Architecture is both a science and an art that deals with the technique of designing and building. The discipline focuses on both the practical and expressive side of the practice, creating a dual-purpose service for applied and aesthetic needs.
The theories and practices of architecture have been around since the beginning of civilizations. Man continued to evolve the study until modern times. Many universities focused on the architectural discipline and advanced far above others. Here are some of the best architecture schools worldwide.
Top Architecture Schools in the World
1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology incorporated itself in 1861. The university was originally located in Boston but moved to its current location in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, in 1916. MIT focuses on melding theory and practice to create an educational system that produces world-class experts.
The MIT School of Architecture + Planning is home to the Department of Architecture which opened its doors in 1868. The Architecture Department boasts a philosophy of a mix of classic and modern. The merger of multiple architecturally related qualities provides an ideal identity for the community.
MIT’s Department of Architecture, through its approach that anchors to the past and mirrors the present reality, successfully created an environment that encourages excellence in the field. MIT is one of the best architecture schools as it is currently ranked number one among architecture academic institutions globally.
2. University College London
The University College London started in 1826 and is in England’s and the United Kingdom’s capital. UCL is London’s premier multidisciplinary university catering to thousands of students from the UK and around the globe.
UCL’s The Bartlett School of Architecture is one of the most prestigious architecture institutions globally. The UCL was the first British university to appoint a chair of architecture in 1841, creating the department.
The Bartlett School of Architecture created priceless contributions to the discipline throughout the years. Its alumni shared their expertise in various industries, further cementing the high quality of education in the department. MIT is one of the top universities in architectural instruction worldwide.
3. Delft University of Technology
The Delft University of Technology traces its roots in 1842 as the Royal Academy, founded by King Willem II of the Netherlands. The academy received its university status in 1986. The institution is the oldest and largest technology academy in the Netherlands today.
The Delft University of Technology’s architecture department, the Faculty of Architecture, and the Built Environment established itself in 1904. The department holds the leading role in architecture scholarship and research nationally and internationally.
The TU Delft’s Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment consistently created alumni that excelled in all taught aspects of the architectural field. The architecture department’s groundbreaking innovations placed the Delft University of Technology among the best architecture schools in the world.
4. ETH Zurich – Swiss Federal Institute of Technology
The ETH Zurich started in 1855 as the Polytechnikum, a year after the parliamentary resolution to establish a federal polytechnic school in Zurich, Switzerland. The university draws its success from the full support of the state and the institution’s talented administrators and faculty.
The ETH Zurich’s Building School, later renamed the Department of Architecture, also existed with the start of the university in 1855. Giants in the architecture discipline graced the department’s offices and classrooms, creating some of the best architectural experts in the field today.
The school renamed itself into the Department of Agriculture and acquired autonomy in 1999. The Department of Agriculture made strides in the architectural discipline over the years. Its focus on international excellence propelled ETH Zurich to the top list of architecture universities worldwide.
5. Harvard University
Harvard University is yet another excellent university for architecture. It is a private school created in 1636 upon establishing the first college in the American colonies in modern-day Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. The university’s name came from its benefactor, John Harvard, who willed a large part of his property to the institution. Harvard focused on the development of academic and research excellence throughout the years.
Harvard University’s Architecture Studies is jointly under the Faculty of Arts and Sciences and the Graduate School of Design. The setup aims to link the graduate school’s courses and offerings to enrich the architectural learning of undergraduate students at an early stage.
The combined programs of the undergraduate and graduate tracks successfully created top-notch architecture students and experts well-received worldwide. Through the efforts of the faculty, researchers, and students of the Architecture Studies Department, Harvard is at the top of most universities offering architecture globally.
6. National University of Singapore
A group of businessmen led by Tan Jiak Kim founded The National University of Singapore in 1905 to serve as a medicine-focused educational institution for Singaporeans. The university grew into the country’s flagship university adept in various disciplines and fields.
The National University of Singapore’s Department of Architecture started in 1958 when the university was still named Singapore Polytechnic. The department’s programs consistently gained recognition over the years while producing experts in the architectural discipline.
The Department of Architecture is one of the few departments that excel worldwide. The department received distinctions for its focus on aesthetics and technical expertise and for thinking critically, intelligently, and humanely. The Architecture Department’s unique approach to education and research pushed NUS to become one of the top architecture universities worldwide.
7. University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley started in 1868 to educate Californians to benefit the country and the world. UCB consistently showed its commitment to excellence as it developed all its fields and disciplines.
In 1959, UC Berkeley’s Academic Senate approved the College of Environmental Design which houses the architecture program. Since then, various administrators and faculties have contributed to the growth of the discipline in the department.
The College of Environmental Design produces researchers and graduates that are well-received worldwide. The CED’s innovations in the study put the University of California, Berkeley among the best architecture universities in the world.
We hope this article on some of the best architecture schools in the world was helpful. Make sure to check out the Available Programs for International Students to learn more about studying abroad.
