A Level Architecture | RuTC & RIBA
A Level Architecture in London: Course Overview
Welcome to the A Level in Architecture course at Richmond upon Thames College (RuTC), delivered in collaboration with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). This unique program offers students a head start into the world of architecture, blending creativity with practical skills and professional insight.
Whether you’re aiming for university or a future in the built environment, this A Level provides the perfect foundation as your first step into the profession. Our courses are ideal for ambitious, creative students interested in careers such as architecture, or other studio careers; illustration, animation, games design, product or graphic design. Each course includes a strong professional focus, hands-on studio practice, and 100% university acceptance rates for past students and a glittering alumni.
What You'll Learn
This is not just a traditional A Level—it’s an immersive design-focused curriculum that introduces students to real-world architectural thinking.
- Architectural Design Principles
- Adobe Creative Suite and 3D computer modeling
- Sustainable and Environmental Design
- Technical and Freehand Observational Drawing
- History of Architecture
- Professional Work Experience and Mentorship from Leading Architects
You’ll develop a personal portfolio through design briefs, model-making, and conceptual thinking—essential for university applications and creative careers.
Why Choose RuTC & RIBA?
This course is co-developed with RIBA, ensuring high professional standards and direct industry input. You will:
- Learn in a studio-style environment, simulating real architecture practice
- Attend RIBA-led workshops and guest lectures
- Work with architects and design professionals
RuTC is proud to be one of the few UK colleges working in direct collaboration with RIBA. Our A level in Architecture, based in Twickenham, is one of a kind and is the only A level in Architecture in the UK.
Is This Course Right for You?
This course is ideal if you:
- Are in Year 10/11 and considering architecture, town planning, product or furniture design?
- Do you enjoy creative and spatial problem solving through sketching-out ideas?
- Prefer a hands-on, project-based A Level and are curious about buildings?
You do not need to be highly skilled at technical drawing—but you must be open to developing your design process and love sketching. As we believe that drawing is at the heart of design and a fantastic tool for thinking and explaining.
University & Career Progression
Graduates from this course typically go on to:
- Study Architecture (BA) or Architectural Design at University
- Pursue other studio-based creative careers such as Graphic Design, Gaming and Animation
- Pursue degrees in Interior Architecture and Design, Landscape Architecture, Engineering or Product Design
- Go onto apprenticeships in Architecture
- Go onto apprenticeships in Modelmaking
Entry Requirements
- Five GCSEs at grade 5 or above (including English and Maths)
- An interest in art, design, and architecture
- Share up to five or your favourite drawings with Tim
Exam Board: OCR
Apply or Learn More
For full details or to apply, visit the Richmond upon Thames College course page or contact the course lead:
Tim Pond
Course Leader – Architecture & Graphic Communications with Illustration and Animation
✉️ Tim.pond@hruc.ac.uk
🌐 www.timpond.me/architecture
RIBA Learning Young People’s Programme aims to be both inclusive and informative. The programme has been designed to respond to young people’s needs and interests whilst introducing them to architecture, the built environment and to a range of creative industries.
RuTC’s A Level Architecture and Graphic Design courses are specialist programmes empowering young people to transform artistic skills into studio careers. They explore design principles, creative techniques, and industry insights, opening diverse opportunities across architecture, media, and design fields.
What A levels should I take to become an architect?
There’s no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to A Levels for studying architecture. While some universities may express a preference for certain subjects, Maths and Physics are by no means essential. In fact, many architects we’ve heard from in talks have gone out of their way to stress this point.
Students enter architecture from a wide range of academic backgrounds. Subjects like Graphic Design, or even Business Studies can all be incredibly valuable—each offering distinct but relevant skills, whether in creativity and visual communication, problem-solving, or understanding how the built environment operates in real-world contexts.
EPQ in Architecture at the London School of Architecture (LSA)
The EPQ in Architecture at the London School of Architecture (LSA) is a free, Level 3 qualification for Year 12 students, combining weekly workshops and mentored independent work. Running from October to July, it introduces real-world site analysis, sustainable design, and core skills like drawing and model-making. Part of LSA’s Part 0 outreach programme, it helps students build a personal design portfolio and earn up to 28 UCAS points, boosting applications to architecture courses or apprenticeships.
The London School of Architecture (LSA) is based at LSA's studio in Dalston, located at 4 Beechwood Road, London, E8 3DY. Workshops take place there every Thursday afternoon/evening during the October–July programme. If you are interested, you will need to get approval from Caroline Ludbrook, Head of Sixth Form, ensure that the commute is not too far and doesn't interfere with your other A levels on Friday morning.
