3 tips for teaching architecture design to students

3 Tips for Teaching Architecture

8 April 2026

There are over 20,000 students studying architecture courses in the UK currently.

This may seem like a small number compared to many other popular areas of study. But the truth is that any layperson with no knowledge of architecture can learn a lot by developing a greater understanding of the topic.

Architecture is a reflection of our culture and history. Within a deeply technical skillset is a creative mind that constructs monuments to civilisation as they evolve, and represents the times in which they are created and the people they are created for.

Perhaps you’re teaching architecture at an academic level and looking for ways to make your lessons come to life. Maybe you’re looking to introduce young people to a potential future path. Or maybe you simply are an aficionado who wants to share your passion with those in your life.

1. Practice through travel

Exploring a new city is always a thrill, and for an architecture student, it is an opportunity to explore the history of a city through the lens of the buildings that comprise its landscape.

And you don’t have to travel far. There is a range of diverse architecture to be seen across the UK. Outside the capital cities like Manchester, Liverpool and Edinburgh have stunning buildings which tell the stories of these cities in breathtaking ways.

If you’re looking to learn more, or to teach others how to appreciate beautiful architecture, this is the best way to do it.

2. Teaching tools

Beyond the basic checklist for learners – stationary, scale rulers, set squares and protractors – there are a number of teaching tools that can apply across subjects and help engage learners in a fun and accessible way.

If you aren’t teaching the technical skills to a room full of serious learners but instead trying to light that initial spark, strip it back to basics.

Picture trying to teach a room full of high school students about architecture for the first time.

Show them familiar buildings like the Eiffel Tower or the Empire State Building, and ask them to name them. FlexiQuiz is a classroom quiz tool with fantastic capabilities for this type of activity.

Then teach them about Gustave Eiffel, or Shreve, Lamb, & Harmon, and the contexts in which those buildings were made.

This is a great technique that encourages absolute beginners to think beyond the postcard images and understand why the subject truly matters.

3. Teach caution

While the beauty and creativity of architecture is the source of inspiration that draws most aspiring architects in, the technical skills are important too.

From the three little pigs to the John Hancock Tower, architectural history is filled with cautionary tales that serve as a stark reminder of the importance of proper procedure at every stage of the journey.

When teaching architecture at a high level it is important to understand how caution can be costly on so many levels, and presents a very real threat.

We hope these three tips for teaching architecture inspire you in the classroom.

Are you a lecturer, teacher or architecture expert with insight into the best learning tools and tricks? Share your ideas with us in the comments below!

Comments on this guide to 3 tips for teaching architecture article are welcome.