Professor Robert Schmidt III

My expertise in digital design includes the development of novel tools through piloting mixed reality design platform (MRDP) research which developed a serious gaming environment and successfully demonstrated the application of this technological approach to sustainability with the UK’s largest retailer.

The broader envelope of my research leadership focuses on the implementation of critical practice, ambitiously and creatively rethinking the architecture profession. A key focus in the breadth of this critical practice is the development and promotion of a more inclusive, diverse and joyful built environment that can support society’s physical and mental well-being. This flourishing research fits and strengthens the University’s strategy for Vibrant & Inclusive Communities by empowering a diverse range of community perspectives through collaborative relationships and promoting individual emotional connections to our local built environment and Sports, Health & Well-being with a focus on the psychological dimensions and emotional effects of buildings, enhancing mental well-being through ‘joyful’ architectural design.

Strategic areas of interest

• Adaptability & Circularity – the interplay of time, change, value and agency in our built environment; e.g., material literacy & circularity, building reuse, temporary urbanism
• Our Planetary Systems – zooming in & out to rethink architectural design through our planetary relations; e.g., systems thinking, regenerative design, more-than-human design, transdisciplinary design
• Human Experience in design – the behavioural, emotional and cognitive experience of space; e.g., neuro-architecture, aesthetic sustainability, community engagement
• AGI supported design – the use of artificial general intelligence to bolster design thinking & processes; e.g., domain specialised intelligence, human-robot collaboration, material intelligence

Current Research Activity

• Radical Heritage (New Wave)
• (Re)Instilling Civic Belonging: The Role of Cultural Infrastructure in Everyday Participation (RED via UfN Co(l)laboratory)

Recently completed research projects

• Housing Architecture of the Future (SPARC funding) w/ IIT Delhi) and IISc: Bangalore
• Foundations, Creating an AI-Powered Catalog of Diverse UK Housing Designs (ESPRC)
• EXTEND, Exponential Technologies for Extracting Novel Dormant Value (ESPRC)
• Thinking Inside the Box (EPSRC Energy Feasibility Study)
• Enabling Real-time Digital Fabrication Methods for Co-production (EPSRC) w/ AHR Building Consultancy Ltd
• Interchangeable Modules for Transportation Hubs (Arup)

Ongoing Doctoral Researchers

• Jose Evandro Henriques (external supervisor, 2028): Towards an adaptable contemporary architecture: design strategies between matter and spirit. Federal University of Pernambuco
• Slavica Nikolcic (external supervisor, 2028): Speculative Architecture: Bridging Experimental and Representational Design. University of Belgrade
• Zsiri Dempsey (2028): Mycelium as Living Media
• Zhenzhen Yu (2027): Adaptive Reuse of Abandon Buildings for Urban Renewal in China
• Jonathan Morgan (2026): Policy influences on the use of modern methods of construction in the English housebuilding sector
• Kun Wang (2026): Improving Sustainable Design through Digital collaboration and communication

Completed Doctoral Researchers

• Joyce Chan (2024) The Effects of biophilic design: Measuring Well-being value in workplace through Post-Occupancy Evaluation
• Caroline Pepper (2024). Analysis and Repositioning of Informal Learning Spaces in the Context of HE - The Holistic Approach
• Dan Zhu (2024). Collaborative Design Space
• Dr Ziqi Zheng (2023) Interrogating ‘Critical Regionalism’: How do architects today articulate the global and the local
• Lixu Liu (2023) Sustainable Urban Development: A Study on Green Infrastructure in Compact Cities
• Juan Montero (2023) Customised Digital fabrication Protocols for Designers
• Rafif Alshebl (2022) Sustainable Vertical Urban Neighbourhood: A new built form for well-being