Year 1: AS Level Architecture
Overview: September - April
A house is an example of a great first project because it introduces you to fundamental architectural concepts like the flow between public and private spaces—for example, how the front door leads into the hallway, connecting shared areas like the dining room while maintaining privacy in bedrooms. Designing a house helps you understand spatial organisation, scale, and function in a relatable way, while allowing you to explore architectural history through features such as columns flanking the front door.
The first-year project changes each year but is typically centred around designing a small building, providing a manageable yet rich opportunity to explore core architectural principles and develop essential model-making skills.
Assessment Breakdown
Personal Portfolio including Final Model: 80 marks / 100%
Year 2: A Level in Architecture
Overview: July - January
In the second year, you are challenged to tackle a bigger or completely different architectural project—such as designing a civic building or a festival pavilion—pushing you to expand your creativity, technical skills, and understanding of more complex spaces and functions.
The second-year project changes each year to keep the learning experience fresh and challenging, encouraging you to adapt to different types of architectural briefs and develop a broader range of skills and design approaches.
What is the Related Study?
The Related Study is created in the second year as part of the final A level in Architecture. It is both highly personal and professionally executed, presented as a thoughtfully designed magazine that reflects your individual creative journey. It combines critical written analysis with carefully curated visuals to contextualise your practical work, within the field of architecture. This format allows you to explore the movements, practitioners, and ideas that inform your portfolio, while showcasing your ability to communicate as a designer.
Assessment Breakdown
Personal Portfolio including Final Model: 95 marks / 47.5%
Related Study: 25 marks / 12.5%
Exam: 80 marks / 40%
Year 2 Exam: A Level in Architecture
Overview: January - May
At the end of the course, you’ll complete the Externally Set Assignment, which starts with a choice of themes provided by OCR and must be carried out in a separate sketchbook. After several weeks of preparatory work exploring ideas and techniques, you’ll create a final piece during a 15-hour supervised exam. This final project, along with your prep work, is worth 40% of your A-Level grade and shows how you develop, refine, and realise ideas.
Assessment Objectives
A01
Develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations informed by contextual and other
sources, demonstrating analytical and critical understanding.
A02
Explore and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques and processes, reviewing and refining ideas as work develops.
A03
Record ideas, observations and insights relevant to intentions, reflecting critically on work and progress.
A04
Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and, where appropriate, makes connections between visual and other elements.
Year 1: AS Level Architecture
Project Brief: RIBA Sustainable Art Café & Gallery
— Barnes North Side of the River
You are tasked with designing a sustainable art café located on the site of an abandoned bandstand on the north side of the river in Barnes. Your design should be inspired by an art movement. Think about how the movement’s style and motifs can influence the exterior and interior design.
Key elements to include:
- Use eco-friendly, sustainable materials and building methods.
- Incorporate an art gallery space to showcase works by local artists.
- Reflect the riverside landscape and community usee of your design.
Your design should create a welcoming cultural space that supports sustainability, local creativity, and community engagement.
Nature Drawing
An architect needs to be able to draw from life, especially natural forms, because nature offers endless lessons in structure, balance, proportion and texture that can inspire innovative design. Observing and sketching directly from nature sharpens an architect’s eye for detail, helps develop spatial awareness, and encourages organic, human-centred solutions rather than purely mechanical ones — making buildings and spaces feel more harmonious, dynamic and alive.
Drawing from life, rather than from photos, is an essential part of the OCR art and design curriculum, as it trains the hand and eye to work together, strengthening observational skills and sensitivity to proportion, texture and shape. This practice not only deepens understanding of how organic structures function, but also facilitates the ability to create fluid, confident concept drawings — essential for translating ideas you have in your mind's eye into tangible designs on paper.
Dynamic Drawing
Practising drawing lines, arcs and ellipses is about mastering the physical confidence of the material through skeleton and muscle movement. This repetition trains your hand to move fluidly and decisively, helping you commit to the character of a form with a clear, decisive line.
Seashells
Creating a double-page spread featuring lots of different shells, in various media and techniques, directly meets the A01 AO2 assessments.
A seashell is a natural house for a snail and is beautifully mathematical.
Creating Depth: Linear Perspective
Visualisation skills: See depth in your paper
When we pick up a piece of paper, it is indeed flat, turn the sheet around, and of course, there is nothing behind it. However, one set of
skills the artist should acquire is the ability to create the illusion that this piece of paper is not flat at all but a window through which we can visualise the 3D world. There are a few tricks that we can learn to help us create these illusions from linear perspective, overlapping lines and atmospheric perspective. A good understanding of perspective will inform your broader practice, whether landscape sketching or plants and animals.
