Layton Reid BA (hons) DArch Urb Des DMPLArch MA MCSD RIBA RIAS FRSA SFHEA AoU ARB PPCh IE Affiliate BIID Is a prominent British architect, designer, and academic known for his research-based design practice, Desitecture, and his leadership in architectural education, recognized for his work in sustainable urbanism and his advocacy for diversity in architectural education, having developed inclusive departments and acting as a passionate educator focused on future-oriented, sustainable, and socially equitable design His work is defined through Polycultural Environments and sutainable cities characterised by the intersection of social and commercial imperatives in urban landscape, cultural interior architecture, and emerging technologies. Key Highlights: • Current Role, Professor University of Hertfordshire , Interior Architecture • Past Visiting Professor of Design at the University of West London (LSFMD) and Visiting Professor of Design and Innovation at ESNE (Madrid). • Academic Leadership: Former Associate Dean for Architecture at Ravensbourne University London and past President/Chairman of Interior Educators UK. • International Appointments: In 2024, he was appointed as the Chief Academic Counselor at the Shanghai Venture Port International Academician Workstation • Recent Awards: WAFX Smart Cities Award at the 2023 World Architecture Festival for his project "Diatom City," which focuses on sustainable urban regeneration. And social equity. • GADA Architecture Award • Advocacy: He is the Founder of Ikenga Organisation , which supports students from diverse backgrounds to enter the creative professions, a vocal champion for inclusive architectural curricula and has established mentorship schemes, such as those through the Soho House Foundation, to support creatives from diverse backgrounds. Educational Philosophy & Diversity Reid is a leading advocate for the "liberation of the curriculum"—a movement to make architectural education more inclusive and representative of a global society. • Invented the IDEA Acronym: At Ravensbourne University London, he developed the IDEAs department (Interior Design, Environment Architectures, and Urban Landscape) to create a more diverse and accessible entry point into the profession. • Authentic Experience: He believes education should enfranchise students’ "authentic contemporary experience," moving away from Eurocentric traditions to embrace the diverse cultural backgrounds of the student body.