Architecture and Urbanism (DRL)

Entry requirements

Four terms of study are divided into two phases. Phase 1, a three-term academic year beginning each autumn, introduces design techniques and topics through a combination of team-based studio work, workshops and seminar courses.

In Phase 2, which begins the following autumn, teams develop their Phase 1 work into a comprehensive design thesis project. At the end of January, these projects are presented to a panel of distinguished visiting critics. In the past, these have included Alisa Andrasek, Caroline Bos, Mark Cousins, Hernáan Díiaz Alonso, Molly Wright Steenson, John Frazer, Zaha Hadid, Michael Hansmeyer, Ariane Koek, Rem Koolhaas, Marta Malée-Alemany, Wolf Prix, Ali Rahim, David Ruy, Brett Steele, Ben Van Berkel and Winka Dubbeldam, among many others.

Months of entry

September

Course content

The Design Research Laboratory (DRL) is a 16-month, post-professional design research programme that leads to a Master of Architecture and Urbanism (MArch) degree. Our lab has been at the forefront of design experimentation for the past 20 years, pioneering advanced methods in design, computation and manufacturing. The programme is based on an evolving framework of three-year research cycles that interrogate architecture and urbanism from the city-scale to the nanoscale. DRL is led by innovators in the fields of architecture, design and engineering, and pursues an interdisciplinary approach to design that extends beyond architecture, fostering collaboration with companies such as Ferrari, Festo, AKTII, Reider and Odico Robotics. The lab remains a space of co-operation and curiosity, and develops the next generation of architects who will actively engage with and influence the field. DRL graduates have gone on to establish offices, lead advanced research groups and teach at schools worldwide.

Four terms of study are divided into two phases. Phase 1, a three-term academic year beginning each autumn, introduces design techniques and topics through a combination of team-based studio work, workshops and seminar courses.

In Phase 2, which begins the following autumn, teams develop their Phase 1 work into a comprehensive design thesis project. At the end of January, these projects are presented to a panel of distinguished visiting critics. In the past, these have included Alisa Andrasek, Caroline Bos, Mark Cousins, Hernáan Díiaz Alonso, Molly Wright Steenson, John Frazer, Zaha Hadid, Michael Hansmeyer, Ariane Koek, Rem Koolhaas, Marta Malée-Alemany, Wolf Prix, Ali Rahim, David Ruy, Brett Steele, Ben Van Berkel and Winka Dubbeldam, among many others.

Fees and funding

The MArch in Architecture and Urbanism is a 16-month programme of full-time study. The tuition fee for the programme is £42,816, which is paid in the first year of study.

Taught Postgraduate students may apply for a Bursary to support the duration of their studies in their programme.