What is perspective?
Linear perspective is based on the fact that, while parallel lines never meet, they appear to do so as they move away from the viewer and towards the horizon. Parallel lines, such as those of a book, building or the banks of a canal, will appear to converge at a vanishing point, typically on the eye-level. Things appear smaller the further away they are, and perspective enables artists to calculate the size of objects accurately and consistently. Linear perspective uses lines to create the illusion of space on a 2D surface. Four types use either one, two or three vanishing or multiple points. Placing plants and animals in perspective frames can help us with foreshortening, for example, when a limb is in the line of sight and appears compressed or shorter in length.
One-point perspective
An architect needs to learn linear perspective because it allows them to accurately represent three-dimensional spaces on a two-dimensional surface. One-point perspective uses a single vanishing point on the horizon to create the illusion of depth, making it ideal for drawing scenes like roads, hallways, or buildings viewed straight-on.
Two-point perspective
Two-point perspective uses two vanishing points on the horizon line to depict objects viewed at an angle, allowing for a more dynamic and realistic representation of three-dimensional forms.
Sketching Through Time:
Step-by-Step Drawing Demos in Architectural History
Experience the history of architecture in an engaging, hands-on way through front-of-the-class drawing demos you can follow step-by-step. As Tim illustrates key styles, iconic buildings, and design principles live on the board, you’ll draw along to deepen your understanding of architectural evolution—from ancient temples to modern skyscrapers, understanding stylistic conventions of different periods and how technological developments from wattle and daub, concrete to glass and steel to a return to creating wooden framed building for sustainability. Each demo is also recorded, so you can revisit the lessons and practice at your own pace from home, making it easy to build your skills and visual memory wherever you are. This interactive approach turns architectural history into a creative, memorable journey.
Project: Sustainable Art Café & Gallery, Barnes North Side
Statement of Intent Checklist & Sentence Starters (600 words)
Introduction
☐ Clearly state what you are designing
☐ Explain the location and why it’s important
☐ Describe the main purpose of your design
I am designing a sustainable art café and gallery near the bandstand on the north side of Barnes. This location was chosen by RIBA because of its historic and community significance and need for regeneration. The purpose is to create a welcoming space that promotes local art and sustainability and turns the area into one for artistic contemplation and evening musical soirees.
Inspiration and Style
☐ Choose an art movement or style from any period in art history
☐ Explain how it influences your design choices
☐ Describe how it connects to your concept or location
Ex: My design is inspired by the Art Nouveau movement, known for its organic shapes and floral motifs. This style complements the riverside setting and reflects a creative spirit, creating an inviting atmosphere.
Spatial Layout and Features
What rooms and spaces will your café include (e.g., kitchen, seating area, gallery, bathroom)?
Will any rooms have a special aspect, such as river-facing views?
How will the layout support the functionality and experience?
Ex:The café will include a river-facing seating area to maximise views and natural light. There will be an adjoining art gallery space for local artists, a sustainable kitchen, and eco-friendly bathroom facilities.
Sustainability
☐ List eco-friendly materials or construction methods you will use
☐ Explain how your design supports sustainability goals
Ex: I will use sustainable materials such as bamboo and recycled wood. The café will include solar panels and a rainwater collection system to minimise environmental impact.
Functionality and Community
☐ Describe who will use the space
☐ Explain how your design encourages community involvement
☐ Highlight practical or welcoming features
Ex: The café will serve local residents and visitors, while the gallery space will display works from local artists. Comfortable seating and flexible gallery areas will encourage people to gather and connect.
Conclusion
☐ Summarise your main design goal
☐ State how it aligns with RIBA’s values
Ex:Overall, my design aims to blend art, sustainability, and community in one space. It supports RIBA’s mission by promoting green building practices and celebrating creativity.
Concept Art
Coming up with ideas and being able to communicate them with sketches
As an A-Level Architecture student, you will learn this essential skill of hand-drawing concept art to develop your creativity, communicate ideas clearly, and explore designs quickly and intuitively. Hand drawing offers a more fluid encourages spontaneity and creative freedom than the computer. Drawing is essentially visual thinking.
Concept Art in Perspective
Critical and Contextual Studies
An Architecture A-Level student creates critical and contextual studies for OCR AO3 to demonstrate a deep understanding of how their work relates to broader architectural ideas, history, and influences.
