Sir Peter Cook, the legendary English architect and co-founder of the revolutionary neo-futuristic design group Archigram, continues to advocate for bold creativity and experimental thinking in architectural education. The 85-year-old visionary, who established Archigram alongside Warren Chalk, Ron Herron, David Greene, and Michael Webb, recently sat down with ArchDaily's Editor in Chief Christele Harrouk at the World Architecture Festival 2025 to discuss his forthcoming book 'Archigram Ten' and his views on contemporary architectural pedagogy.
Cook, who co-founded CRAB Studio (Cook Robotham Architectural Bureau) with David Robotham in 2006, has remained prolific in his later years. His recent projects include the Play Pavilion, located next to Serpentine South in Kensington Gardens, which opened on World Play Day, June 11, 2025. He is also internationally recognized for the BIX Light and Media Façade at MoMA and his extensive series of drawings and collages that explore spatial relationships, building elements, and organic landscapes.
Reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on creativity, Cook revealed how this period of global pause became unexpectedly fertile for personal artistic development. Rather than viewing the lockdowns as limitations, he used the enforced isolation to engage in intensive hands-on making and drawing exercises. This approach, he argues, underscores the critical importance of maintaining creative momentum even during periods of uncertainty and social isolation.
However, Cook expressed concern about what he perceives as a broader cultural shift toward excessive caution in architectural practice that emerged during and after the pandemic. He observed that many practitioners became increasingly hesitant to take creative risks, preferring safe, conventional approaches over innovative experimentation. 'There has to be room for revolutionary ideas and experimentation. Otherwise, we go under,' Cook emphasized during the interview. 'I think people tend to condition themselves. They're made nervous by it, sometimes uncomfortable.'
The architect believes this risk-averse mentality represents a fundamental threat to architectural innovation. He argues that the pandemic's psychological impact made people 'nervous and scared, keeping their heads below the parapet, wanting to do the right thing.' In contrast, Cook and his Archigram colleagues 'weren't really worried about doing the right thing. We wanted to do something. That's a different attitude. It's a sort of bravado, if you like.'
Cook's philosophy extends particularly strongly to architectural education, where he sees troubling trends toward conformity and institutional box-ticking. He advocates instead for educational environments that actively foster enthusiasm, risk-taking, and the freedom to be unconventional. 'I think so many schools now are concerned about being worthy, being meaningful, ticking the boxes—making sure they've done this and done that,' he observed. 'There's not much spirit. There's not much encouragement to be wrong, to be naughty, to be different, or to go beyond. It's all correct, correct, correct, correct, correct.'
The veteran architect places responsibility for this educational conservatism squarely on institutional leadership. 'I blame the heads of the schools for this, more than even the professors,' he stated. Cook believes that architectural education should serve as a springboard into a wide range of creative and analytical fields, from filmmaking and writing to urban farming and environmental design.
Perhaps most remarkably, Cook argues that architectural education's value extends far beyond those who ultimately practice architecture professionally. 'Even if you want to go into film, if you want to go into writing, if you want to become a good gardener, you should still go to architecture school,' he insisted. This perspective reflects his belief that architectural training cultivates a unique way of thinking and analytical depth that remains profoundly valuable across diverse disciplines.
Cook draws from decades of teaching experience at prestigious institutions worldwide to support this view. 'I was very interested in architecture and I stayed in it, but I've had lots of interesting students at all these places who have gone off and done something else,' he noted. These former students have successfully applied their architectural training to careers in various creative industries, urban planning, environmental science, and entrepreneurship.
The interview forms part of Cook's promotional activities for 'Archigram Ten,' an editorial project that aims to revive the experimental spirit of the original Archigram magazine. The publication will feature contributions from surviving founding members as well as contemporary designers who share the group's commitment to radical architectural thinking. This project represents Cook's ongoing effort to inspire a new generation of architects to embrace bold experimentation and challenge conventional wisdom.
Cook's recent architectural works continue to embody these principles of creative risk-taking. His Istanbul Disaster Prevention and Education Center, developed through CRAB Studio, demonstrates how innovative design can address serious contemporary challenges while maintaining artistic integrity. The project exemplifies his belief that architectural bravado and social responsibility can coexist productively.
As the architectural profession grapples with increasing standardization, regulatory complexity, and commercial pressures, Cook's message resonates as both a warning and an inspiration. His call for educational reform and professional courage challenges the industry to rediscover the experimental spirit that has historically driven architectural innovation. Through his continued work, writing, and teaching, Sir Peter Cook remains a vital advocate for the transformative power of bold architectural thinking in an increasingly cautious professional landscape.
