Architectural Association School of Architecture

The Architectural Association School of Architecture (more usually known as the AA or AA School of Architecture) is one of the leading architectural schools in the UK. Its wide-ranging programme of exhibitions, lectures, symposia and publications have given it a central position in global discussions and developments within contemporary architectural culture.

It is the oldest independent school of architecture in the United Kingdom and was founded by two dissatisfied young architects (Robert Kerr, 24, and Charles Grey, 24) in 1847 to provide a self-directed, independent education at a time when the profession of architecture had yet to appear in the form we recognise today. Many notable architects have since passed through its doors, and its students were addressed by many eminent figures, including John Ruskin and George Gilbert Scott.

The School was formally established in 1890. In 1901, it moved premises to the former Royal Architectural Museum. In 1920, it moved again, to its current premises in Bedford Square, central London (it has since acquired additional London premises in John Street and a site at Hooke Park in Dorset).

After 150 years, the AA is one of the world's most international schools of architecture, attracting students and staff from more than 60 countries worldwide, and a long list of visiting critics, lecturers and other participants from around the world each year.

Courses are divided into two main areas - undergraduate programmes, leading to the AA Diploma, and postgraduate programmes, which include specialised courses in [http://www.aaschool.ac.uk/lu/ landscape urbanism (LU)] , housing and urbanism, sustainable environmental design, histories and theories, emergent technologies, [http://www.aaschool.ac.uk/aadrl/ design research lab (DRL)] , as well as day-release course in building conservation, garden conservation, and environmental access. Since its foundation, the School has continued to draw its teaching staff from progressive international practices, and they are reappointed annually, allowing a continual renewal of the exploration of architecture.

The school is notable as existing outside the state-funded university system (as does the University of Buckingham), with tuition fees comparable to that of a private school, though some bursaries are available on merit. Since non-EU students are charged higher fees to attend state universities, however, the AA is competitively priced by comparison, therefore it is noted as having a higher proportion of overseas students enrolled than do many other UK architecture schools.

It also exists outside the UCAS application system; even at undergraduate/first degree level direct application is the norm. It is therefore not included in many books which guide potential undergraduates to choose appropriate courses, indeed many are unaware of its existence until they are studying architecture elsewhere. This may also account for the lower count of home-students enroled.

Former students

*Will Alsop
*Herbert Baker
*Geoffrey Bawa
*Ben van Berkel
*Peter Blundell Jones
*David Chipperfield
*Nigel Coates
*Sir Peter Cook
*Sir Philip Dowson
*Jane Drew
*Robin Evans
*Homa Farjadi
*Colin Fournier
*Kenneth Frampton
*John Frazer
*Tony Fretton
*Piers Gough
*Sir Nicholas Grimshaw
*Zaha Hadid (Pritzker Prize, 2004)
*Thomas Hardy
*Christine Hawley
*A. R. Hye
*Nasrine Seraji
*Steven Holl
*Sir Michael Hopkins
*Louisa Hutton
*Rem Koolhaas (Pritzker Prize, 2000)
*Sir Denys Lasdun
*C J Lim
*James MacLaren
*Mohsen Mostafavi
*John Pawson
*Sergio Pineda
*Sir Philip Powell
*Cedric Price
*Sir Richard Rogers (Pritzker Prize, 2007)
*Peter Salter
*Matthias Sauerbruch
*Ole Scheeren
*Peter Selliers
*Jonathan Sergison
*Dennis Sharp
*Peter St John
*Michael Ventris
*Janek Konarski
*Wayne H. Walters
*Adam Yarinsky

Former teachers

*Abalos&Herreros
*David Adjaye
*Will Alsop
*Wiel Arets
*Lawrence Barth
*Donald Bates
*Ben van Berkel
*Nicholas Boyarsky
*Raoul Bunschoten
*Reg Butler
*Eva Castro*
*Mark Cousins
*Peter Davidson
*Alex de Rijke
*Robin Evans
*Homa Farjadi
*Earl Flansburgh
*John Frazer
*Ranulph Glanville
*Zaha Hadid
*Nikolaus Hirsch
*Michael Hensel*
*Christine Hawley
*Louisa Hutton
*Hanif Kara
*George Katodrytis
*Jeff Kipnis
*Rem Koolhaas
*Leon Krier
*Neal Leach
*George L Legendre
*Daniel Libeskind
*Theo Lorenz*
*Stefano de Martino
*Mohsen Mostafavi
*Farshid Moussavi
*Ciro Najle
*Yusuke Obuchi*
*Alejandro Zaera Polo
*Alberto Pérez-Gómez
*Cedric Price
*Philippe Rahm
*Makoto Saito
*Peter Salter
*Matthias Sauerbruch
*Patrik Schumacher*
*Pascal Schöning
*Dennis Sharp
*Peter Smithson
*Theo Spyropoulos*
*Bernard Tschumi
*Dalibor Vesely
*Charles Walker (architect)
*Michael Weinstock
*Ken Yeang
*Elia Zenghelis

** Currently still teaching

External links

* [http://www.aaschool.ac.uk/ Official website]