• Foster-Jeapes, L., Wiles, C. and Schmidt III, R. (2025). ‘The Exchange Anatomy: Expanding Architecture through a relational perspective’, PLAT: Alchemy, 13, pp. 1-16 https://www.platjournal.com/shop/plat-13-alchemy
• Liu, L., Palaiologou, F., and Schmidt III, R. (2025) Green Infrastructure morphology: Integrating Urban Morphological Perspectives for sustainable urban development.. Journal of Urban Management, ISSN 2226-5856, DOI: 1016/j.jum.2025.05.004
• Richards, S., Schmidt III, R., Sanliturk, C., and Palaiologou, G. (eds). (2023) Regions in the Critiques book series. Routledge, Oxford, DOI: 4324/9781003361978
• Foster-Jeapes, L., Wiles, C. and Schmidt III, R. (2023). ‘Lamination: 6 Acts of Exchange’, Dichotomy: Gather, 27, pp. 122-141 https://www.dichotomyjournal.com/home/wildlife-e9cra-sy9th-f9xth
• Chmutina, K., Dainty, A., Schmidt III, R., Nikolaidou, E., Mantesi, E., Yu, Y. and Cook, M. (2021)Thinking inside the box: New ways of considering energy consumption in a multi-user agency-constrained environment. Energy Efficiency 14, 8, DOI: 1007/s12053-021-10015-8
• Larimian, T.; Sadeghi, A.; Palaiologou, G.; Schmidt III, R. (2020) Neighbourhood Social Resilience (NSR): Definition, Conceptualisation, and Measurement Scale Development. Sustainability 12, 6363.
• Energy Efficiency Journal, DOI: 1007/s12053-021-10015-8
• Schmidt III, R. and Austin, S. (2016) Designing for Adaptability: Theory and Practice, Routledge, Oxford. https://www.routledge.com/Adaptable-Architecture-Theory-and-practice/SchmidtIII-Austin/p/book/9780415522588

I have thoroughly enjoyed opportunities to develop high-quality architectural curriculum in content, delivery and assessment (BArch, MArch) - this requires navigating university regulations and practices with multiple accreditation bodies’ requirements in combination with best pedagogical practices and evolving industry and technology trends.  This continual effort helps ensure students are prepared for the evolving challenges of practice through an education that is up-to-date, evidence-based, innovate, inclusive and effective.

This is supported through my obligations of serving on regional, national and international education committees and panels (e.g. RIBA East Midlands, SCOSA, UIA/UNESCO); as well as through professional training (e.g. EDI, ethics, digital literacy).

I contribute to learning and teaching activities across the School’s programmes including:

Undergraduate

• CVB075 Design Studio B (BArch, Y2)
• CVC090 Design Studio C (BArch, Y3)

Postgraduate

• CVM104 Transdisciplinary Design (MArch, M1)
• CVM201 Design Studio M2 (MArch, M2)

International Short Courses

• Designing for Adaptable Architecture course, Federal University of Pernambuco (Recife, Brazil)
• Adaptable Urban Commons., BNCA (Pune, India)

Current Projects

• Adaptable Offices (Mute)
• Adapt or Die Exhibition (Mute)

Recenlty Completed Projects

• Architectural Technical Studies Forum (EPG)
• Interchangeable Modules for Transportation Hubs (Arup)
• Restructuring of owner-occupied apartments in Europe (MEXT, Japan)
• Copenhagen Multi-unit Residential Investigation: combination and extension of existing residential units (MEXT, Japan)
• Policies regarding building conversions in London (MEXT, Japan)
• Designing for Adaptable Futures (EPSRC, KTP)

I have been fortunate to spend my adult life collecting varied academic, industry and personal experiences exploring the built environment across a broad range of cultural and physical topographies. I received a bachelor’s degree in architecture from Iowa State University (USA); a MEng degree from The University of Tokyo (Japan); and a PhD from Loughborough University (UK).

I am the founding partner of RaRe (Radical Realism), a mission-driven design practice focused on reframing our everyday relationships between humans and the planet – in an era of climate crisis, inequality, and systemic complexity, the practice focuses on design interventions that reshape systems, relationships, and long-term change. I have practiced architecture for prestigious and award-winning architectural firms in the USA, including Herb Beckhard and Frank Richlan (HB+FR) and OPN Architects. As an architectural designer, I have extensive experience co-designing community centres in New York and other public institutions including museums & libraries.