This research helps inform and inspire their designs, showing analytical thinking and the ability to connect theory with practice—key skills that strengthen the originality and relevance of their project.
Memorable Trips
During our many course trips, students participate in hands-on workshops at leading architectural practices, such as Foster + Partners and Zaha Hadid and MAKE Architects. These workshops provide opportunities to explore different aspects of architecture, from conceptual design and model-making to sustainable technology and innovative forms, allowing students to connect classroom theory with real-world professional practices and be guided by fully-qualified architects.
Garden Design
Year 2: A level Architecture
MODEL MAKING WORKSHOP
Date: Friday, 4th July 2025
Create One -Two Double Page Spreads for Your Sketchbook (this is your choice)
Suggested Layout: Double Page Spread 1: Design Process & Concept Development
Title (top of the page - beautifully designed):
Designing a Sustainable Pavilion - (or change to your own choice)
Page content ideas:
- Mind map: Use colour and keywords to show initial ideas about sustainability, light, texture, materials, and form.
- Initial sketches: Freehand drawings exploring possible pavilion shapes, structural ideas, and how light and shade might work.
- Reference images & collage: Include printed images from magazines or the internet that inspired your thinking (pavilions, materials, textures). Add short handwritten notes explaining why you chose them.
- Brief summary: Write a few sentences about the brief in your own words and what your team aimed to achieve.
- Design decisions: Use arrows and annotations to highlight why you chose certain shapes, materials or themes.
Tip: Keep it visually engaging. Use different media – pen, pencil, coloured pencils, or even bits of material samples – to bring your ideas to life.
Double Page Spread 2: Model Making & Final Concept
Title (top of the page):
Model Making and Presentation - (or change to your own choice)
Page content ideas:
- Photos: Include photographs of your group building the model, close-ups of important details, and the finished model. Arrange them so they tell the story of making.
- Drawings of the final design: Quick axonometric, isometric or perspective sketch of your pavilion, clearly labelled with materials and design features.
- Materials & colour palette: Small samples or swatches (or drawings) of the materials and colours you chose, with short explanations.
- Reflection: Write a short paragraph reflecting on:
- What went well in your design and making process
- What challenges you faced and how you solved them
- How your design addresses sustainability, light, and user experience
Brief Bios of Our Mentors and Guests
Stephanie Nell
Associate Architect at PRP Architects. Stephanie has worked on a wide range of projects with a particular focus on sustainable design and community-driven architecture. She is also a Founder and Trustee of Found Futures, an organisation committed to creating opportunities for young people to explore architecture and design.
Jason Claxton
Architect and Learning Co-ordinator at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). Jason specialises in architectural education and outreach, helping students and young people understand the design process and the importance of creativity in the built environment.
Ivy Edemafaka
Architect and Learning Co-ordinator at RIBA. Ivy is passionate about supporting emerging designers and promoting diversity and inclusion in architecture. She brings professional insight into how architects develop concepts and communicate ideas.
Natalia Augustynowicz
Part I Architecture Graduate from the University of the Arts London (UAL). Natalia recently completed her architectural studies and will share her portfolio journey, offering practical advice on sketchbook development and presenting design work.
A Level Project: Earth Pod
Architecture for Environmental Awakening
Earth Pod is a hypothetical visionary, government-funded initiative aimed at reimagining our relationship with the planet. This national programme supports the design and construction of a series of 100% sustainable, inspirational architectural spaces — one for each county — which will educate, engage, and empower communities to think and act differently in response to the climate crisis.
You have been commissioned as the lead architect for one of these Earth Pods. The concept is to be rolled out across the country, with each county receiving funding from one of the Earth pods. Each Earth pod will be designed by architects with a contemporary vision and will be 100% sustainable. You have been commissioned to be one of these architects. You have the freedom to select the location of the build, from woodlands, parks to urban areas and have complete freedom of which attractions you include.
Deadline: Friday 12th September 2025
Earth Pod
Create an Innovative Mind Map / Thinking Board / Ideas-Generating Double-Page Spread
For this task, your goal is to design a compelling double-page spread that acts as both a creative mind map and an idea-generating thinking board. This spread should visually capture your exploratory process for the Earth Pod Vision, revealing a rich tapestry of early ideas, questions, and creative sparks. It should feel like a snapshot of your brainstorming phase: dynamic, layered, and open-ended.
Try to invent something a little different from the traditional spread - As your first A level spread, this needs to be stunning!
Deadline: Friday 12th September 2025