Slider Studio was founded in 2005 by chartered architect Michael Kohn.

In his early career Michael explored the problem of lack of consumer choice in housing, with numerous competition wins including the HangerHouse, winner of the Concept House 2000. Michael soon realised that user centric design ideas in architecture and housing would only be viable using purpose built software. Michael also observed that the built environment in general relied heavily on collaboration practices, and good design feedback from clients and end users, yet both these processes were poorly supported.

Accordingly Michael returned to university to complete an MSc in Computing and Design in 2004. During his retraining he met Estonian architect Renee Puusepp who was pioneering advanced techniques in agent modelling for architectural simulation. Michael and Renee set about establishing a new type of architectural practice that combined architecture and computing capabilities, and they began to develop innovative tools that might change how architecture could be practiced. Slider Studio was born being named after the slider controls available to change design parameters in Michael and Renee’s earliest software prototypes.

Slider started by offering automation of design methods and building purpose software on top of mainstream CAD packages to large practices. Soon the team moved into online 3D virtual environments for more immersive communication to clients and end users. The company has doubled in size every year and the team now combines architecture, computation and web expertise.

Our major development effort is directed at StickyWorld, an online design review platform which will champion Slider’s agenda of democratic design from 2010.