Architecture

Sitting within our school of Built Environment, Architecture at UNSW shapes the sustainability, inclusivity, and connectivity of our buildings and cities. Sharpen your focus on how architectural design impacts people and the environment and how you can excel as an architect in professional practice. 

Learn how to design architecture that improves the human experience. With three billion new homes needed globally by 2030, ensure your building designs benefit the people who inhabit them. Lead the fight against climate change with architectural design that boosts environmental performance and sustainability. Understand low-carbon architecture and help the industry achieve its goal of Net Zero buildings by 2030. Recognise your practical, ethical and moral responsibilities in architecture – lead the way in a rapidly changing profession. 

What is architecture?

Architecture is the design of space, materials, environment, and human experience to create places of habitation. When you study Architecture at UNSW, you'll draw on your creativity to shape the culture of cities and communities. Build spatial, environmental and professional knowledge, specialised skills and ways of thinking to drive change across the industry. Learn how to design buildings and spaces that improve the way people live and work, are in tune with climate and the environment and benefit the economy. 

Why study Architecture at UNSW?

Top 40 worldwide

Become a global leader in your architectural career and practice. When you study our UNSW Bachelor and Masters degrees in Architecture, your qualifications are internationally recognised. UNSW is ranked 4th in Australia and #35 in the world for Architecture and Built Environment (QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2024).

Industry partnerships, world-class teachers

Our staff include world-class, award-winning architects. Learn from teachers including UNSW Professor of Practice, Rachel Neeson, a recipient of The Marion Mahony Griffin Prize by the Australian Institute of Architects. 

Get international experience. Choose to study abroad in our international summer studios in Japan, Vienna or Cambodia. Take an exchange opportunity with one of our university partners around the globe. Plus, gain exposure to our international industry links, such as our Seidler Chairs, Richard Hassell and Wong Mun Summ (WOHA, Singapore).

Solve tomorrow’s problems

Navigate the industry's most pressing challenges in first-class design and research facilities. UNSW was awarded an Australian Research Council grant to establish the ARC Next-Gen Architectural Manufacturing Centre. Learn how advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning will improve the industry’s productivity, performance and sustainability. Become trained in advanced design and fabrication tools such as 3D printing, laser cutting, CNC routing and more in our Design Futures Lab. 

Design with and for Country

UNSW has appointed two Professors of Practice, Indigenous, Gillian Barlow and Bernadette Hardy who are running a new studio in our UNSW Master of Architecture. Learn how to design with and for Indigenous communities, and how to elevate Indigenous knowledge across the industry. 

Be recognised

Join our community of award-winning students. Our students have won multiple awards, including the AIA Graduate Medal for best student project in NSW in 2019, 2020 and 2023. Plus, our digital student exhibition Luminocity was recognised in the Red Dot Awards and commended in Dezeen website of the year.

Embrace flexibility 

Study full-time or part-time, with the flexibility of trimester loading to suit your lifestyle and goals. Choose from a broad range of disciplines with electives from across the school of Built Environment including property development, city planning and urban design, landscape architecture and computational design.

Drive change

UNSW is known for its graduate employability, with UNSW awarded the Most Employable Students Award in the AFR Top100 Future Leaders Awards for 5 consecutive years (2020-2024).*

Grow the skills and experience to succeed in tomorrow’s workforce. Craft the career you want and become an agent of change in the industry – pushing the boundaries in a rapidly changing profession.

Careers in architecture

As cities continue to expand and transform globally, demand for architects is projected to grow 35% over the next ten years (Labour Market Insights, March 2023). The UNSW Bachelor of Architectural Studies, combined with the UNSW Master of Architecture gives you the qualification to practice as a registered architect in Australia and a number of other countries including the United Kingdom, Singapore, Canada, the USA, and New Zealand.

Our graduates work across a range of architectural and design disciplines. You can specialise in designing housing or commercial buildings, or in a number of related architectural professions. 

Careers in architecture 

• Working as an architect in a small, medium or large-sized practice 
• Starting your own architectural practice 
• Specialist architect in heritage, high-performance architectural technology or humanitarian architecture 
• Expert consultant in government, policy or environment
• Architectural critic, journalist or historian
• Architectural teacher, researcher or academic
• Building scientist or environmental designer

^{*AFR Top100 Future Leaders 2024}