Dhruv Sookhoo

Biography

Dhruv Sookhoo is a chartered architect (RIBA), chartered town planner (MRTPI), and recognised university educator (FHEA), and Senior Lecturer in Architecture and Urbanism at Manchester School of Architecture.  He is Visiting Lecturer in the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, Newcastle University, where he completed professionally accredited degrees in architecture and planning, and later a PhD examining the social practices adopted by architects to realise housing quality during development management as situated within the legacy of historical, professional divergence of the architectural and planning profession (ESRC-funded studentship).  His research and teaching reflect expertise in residential design and delivery, promotion of housing quality through design governance, and design-led approaches to improving collaboration between professionals and residents. In addition to serving as an Examiner to the ARB’s Prescribed Examination Panel and UK Adaptation Assessor (2018-), Dhruv is an Assessor for the RTPI Assessment of Professional Competence (APC) (2019-) and RTPI Degree Apprenticeship End Point Assessment (2022-), Professional Examiner for the PGDip Architectural Practice and Management (Part 3) at Newcastle University (2021-), and a Dissertation Supervisor for the Masters of Urban Design at the Welsh School of Architecture, Cardiff University (2022-). 

Dhruv undertook his professional preparation in developing housing associations in the North East of England, and has held a range of posts in architectural practice reflecting expertise in housing development and latterly practice-based research, including Head of Research and Practice Innovation, at Metropolitan Workshop (2019-21), an award-winning practice of architects and urban designers with studios in London and Dublin. Before this he gained senior industry experience as Design Manager, and then Head of Design, at Home Group (2011-15), where he was responsible for establishing a department to champion better residential design quality across a national housing and regeneration programme by commissioning leading architects and designers, effective client-side design management, design review and community participation. Dhruv is the past Chair of the RIBA Housing Group (2019-21), former member of the Governing Council of the NHBC, and past member of the RIBA Education Trust Fund Committee and several RIBA Visiting Boards. He currently serves the RTPI Partnership Board, University College Dublin (Chair), and is a past member of Boards to the University of Manchester (Vice Chair, 2021-23) and Joint Distance Learning Consortia (Vice Chair, 2017-20). 

Annual Register of Interests 2023/2024

Membership of Formal Groups: Chartered Architect, Royal Institute of British Architects; Chartered Town Planner, Royal Town Planning Institute; Fellow, Higher Education Academy.

Business, Professional or Social Relationships: Senior Lecturer, Manchester School of Architecture (collaboration between Manchester Metropolitan University and the University of Manchester); Visiting Lecturer (Associate Lecturer) and Professional Examiner, Newcastle University; dissertation supervisor, Welsh School of Architecture and School of Geography and Planning, Cardiff University. 

Companies or Associations which you or members of your family are officers or employees or in which you or they have beneficial interests:
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Involvement in Partnerships, Joint Ventures or Consortia:
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Professional Relationships with individuals, organisations or businesses that might have relationships with ARB: Northern Ireland and North East Doctoral Training Partnership (NINE DTP); Metropolitan Workshop, London and Dublin; RTPI Accreditation Panel and Partnership Board; Oxford Design Review Panel.