Bartlett School of Architecture, University College London

The QS World Rankings by Subject 2025 are out, and The Bartlett has once again been ranked the #1 place in the UK and in the world to study architecture and the built environment. This year's ranking marks the third year in a row being rated first in the world, and 11 years in a row at the top of the UK rankings. The Bartlett, UCL's Faculty of the Built Environment, is the UK’s largest and most multidisciplinary hub for built environment education and research, drawing students and academics from around the world. Over 4,000 students join us each year to study architecture, urban design, planning, construction, resources, policy and more. Together, our mission is to find bold solutions to the crucial issues facing people, societies and the planet, and to build a better future for everyone. https://lnkd.in/ewUUuQNn

In a new article at Architects’ Journal, Prof Edward Denison outlines what to expect from his Leverhulme research project — an extractive history of architecture, sited at the intersection of architecture, coloniality and the triple planetary crisis. His research — a three year, original project to be completed as part of a Major Research Fellowship awarded by The Leverhulme Trust, will critique humanity's "suicidal appetite for building anew", and examine how architecture was used to project and sustain power intellectually and geopolitically. Read the article: https://lnkd.in/eUE3Z_Mm

Join us on Wednesday 14 May for an online Open Session to learn about The Bartlett School of Architecture's undergraduate programmes and life at the #1 ranked architecture and built environment faculty in the world. Meet the programme leads, learn about our state-of-the-art facilities and find out how to apply to one of our architecture degrees. This event is part of The Bartlett Undergraduate Open Week, a series of events designed to introduce prospective students to the range of programmes offered by @thebartlettucl. Learn more and register to join: https://lnkd.in/e-89Hsyv Video: 'Refracting Refectory', from 'Reading Light' by Beau Beames Architecture BSc (ARB/RIBA Part 1), UG13, Year 3 Sited in Grenen, Denmark's northern tip, this project pairs scientific search for truth – through the use of glass instruments and their clarity – with the occupation of ‘marine mythologists,’ concerned with the water’s inhabitation by mythological creatures. Reflection and refraction of light, along with innovative zero-waste glass forming processes, are explored to create an architecture that serves both as an instrument and an archive. This structure amplifies shifting light caused by changes in salinity and temperature, while physical testing encodes climatic data into experiential light.

Read the spring edition of our LinkedIn newsletter, with upcoming events, recent news, and programme highlights from across The Bartlett School of Architecture. ⬇️

Join us for tomorrow's Space Syntax Lab Seminar: The Multimodal Spatial Impacts of Public Transport Networks on Urban Systems: London and Taipei Dr Po Nien Chen's research examines urban form, focusing on the integration of rail and urban networks in cities, and highlighting the critical role of optimised metro and rail systems in promoting urban mobility and socio-economic activity. 🗓️ 16:00, Thursday 27 March 📍 Zoom Register to join online: https://lnkd.in/e72Vejek

Architect Andreas Körner and biologist Anete Krista Salmane, who teach together as a multidisciplinary team on The Bartlett's Bio-Integrated Design MArch/MSc, recently presented a paper at the Responsive Cities Symposium in Barcelona, organised by the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia. Their paper, which they shared at a panel titled 'Adapt to Climate and Perform', discussed the use of Enhanced Rock Weathering in architecture, and was developed from a 2024 Architecture Research Fund project titled 'Integrated Sequestration'. Enhanced Rock Weathering (ERW) offers a promising strategy for climate change mitigation by accelerating natural rock weathering to capture and store atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2). Parallel to a comprehensive state-of-the-art review of ERW and the parameters relevant to architecture, this study investigates the subject through a mixed method of environmental simulations, material explorations and prototype fabrication. ERW's effectiveness depends on maximising surface area for interaction between calcium- and magnesium-rich rocks and atmospheric CO2, typically achieved using rock powder. This research proposes a method to embed wollastonite and basalt particles in architectural fabric, activating these urban surfaces. A modular hexagonal system is designed to increase CO2 interaction by extending the surface flow of rainwash. The concept is evaluated using computational fluid dynamics simulations and laboratory material tests to identify parameters for water flow rate and material porosity. The findings offer insights into the potential of architectural surfaces to sequester atmospheric carbon, laying the groundwork for further quantification of carbon uptake. Visit the conference website: https://lnkd.in/dMMpTp6Z 📸: Clara Orozco

In a new article in Dezeen, Prof Edward Denison argues that the term 'art deco' is applied too liberally to architecture built under colonialism, and unwittingly conceals its horrors, iniquities and inequities. https://lnkd.in/e_wNY98X

Join us in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park next week for the Engineering & Architectural Design Bio-Diversity Festival! On 27 March, first-year students from Engineering & Architectural Design MEng (ARB/RIBA Part 1 CIBSE JBM) will bring the park to life with 10 temporary pavilions celebrating the Bio-Diversity Festival – From Dominance to Co-habitation. These projects are a culmination of the Design Make Live module, which is a microcosm for the construction industry and serves as a test bed for more detailed individual learning and critical inquiry. The pavilions will test engineering and architectural ideas to their limits, and propose innovative and design-led ways to foster life in its all forms. Explore the pavilions at Alfred’s Meadow in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Project installation and reviews take place during the day with a celebration in the evening. Find out more: https://lnkd.in/eZkBn6kG 📸: Richard Stonehouse Architectural and interior Photographer

Many congratulations to our alumna Jacqueline Chak, co-founder of EDITECTURE, on being recognised yesterday at "The Visionary Women Awards 2024" by Harper's Bazaar Hong Kong 👇

Bartlett tutor and architect Ievgeniia Gubkina has been inducted into the UK Young Academy, a nationwide network of early career researchers and professionals. Read more below 👇