The Architecture Programme encompasses a variety of events, new commissions and curated displays. From lectures by leading international architects and multidisciplinary panel events, to poetry readings and immersive musical experiences, the Programme consistently pushes boundaries and inspires fresh thinking.

Dating originally from the 1660s, Burlington House has been our home since 1867, and has seen impressive additions over the years by a roster of celebrated architects. Continuing that rich history, Burlington Gardens, originally built in the 1860s, is currently the focus of a major redevelopment of the RA’s site by David Chipperfield Architects, due for completion in 2018.

In 2018 the RA launched two new international architecture awards. Elizabeth Diller and Ricardo Scofidio received the 2019 Royal Academy Architecture Prize to celebrate an inspiring partnership that has, since its inception, been passionately committed to ideas and projects that expand our understanding of architecture and urban culture.

In spring 2016, the Architecture Programme unveiled a new display exploring the contrasts between the ambitions for Britain’s new post-war cityscapes and the varied futures that were subsequently created.

After an architectural ideas competition in summer 2015, the Architecture Programme presented new and creative uses for London’s brownfield sites. The projects looked at the untapped potential of London’s underused land – and why the solution is not as simple as it seems.

In spring 2014, the RA launched a monumental exhibition that tasked seven architects with reawakening our visitors’ sensibilities to the spaces around them – bringing to the fore the experiential qualities of architecture.