Architecture academic Peter Barber selected as Royal Academician at the Royal Academy of Arts

Members of the Royal Academy of Arts are known as ‘Royal Academicians’ and membership is limited to eighty full members who can be painters, printmakers, sculptors or architects who are professionally active in Britain. Collectively, the Royal Academicians are widely seen as some of the greatest names in contemporary art and architecture. Barber was awarded the Academician title in the category of Architecture at a recent General Assembly meeting.

Peter Barber studied at the University of Sheffield between 1980 and 1983 and at Westminster’s predecessor, the Polytechnic of Central London, from 1984 to 1986. Peter worked with Richard Rogers, Will Alsop and Jestico+Whiles prior to establishing his own practice Peter Barber Architects in 1989. He is also currently a Lecturer and Reader in Architecture at the University of Westminster.

Described as a “social housing leading light” by Architects’ Journal, Barber and his team have completed a large number of social housing sites, including a terrace on a previously thought to be ‘undevelopable’ site in Greenwich.

Peter Barber’s work has been awarded many achievements, including being recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list, from which he became an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to architecture. His award-winning design-orientated practice has been shortlisted for the International Aga Khan Award for Architecture, and recently won two RIBA London Awards for their Ordnance Road and Moray Mews developments.

Barber also runs Westminster’s Design Studio 12, a platform for students to experiment and invent by exploring architectural and spatial concepts initiated through in-depth investigations of materials and making. He has also lectured about architecture at many institutions including the Royal Institute of British Architects, the Architectural League in New York and numerous university schools of architecture. 

Talking about the appointment, Professor Harry Charrington, Head of School of the School of Architecture + Cities, said: “I am delighted that Peter Barber, Reader in Architecture, MArch Design Studio 12 tutor, alumnus and the UK’s leading building and campaigning social housing architect has been selected as a Royal Academician. For our students to have Peter as a teacher and role model for their future practice is a great benefit. Many congratulations to him for this great recognition.”

Find out more about Peter Barber’s appointment on the Royal Academy of Arts’ website.