Rise of Academic Architectural Education

Alexander Griffin was educated at the University of Huddesfield, Liverpool John Moores University, and the University of Sheffield. He currently works in the School of Art, Design and Architecture at the University of Huddersfield, and is the founder of Oblong Architecture, a RIBA award winning practice. Alexander, and his wife Karen, also lead Sheffield Vineyard Church.

"Architectural education holds an established place in universities throughout the globe and enjoys a clear and productive relationship with the professional practice of architecture. It has grown to become a rich and diverse discipline in which instruction in subjects ranging from the technologies of building to the history and theories of architecture sits alongside the central activity of the design studio. Alex Griffin’s study of the first formal school of architecture, the Académie Royale d’Architecture (1671-1793), offers the first detailed account of that institution and its relation to the architectural and political events of pre-revolutionary France, but also provides an invaluable historical perspective from which to view the scope and practices of education in the twenty-first century."Dean Hawkes, Emeritus Professor, Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University and Emeritus Fellow, Darwin College, University of Cambridge, UK"In this original and scholarly work, Dr Alex Griffin has written the first account of the Académie Royale d’Architecture in 17th and 18th century Paris, the first school of architecture that adopted a formal educational curriculum. The work is unique in contextualising the development of architectural education at a time of significant cultural change, during the Enlightenment period when architecture was immersed in scientific and artistic debates about the veracity and universality of the classical canon. In addition to providing historical commentary on the academy itself and its membership, Dr Griffin’s book is also of value in exploring the often-nuanced philosophical disputes that surrounded the issue of architectural ‘style’, and how this was manifested in design work. Such debates provided a useful theoretical resource for design entries to the Grand-prix competition that facilitated the creation of an elite group of architectural practitioners and theoreticians. Besides being an important historical investigation, Alex Griffin’s book is also instructive in prompting critical reflection on contemporary architectural education, giving scope to a much-needed debate about the future of the architectural profession in an age of radical change and uncertainty." Nicholas Temple, Professor of Architecture, University of Huddersfield, UK

• AcknowledgementsIntroduction The origins of academic education The formation of the Académie d'Architecture The Académie’s early ideology The school at the Académie Philosophical and stylistic debate on architectural style The professional expression of the Académie’s ideology The suppression of the Académie The revival of the former Académie The enduring influence of the academic tradition at the École Appendix 1: Salient institutional titles associated with academic architectural education in Paris Appendix 2: Membres of the Académie d'ArchitectureAppendix 3: Winners of the Grand prix competitions List of figuresBibliography