At Loughborough, I have had the privilege to lead the foundation and development of architecture (BArch & MArch).  I currently teach design thinking, architectural design and systems-based approaches to the built environment and lead the Adaptable Futures Research Group. I have served on an educational committees and accreditation panels nationally and internationally. I am a visiting professor at Beijing Institute of Technology in China and Federal University of Pernambuco in Brazil. I have the pleasure of regularly being invited to speak at professional and academic events around the world.

There is no doubt I love architecture and its transformative potential, but this emotion is coupled with an incredible passion to give back to others; to my students, colleagues, profession, communities and society. This excitement to inspire, support, transform and impact others and our built environment drives me professionally, in my teaching, research and leadership and forms a powerful basis for my work. It’s my desire to be a creative leader and responsible ambassador for the University’s continued success, to establish world-leading research with strategic global partners and through my ambitious work, help shape our global fight against climate change, create vibrant and inclusive communities, improve our well-being and enable a new generation of critical practitioners, who can reflect, challenge and open up new possibilities for our profession. 

External activities

• Visiting Professor, Federal University of Pernambuco, 2026
• Visiting Professor, Beijing Institute of Technology, 2025-2027
• Scientific Committee, (From) Adaptive Reuse (to) Adaptive Architecture, Carleton University, 2026
• Scientific Committee, The Built Environment and Beyond: A special focus on Circular Economy, IIT Bombay, 2026
• External Academic, Teaching and Learning Committee, Architectural Association, 2021-2024
• Member, RIBA Educational Publishing Advisory Panel, 2019-
• Judge, Fit Out Awards, Business River, 2024-2025
• Secretary, UIA / UNESCO Validation Panel, University of Pecs, Hungary, 2024
• Secretary, UIA / UNESCO Validation Panel, The University of Cairo; Egypt, 2022
• Guest Editor, Fluid Regions, Special Issue in Architecture and Culture, 2022
• Organising and Scientific Committee, Region, AHRA 2021 Conference, Loughborough, 2021
• External Examiner, Architectural Association, 2020

Public Lectures & Exhibitions  

Invited Speaker,

• Adaptable Building Conference, Rotterdam, NL, 2026
• Invited Speaker, Adaptable Offices, Mute Design, Warsaw, Poland, 2025
• Guest Lecturer, Adaptability & Circularity, Capable Research Project (collaboration between UK and Indian universities), Liverpool John Moores University, 2025
• Invited Academic, Adaptable Urban Commons. Lectures, Design Studio and Research consultation, BNCA, India, 2025
• Invited Speaker, Trivandi Webinar, Repurposing Venues for Major Sporting Events, 2025
• Invited Speaker & Panelist, Clerkenwell Design Week, Adaptable Design, London, 2025
• Invited Speaker and Panel Moderator, Circular Economy Week, ReLondon, London, 2024
• Invited Academic, Lectures & Design Studio, South China University of Technology, 2024
• Invited Speaker, Healthy Living Symposium, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing, China, 2024
• Guest Lecturer, RaRe (Radical Realism) - speculative design thinking for critical practice, Central Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture, 2024
• (Re)Collections Installation. RaRe Design Lab (w/Lewis Foster-Jeapes & Cameron Wiles). Materials Matters Fair. London Design Festival.
• Guest Lecturer, Neuroarchitecture: emotion as a function of the design, Guangzhou University, 2024
• Guest Lecturer, Shenzhen University, School of Architecture, 2024
• Guest Lecturer, LU-Arc: The future of Architectural Education, RISEBA University, Lativa, 2024

Key collaborators

My research and enterprise activities are conducted with a range of academic and stakeholder partners, including:

• PLP Architecture (https://plparchitecture.com)
• Mute (https://www.mute.design)
• Heatherwick Studio (https://heatherwick.com)