Director of Architecture Research Group:   Dr John Bold

The Department of Architecture at the University of Westminster is an internationally renowned centre for research. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise it was judged that 90% of research produced by members of staff was of international standard, a result which places the Department in the top ten British architectural schools for research.

The Architecture Research Group comprises two clusters: Historical and Cultural Studies (HCS) and the Research Centre for Experimental Practice (EXP).

HCS covers a wide range of research into architectural history and theory, making extensive use of other approaches drawn from cultural studies, including theories of post-colonialism and cultural identity. Notable recent and current research includes John Bold’s work on heritage-led regeneration in the Balkans; Davide Deriu on modern Ankara; Richard Difford on the Pavillon de l’Esprit Nouveau; William Firebrace on Marseille; Josie Kane on Amusement Parks; Samir Pandya on Nicosia; Andrew Peckham on Rationalism; Ro Spankie on altering architecture, and Victoria Watson on Mies van der Rohe. 


Research staff work with scholars in other departments within the University, particularly within SABE, on themes including sustainability, transport design and landscape theory. There are also close connections with the research work that is being carried out in architectural practices, much of which feeds into the design research outputs of the Department.

Our PhD students are regularly asked to give papers on their work at conferences in Britain or abroad. 

If you would like to discuss the idea of doing a PhD in the Department of Architecture, then please contact Professor Jeremy Till on J.Till@westminster.ac.uk.

Individual researchers are producing work of great importance. Two members of staff, Professor Murray Fraser and Professor Jeremy Till, have won the RIBA President’s Award for Outstanding University-Located Research in consecutive years.