Dezeen Magazine

Sean Griffiths

University of Westminster appoints FAT founder Sean Griffiths as Professor of Architecture

News: following the announcement last month that London architecture studio FAT is to disband this year, founding member Sean Griffiths has been appointed professor of Architecture at the University of Westminster.

Griffiths is an alumnus of the University of Westminster and has recently held posts there as a teacher and researcher at the Department of Architecture.

"In my new role I want to highlight alternative forms of practice, exemplified by firms such as FAT, which emerged from the University of Westminster, as well as draw attention to the huge variety of activities in fields such as fine art, journalism, property development, social activism and arts consultancy that a number of prominent former students currently undertake," said Griffiths. "This is particularly important in light of the ongoing debate about the value of architectural education."

"I'm particularly pleased that the Professorship is at the University of Westminster, which was the springboard for the formation of FAT and has been a fantastic workshop for ideas that have found their way into my practice work, a process that will no doubt continue," he added.

Alongside his position at University of Westminster, Griffiths will continue his current work as an architect, designer, artist, writer and teacher.

dezeen_A House for Essex by FAT and Grayson Perry
A House for Essex by FAT and Grayson Perry

The appointment follows the news that London studio FAT, which Griffiths co-founded in 1995 with Charles Holland and Sam Jacob, will close down this summer.

Renowned for its playful, postmodern approach to architecture, FAT announced in December that it would disband following the completion of two major projects - the curation of the British Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2014 and a fairytale house it designed in collaboration with artist Grayson Perry for the Living Architecture series of holiday homes.

Photograph by Tim Soar.