Professor Ian Ritchie HRSA CBE, architect, artist, writer and poet, leads ritchie*studio which he founded in 1981. It is recognised as one of the world’s most thoughtful, innovative and influential architectural practices and it supports Ritchie-Net – A Eurasian network of ‘graduate’ practices, all of whom are led by former colleagues at ritchie*studio. For environmental and ethical reasons ritchie*studio limits its architectural projects to Europe.
Ian Ritchie also co-founded Rice Francis Ritchie (aka RFR) in Paris in 1981, design engineers. RFR created the discipline of facade engineering while contributing to the Villette Cité des Sciences with the bioclimatic innovative structural glass facades. Other significant RFR projects in Paris include the Louvre Pyramids and Sculpture Courts, L’Arche de La Défense, Opéra de La Bastille and terminal 2F and RER transport buildings at Roissy Airport.
His practice has won more than 70 European competitions, including Scotland’s Home of Tomorrow realised in Glasgow in 2000, and received more than 100 international awards.
Ian Ritchie is Royal Academician, member of the Akademie der Künste in Berlin, visiting professor at Liverpool University, member of Milan Polytechnic’s academic board, Fellow of the Society of Façade Engineering and a member of the Association of Bridge and Structural Engineering, and Scientists for Global Responsibility. Ian has been the Professor of Architecture at the Royal Academy of Arts, TU Vienna and Leeds University faculty of Civil Engineering, a Royal Fine Art Commissioner, founder member of CABE, and member of the EU and UK Govt. Construction Technology Panels and Steel Construction Institute.
His many accolades include several Honorary Doctorates from UK and EU universities, international innovation awards, and election as an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, the American Institute of Architects, Royal Academy of Music, Royal Academy of Engineering, UCL’s Natural Sciences Club and Oxford University’s History of Science Museum’s Board of Visitors.
Ian has chaired international juries including the RIBA Stirling Prize, French Govt. Jeunes Albums, Czech Architecture Grand Prix, World Architecture Festival, the Berlin Art Prize, and co-chaired the RIAS Doolan Awards with Andy McMillan. Ian has been RIBA External Examiner at several UK universities including Strathclyde University.
Ian Ritchie is currently advisor to Backstage Trust (performing arts), ambassador for Global Returns Project (climate charity), patron of Hawksmoor300, and formerly advisor to the IDBE Course Cambridge University, Centre for Urban Science and Progress NYU, the President of Columbia University, The Ove Arup Foundation, The Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851, Lord Chancellor, and design advisor to the British Museum, Natural History, and National Maritime museums, and governor of the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Ian Ritchie has published fifteen books on architecture, design and poetry, contributed to forty more books, published many technical articles and was guest editor of AD’s Neuroarchitecture.
Ian has given more than 300 lectures internationally on architecture, art, glass, new materials, light; lightweight structures; industrial processes; energy + sustainability, education, museology, theatre, housing, master planning, urbanism; colour and neuroscience as a design tool.
Ian Ritchie’s art is held in Royal Academy of Arts London, Reina Sofia Museum of Modern Art Madrid, Lodz Gallery Poland, Hugh Lane Gallery Dublin, Royal Collection Trust / Queen Elizabeth II and UK Art Collection.
