RIBA is inviting LGBTQIA+ architects across the UK to submit everyday projects for Proud Architecture, a new exhibition planned for LGBT+ History Month 2027. From student work to major studios, the call aims to show the range of architecture created by queer practitioners, without narrowing it to a single visual style or theme.

Essential Takeaways

  • Open to every career stage: Part 2 students, emerging practices, established architects and larger studios can apply.
  • Everyday architecture matters: Housing, schools, healthcare, workplaces, cultural buildings, public spaces and retrofit projects are all welcome.
  • The focus is on the work: Projects don't need to address LGBTQIA+ themes or communities.
  • Deadline to remember: Submissions must be made by 5pm on Friday, 27 November.
  • Selected work goes further: Chosen architects may appear in the physical exhibition, digital content, talks and related events.

RIBA wants to show the architecture behind the label

Architecture can be discussed through identity, politics and representation, but this exhibition is taking a more straightforward route. Proud Architecture will put the spotlight on buildings and projects produced by LGBTQIA+ architects, from familiar everyday spaces to ambitious cultural work.

That distinction matters. Rather than suggesting there is one recognisable form of LGBTQIA+ architecture, RIBA is asking what the profession looks like when its practitioners are made more visible. The answer could be pleasantly broad: a school, a housing scheme, a restored building or a quiet retrofit project might all sit side by side.

The approach also reflects RIBA's wider work around inclusion and representation, including its LGBT+ History Month and Pride programmes. Its previous exhibitions and campaigns have shown how architectural history can open up when overlooked voices are brought into view.

Students and small practices are part of the picture

The call isn't reserved for high-profile names or finished landmark buildings. Part 2 students, emerging architects and small practices are explicitly included, which gives newer voices a chance to appear alongside established studios.

That breadth could make the exhibition more interesting than a conventional showcase of polished portfolio images. A sketchbook, model, drawing set or early project can reveal how someone thinks just as clearly as a completed building, and sometimes with rather more personality.

RIBA's earlier student-focused LGBTQIA+ activity suggests there's value in showing the profession as a living, changing community rather than a neatly completed history. For applicants, that means a modest project shouldn't be dismissed simply because it hasn't become a headline-maker.

What should applicants submit?

The exhibition will bring together drawings, photography, models and other project material. Applicants should therefore think beyond a single hero image and consider what best explains the work, from early ideas and technical decisions to the finished place.

Projects can cover a wide range of building types and scales. A housing scheme might sit comfortably beside a workplace, healthcare project, public space, cultural venue, restoration or retrofit. The common thread is the architect behind it, not a requirement for the project to carry an LGBTQIA+ subject.

If a project is selected, RIBA may ask for higher-resolution footage, models, sketchbooks or further background. It may also invite architects to provide a short interview or discuss their career, so keeping a tidy archive of process material now could save a frantic search later.

Why visibility still matters in architecture

Representation in architecture isn't only about who appears in a commemorative programme. It's also about who gets recognised as part of the profession's everyday story, especially when the work itself doesn't announce anything about its designer.

RIBA's broader LGBTQIA+ initiatives, including Pride activity and historical programming, have helped connect current practice with a longer record of queer contribution. Proud Architecture extends that conversation into contemporary work, where visibility can feel less abstract and more tangible.

There is something quietly powerful about that. A building may serve thousands of people without most visitors knowing who designed it, yet showing the people behind those spaces can make the profession feel more open and more complete.

When will the exhibition take shape?

RIBA plans to announce the selected architects by 8 January 2027, with the physical exhibition intended to launch during LGBT+ History Month in February 2027. Selected projects may also appear across RIBA's website and social channels.

Successful contributors could be involved in talks, events and digital material linked to the programme, giving the call a life beyond the gallery. For architects, that offers a useful chance to share both a project and the thinking behind it.

The deadline is 5pm on Friday, 27 November. Anyone considering applying should check the submission requirements early, gather permissions for images and confirm that their strongest material can be shared publicly.

It's a practical invitation with a bigger message: LGBTQIA+ architects belong in the everyday record of architecture, not just in a footnote.

Explore the call and choose a project that shows your work at its most honest.

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