The NYU M.A. in Historical and Sustainable Architecture is a nine-month, London-based program that focuses on the creative reuse of older buildings. Since the program’s inception in 2010, students have received advanced knowledge of adaptive reuse and building preservation through both sustainable practice and real estate development. In a world beset by ever-increasing climate destabilization, the need to develop built environments with a strong emphasis on environmental and social sustainability has become a key concern for private companies, governmental organizations and the public. As a result, the M.A. in Historical and Sustainable Architecture has been specifically designed around emerging practice and challenges in conservation and heritage, sustainability, biodiversity and resilience, retrofit, adaptive reuse and regeneration, to prepare students to be the future innovators of a greener world that celebrates the reuse of older buildings.
The learning approach for the program is highly interactive and is designed to encourage collaboration, debate and reflection. Students are challenged to consider the built environment, in response to global carbon reduction targets and rapid urbanization, to develop informed strategies and solutions. Alongside classroom-based lectures, students become involved in live projects, where they meet with designers or consultants to gain an insight into the real-time challenges of climate destabilization and built environments today. Students are supported by a team of course instructors and academic supervisors who are leading experts in academia and/or industry. All the faculty who teach on the MA program are active practitioners in the fields of architecture, urban/green planning, consultancy and preservation. Through a combination of classroom lectures and site visits, students develop both a diverse knowledge of preservation and skills in sustainable practice.
Since 2010, we have graduated over 100 students for careers in the field. Our alumni work across the world as designers, advocates, administrators, researchers, curators and consultants at architecture, development and construction firms; government agencies; non-profit advocacy groups; and cultural institutions.