Architectural Association School of Architecture
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Architectural Association
School of Architecture


Motto Design with Beauty, Build in Truth
Established 1847
Director Brett Steele
Location London, United Kingdom
Homepage http://www.aaschool.ac.uk

AA Bedford Square Premises.
Architectural Association School of Architecture.
Plaque beside entrance.The Architectural Association School of Architecture, more usually known as the AA, is one of the world’s most renowned and influential schools of architecture[1]. It is the most prestigious and selective architecture school in the United Kingdom. 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. Many of the world's most celebrated and respected figures in architecture and its associated fields 'have been here [the AA] (sooner or later)' as a plaque outside the school entrance proclaims.

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Curriculum
3 Well-known former students
4 Former Chairmen[7]
5 Former teachers
6 Current Teachers
7 References
8 External links



[edit] History
It is the oldest independent school of architecture in the United Kingdom and was founded in 1847 by two dissatisfied young architects (Robert Kerr, 24, and Charles Grey, 24), 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. 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 350-acre site at Hooke Park in Dorset). The school has also acquired property on Morwell Street behind Bedford Square, which it uses as studio space and there are plans for further expansion.


[edit] Curriculum

AA Gallery
AA intermediate unit 2 pavilion.
inside the AA.Many notable architects have since passed through its doors as its former staff and alumni list shows. The students of the AA have been addressed by many eminent figures, from John Ruskin and George Gilbert Scott, to more recently Daniel Libeskind, Richard Rogers, Zaha Hadid and Rem Koolhaas.

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.


AA DRL Pavilion.Courses are divided into two main areas - undergraduate programmes, leading to the AA Diploma, and postgraduate programmes, which include specialised courses in [2] landscape urbanism (LU), housing and urbanism, sustainable environmental design, histories and theories, emergent technologies, [3] 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 also has its own bookshop, the AA Bookshop[4], containing a comprehensive range of architectural books. The bookshop is also used as a platform for new launch titles from AA Publications[5].AA Publications has a long tradition of publishing architects, artists and theorists early in their careers, as well as occasionally publishing figures who have already gained notoriety in their field of expertise, such as Salman Rushdie. AA Publications also prints AA journal files, documenting the annual work undertaken by members of the school. The school also has its own independent radio station[6]. The AA gallery also regularly exhibits work from emerging professionals, to exhibitions containing the work of more established architects and related professionals.

The school is notable as existing outside the state-funded university system, with tuition fees comparable to that of a private school, though some bursaries are available on merit and financial need. 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 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 enrolled.


[edit] Well-known 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
Steven Holl
Sir Michael Hopkins
Louisa Hutton
Robert Furneaux Jordan
Shiu-Kay Kan
Rem Koolhaas (Pritzker Prize, 2000)
Sir Denys Lasdun
C J Lim
James MacLaren
Mohsen Mostafavi
Herbert Muschamp
Nicolai Ouroussoff
John Pawson
Sergio Pineda
Sir Philip Powell
Cedric Price
Lord Richard Rogers (Pritzker Prize, 2007)
Peter Salter
Matthias Sauerbruch
Ole Scheeren
Peter Selliers
Nasrine Seraji
Jonathan Sergison
Dennis Sharp
Peter St John
Michael Ventris
Janek Konarski
Wayne H. Walters
Adam Yarinsky



[edit] Former Chairmen[7]
Alvin Boyarsky (1971–91)
Alan Balfour (1992–94)
Mohsen Mostafavi (1995–2004)

[edit] Former teachers
Abalos & Herreros
David Adjaye
Will Alsop
Wiel Arets
Lawrence Barth
Donald Bates
Ben van Berkel
Nicholas Boyarsky
Alison Brooks*
Raoul Bunschoten
Reg Butler
Eva Castro*
Nigel Coates
Mark Cousins
Peter Davidson
Alex de Rijke
Robin Evans
Homa Farjadi
Earl Flansburgh
John Frazer
Ranulph Glanville
David Greene*
Zaha Hadid
Nikolaus Hirsch
Michael Hensel*
Christine Hawley
Louisa Hutton of Sauerbruch Hutton
Robert Furneaux Jordan
Hanif Kara
George Katodrytis
Jeff Kipnis
Rem Koolhaas
Arthur Korn
Leon Krier
Neal Leach
George L Legendre
Daniel Libeskind
Theo Lorenz*
Stefano de Martino
Mohsen Mostafavi
Farshid Moussavi
Robert Mull
Ciro Najle
Yusuke Obuchi*
Gordon Pask
Alejandro Zaera-Polo
Alberto Pérez-Gómez
Cedric Price
Philippe Rahm
Makoto Saito
Peter Salter
Francisco Sanin
Matthias Sauerbruch of Sauerbruch Hutton
Patrik Schumacher*
Pascal Schöning
Dennis Sharp
Peter Smithson
Theo Spyropoulos*
Bernard Tschumi
Dalibor Vesely
Carlos Villanueva Brandt*
Charles Walker
Michael Weinstock
Guy Westbrook
Simos Yannas*
Ken Yeang
Elia Zenghelis


Current teachers marked *


[edit] Current Teachers
See Architectural Association web site for full list[8]


[edit] References
^ http://www.dezeen.com/2009/07/03/driftwood-pavilion-by-aa-unit-2-opens/#more-33831
^ landscape urbanism (LU)
^ design research lab (DRL)
^ http://www.aabookshop.net/
^ http://www.aaschool.ac.uk/publications/
^ http://www.aair.fm/
^ http://www.aaschool.ac.uk/Default.aspx?section=school&page=aa%20history&sst=1
^ http://www.aaschool.ac.uk/?section=staff

[edit] External links
Official website
AAlog.net
AA Bookshop
AA Print Studio
Bedford Press
Coordinates: 51°31′07″N 0°07′52″W / 51.51861°N 0.13111°W / 51.51861; -0.13111
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Architectural_Association_School_of_Architecture"
Categories: Architecture schools | Education