James Bruges was brought up in Kashmir. He returned to England aged twelve and, after formal schooling, went on to study architecture at the Architectural Association in London. He has since been a practising architect in London, the Sudan (University of Khartoum 1962-65), and Bristol. He founded the Bruges Tozer Partnership in Bristol, Bruges Tozer Limited in London, and formed the Concept Planning Group in Bristol with two other firms to undertake urban planning projects.
In 1995 James left architectural practice to concentrate on environmental issues which had become, through his architectural work, a major concern for him. He set up, jointly, Leigh Court Farm in Bristol (an edge-of-town organic enterprise), and became an adviser to an environmental trust. In 1999 James published Sustainability and the Bristol Urban Village Initiative. He also makes annual visits to India to remain in close contact with Gandhian rural projects.
He currently lives in Bristol and is married with four (grown-up) children.
