Dr Ruth Lang is an architect, researcher, writer and curator.
Her work explores the relationship between bureaucracy and creativity in architectural practice, aiming to understand better the impact of the legislative, operational and interpersonal frameworks. Her intention is to empower practitioners to affect beneficial change for social, environmental and economic equity in the future.
She holds a PhD from Newcastle University. Her thesis explored the hidden. overlooked and obscured facets of the post-war work of the London County Council Architect’s Department. Applying this strategy to a contemporary context, she has recently published ‘Building for Change’ (gestalten 2022) which demonstrates how contemporary practitioners are applying creative reuse strategies in architecture at the scale of the material, the building and the site as well as in designing for future deconstruction.
As lead researcher for low carbon housing at the Design Museum’s Future Observatory, she explored the hurdles to green transition initiatives for reducing embodied carbon in the construction sector. Her research sought to identify ways in which current issues in policy and industry could be overcome by using the Design Museum as a springboard for developing innovative interventions.
She also regularly contributes to a number of non-academic publications including the Architectural Review, Architects Journal, RIBA Journal and FRAME. She has guest edited a special issue on the ‘Invisible’ in architecture for The Modernist.