the new cafe bar and short let flats above at Gray's Inn.
Robert and Tim Brook designed The Facts Aids Centre in North London, the second Aids treatment centre in the UK, which was opened by Diana Princess of Wales.
Robert, working with Wandsworth Borough Council, made the first ever UK on-line planning application. The Royal Institute of British Architects, noted that RBD had made it's place in planning history.
Robert set up RBD in 1998. RBD specialises in one off residential private contracts, ranging from alterations, extensions and basements. We are now working on contracts where two contractors are working on one site - one digging a basement under whilst one building over ! These are very complex contracts but save considerable time to the client.
He lives in Battersea off Wandsworth Common, south west London and in Tarporley and his interests include ski-ing, photography, golf and salmon fishing. He was the Chairman elect of the London branch of the Salmon and Trout Association, is a member of Delamere Forest Golf Club, is a member of The Hurlingham Club, is a keen Manchester United and Harlequins supporter.
Robert is married and has two sons, one at Nottingham University, one at Dulwich College.


MICHAEL studied at Bath University, gaining a distinction in his studies and was awarded the De Vere Urban Design prize.
His first job placement was to work under Sir Hugh Casson of Casson Conder & partners in West Kensington followed by Sir Philip Powel and Jacko Moya at Powell and Moya in Chelsea where he worked on the on the Queen Elizabeth Conference centre in Parliament square. He moved to Newcastle for a time working for Ralph Erskine’s office on the celebrated Byker wall housing scheme where he lived and worked on site. The Byker estate is internationally renowned as one of the earliest examples of community architecture and was widely considered to be among the most successful low-cost housing developments of the time.
He became project architect on a number of commercial office and industrial schemes with HLM Architects and set up his own practice MPA in 1985. He has prepared feasibility designs for a number of law courts and was involved in the conversion of Smithfield meat market to modern standards.
He has extensive experience of housing and refurbishment works with a particular interest in specialised one off houses and fully coordinated conversion projects.
Michael lives on the Heaver Estate in south west London and his interests include sailing and music.
Michael is married with two sons, the eldest at Manchester University and a daughter just into her teens.


Michael and Robert are associates in each others practices, working independently on smaller projects and working together on a number of larger commercial schemes.

Our clients include corporations, property developers, professional practices, inns of court, pub / bar developers and private individuals. We have overseas clients who receive drawings, schedules etc. electronically.