Profs Laura Allen and Mark Smout Awarded RIBA Honorary Fellowship

They join ten other professors across the UK in receiving the award. The RIBA Honorary Fellowship is a lifetime honour and is awarded annually to people who, though not architects, have made a significant contribution to the field. They may be educators, practitioners or commentators; they have each, in their own way, helped to advance the design and delivery of the built environment sustainably and creatively.

Laura and Mark have taught Architecture since 1994 and 1999 respectively. They are joint programme leaders of Landscape Architecture MA/MLA and both lead Architecture MArch Unit PG11.

Laura and Mark’s project ‘Liquid Kingdom’ is currently being exhibited in the Royal Academy Summer Show, and they have also been invited to participate in the 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale.

“Congratulations to Laura and Mark, both of whom have made a profound contribution to The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL throughout their 20 year career as educators, researchers, and leaders. RIBA's recognition of their contribution to the world beyond the school is justly deserved.

- Bob Sheil and Barbara Campbell-Lange

“From their early days as assistant tutors in a number of different schools, they have consistently produced student work of the highest calibre whilst remaining innovative, cutting-edge and research-focused. Their teaching methodology is at once precise and fluid. It’s hard to think of another teaching duo whose commitment, output and longevity has been as consistent and ground-breaking over such an extended period of time.

- Lesley Lokko

“They are exceptional in the way they work, teach and practice as a pair. Their practice is driven by environmental concern; they were ahead of their time in bringing these concerns to postgraduate education and have developed a form of teaching which starts with deep immersion in site and context, and then turns to consideration of processes before refining solutions.

- Alan Penn

More information

• Read the announcement on RIBA’s website
• Visit Prof Laura Allen’s profile
• Visit Prof Mark Smout’s profile
• See Laura and Mark’s show ‘Liquid Kingdom’