The RIBA Foundation in Architecture course targets those interested in a career in architecture, who want to build a portfolio and gain paid work experience before applying for a Part 1 course. The course is part of the RIBA Studio programme and is delivered under a unique partnership with the School of Architecture at Oxford Brookes on behalf of the Royal Institute of British Architects.
We've spoken to three recent graduates on how they came to the RIBA Foundation course and what they found useful for their future careers in the built environment.
Kamden
I had to leave my country in a bit of a hurry. As a child, I imagined I’d be a teacher but I ended up studying construction engineering and project management. I was fascinated by the architects I met, and also inspired by the work of Frank Gehry.
On the RIBA Foundation course, I enjoyed the design projects and crit sessions. What I found difficult was having to go through failure before I was satisfied with the results!
I obtained my salaried placement by responding to a job advertisement by a small practice, and prepared drawings for planning applications. My employer then offered me a more permanent post. So at the moment I’m gaining more experience in architecture.
I’d advise anyone who is enthusiastic about architecture – whatever their background is – to jump in and go for it.
Lucy
I was brought up in Stoke-on-Trent. After school I started an Art Foundation course, but eventually went on to study Classics, then trained in book and paper conservation.
I’d always been fascinated by the ways that places can make people feel. It took me a long time to realise that equated to a passion for architecture.
The RIBA Foundation was fun – all the things we were encouraged to think about, do, and create. I just wanted to do more of all of it – although studying, working, and being a parent has been completely exhausting at times.
Retraining mid-career is never going to be easy, but the Foundation is designed to be accommodating and all the staff and tutors have been brilliantly supportive.
My placement through the Foundation was with a small practice in Oxford. I worked on a project with the council and local community to build raised beds and plant a mini-orchard along a residential road. The practice kept me on after my placement, and they’re supporting me to begin studying for the RIBA Certificate this year.
Without RIBA Foundation, I doubt I’d have found a way into architecture at this point in my life. I’d definitely recommend it to others in a similar position.
Wande
I was brought up in Congo, Nigeria (where my family is from), Belgium, and the UK. As a teenager I played semi-professional football but I chose to study Interior Architecture and Design. At school my art teacher had taught me to communicate through art; and I loved the course's mixture of creativity and a bit of maths.
I worked as a freelance photographer and as a live broadcast editor for my family church. But I really wanted to reconnect with architecture and found the RIBA Foundation, which enabled me to study while working part-time.
I really enjoyed our online learning sessions and the tutors were great: I found that being organised to be consistent with meeting tutors and personal tutors was challenging, but good training in itself.
During my paid Foundation placement I organised trips, attended site visits, did some admin work, and assisted on a competition project. I’d very much like to qualify as an architect and work on projects in Africa, for people to experience peace and beauty.
Call to employers
Can you offer a paid placement to a student?
Our current cohort of talented students are seeking a practical placement, in architectural practice or wider creatives fields. This can be a key stepping stone for the students to further their studies or career in the sector. Are you able to provide a salaried work placement?
As we’ve heard from some of our graduates, they benefited hugely from the opportunity to learn from real life mentors; getting hands-on with competitions, site visits, designing, and drawing. Other students have worked with firms in landscape, urban design, planning, theatre production, and furniture design.
We are looking for offers of placements for a minimum of 200 hours, students must be paid at least the level of the Living Wage set by the Living Wage Foundation, and a professional mentor should be appointed to guide them.
If you can offer a placement, please download our information for practices (PDF) and register your interest via email to ribafoundation@brookes.ac.uk. Found out more on the RIBA Foundation in Architecture.
