Ravensbourne University London

Ravensbourne University London is a public university on the Greenwich Peninsula, home to a Department of Architecture and the Built Environment led by architect Alberto Villanueva. It offers a connected cluster of design-led courses across architecture, interiors, engineering and landscape, taught with shared learning, live industry briefs and a strong culture of cross-disciplinary collaboration.

At a glance

• Founded 1965; degree-awarding powers since 2018
• Based at 6 Penrose Way, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0EW
• Around 1,179 staff and 36,500+ followers on LinkedIn
• Mission, in their words: "We learn with industry, industry learns with us and together we transform lives."
• RIBA-validated Architecture and Interior Architecture courses (Part 1)

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About the department

Ravensbourne gained degree-awarding powers in 2018. Its BA (Hons) Architecture and BA (Hons) Interior Design Environment Architectures are validated by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), providing exemption from the RIBA Part 1 examination. Teaching blends design studio work, workshops and lectures, with access to dedicated studios, computer labs running industry software, AR and VR facilities, and prototyping workshops. Students build an industry-standard portfolio through live, real-world projects with clients and communities.

A defining feature is collaboration across disciplines: architecture students have worked alongside games design and brand design students, and the department places strong emphasis on widening participation and links with practice. Recent student projects include a peace garden for the Southwark community and an experimental virtual neighbourhood platform.

Undergraduate and postgraduate courses

• BA (Hons) Architecture (RIBA Part 1, UCAS K100, three years) - studio-led design, construction, history, theory and environmental impact.
• BEng (Hons) Architectural Design Engineering - bridging architectural design and engineering.
• BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Reuse - RIBA-validated, focused on adaptive reuse.
• BA (Hons) Urban Landscape Architecture (UCAS K310) - landscape-led design responding to the climate and nature crises.
• BA (Hons) Interior Design Environment Architectures - RIBA-validated.
• MArch Architecture - postgraduate Master of Architecture.

Integrated Foundation Year options are available across the built environment courses. Tuition for 2026-27 entry is £9,790 per year for UK students and £17,500 per year for international students.

Key study topics

• Architectural form-making and parametric, computer-generated design
• Sustainability principles in the built environment
• Techniques for designing structures and rapid prototyping
• Architectural history, theory and context
• Urbanism, and the history and theory of the city
• Business and enterprise for design, and regulatory frameworks

Professional accreditation

BA (Hons) Architecture is validated by RIBA, providing exemption for the RIBA Part 1 examination. Following changes by the Architects Registration Board (ARB), undergraduate qualifications will no longer be prescribed at Part 1 after 31 December 2027.

The teaching team

The department's lecturers include Alberto Villanueva (Head of Department), Luke Murray, Darren Stacey, Theo Jones, Andy Costa, Hwei Fan Liang, Elliot Nash, Katie Fisher, Guy Sinclair and Jeeun Song-Dusoir, many of them ARB-registered architects and RIBA members practising alongside their teaching.

Location

Ravensbourne University London, 6 Penrose Way, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0EW. Telephone +44 (0)20 3040 3500.