School of Architecture, Oxford Brookes University

The Oxford School of Architecture was founded in 1927. Forming part of the Oxford City Technical School, this became the Oxford College of Technology in 1956, the Oxford Polytechnic in 1970 and Oxford Brookes University in 1992. Now called the School of Architecture in the Faculty of Technology, Design & the Environment, it is one of the largest architecture schools in the UK, with around 600 students and 70 staff. The school has become one of the most competitive architecture schools, ranking in the top 50 Architecture schools in the world in the 2015 QS World University Rankings.HistoryThe school was formed in 1927 when a small group of enthusiastic young architects decided that Oxford needed a school of architecture. They formed the club to promote this and asked the University of Oxford to start the school. This was declined as no funds were available. This was the time of the General Strike of 1926. So they approached the new principal of the then School of Technology, Arts and Sciences, John Henry Brookes, who agreed to found the school, named the Oxford School of Architecture. There were three students, two women and one man. One woman left after the first year to get married, but the school grew to one of the largest in the country. The department also have a society called the Doric Club founded the same year as the school itself in 1927.The schoolAccording to the RIBA, the department is 'a thriving school, attracting high-quality students and offering innovative and diverse programmes which benefit directly from its associated research institutes/centres'.The school operates mostly open plan studio spaces, with students from all years sharing working space. A digital studio was designed by Niall McLaughlin Architects and new studio space provided subsequently followed a similar design. The School of Architecture building was refurbished and extended by Winchester-based firm; Design Engine Architects with the scheme completing in 2012.