Architecture
with People

People

People
peter.ferretto@cuhk.edu.hk Website 3943 3706 Rm. 405, Lee Shau Kee Architecture Building, CUHK
DipArch (Cantab)
BA (Hons) (Lpool)
ARBUK

Prof. FERRETTO, Peter W.

School Director, Associate Professor (Full-time)

Introduction

Peter Ferretto is an internationally renowned architect, scholar, and educator with over 25 years of experience spanning Europe and Asia. As founder and director of Condition_Lab, he has pioneered participatory and community-empowering architecture, focusing on design’s transformative agency in advancing social and cultural impact. Ferretto has collaborated with leading practices, including Herzog & de Meuron, contributing to important works such as CaixaForum Madrid, and has taught at distinguished institutions like the Architectural Association (London) and Seoul National University.

Currently Director of the School of Architecture at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK), Ferretto oversees five academic programmes and leads major curriculum innovations. He has played a pivotal role in designing and delivering award-winning architectural prototypes in China and Africa, including the celebrated Pingtan Children’s Library, recognised with the “World Interior of the Year” at the World Architecture Festival, and community-driven projects in Kenya and rural China.

Ferretto’s research advances socially engaged architecture, living heritage preservation, and urban regeneration, integrating co-design, vernacular knowledge, and sustainable development. His leadership in research has secured over HK$12.9 million in competitive grants, and his architectural projects have received over 24 international design awards, impacting practice and education globally.

With a portfolio of more than seven completed built research prototypes and seven international exhibitions (including the Venice and Seoul Biennale), Ferretto’s scholarship bridges academic rigour with real-world impact. His publications highlight innovative approaches to participatory design, rural revitalisation, and cultural preservation, shaping discourse across Asia, Africa, and Europe.

Ferretto is a Registered Architect, RIBA Design Ambassador, international journal editor, and external examiner for leading global programmes. As a dedicated educator, he has mentored award-winning PhD students and received multiple international teaching distinctions, including the RIBA Silver Medal.

Research Focus

Socially Engaged Architecture: Participatory design and architectural agency for social inclusion and empowerment.

Living Heritage Preservation: Rural regeneration, sustainable vernacular building, and minority communities in China and Kenya.

Urban Regeneration: Revitalising neglected urban spaces through design-led interventions in dense city contexts.

Selected Awards & Honours

World Architecture Festival, Interior of the Year (2022)

Design for Asia Grand Award (2022)

Architecture MasterPrize, Best Educational Building (2022)

AR Future Projects Award Residential Building of the Year (2021)

Faculty Outstanding Research Impact Award (2024, 2020)

Multiple international competition prizes (Busan Opera House, Suncheon Cultural Park, Seun City Urban Park)

RIBA Silver Medal, Royal Institute of British Architects (2016)

Exemplary Teaching Award, Seoul National University

Publications

Ferretto has published over 12 peer-reviewed journal articles, 22 conference papers, and 6 books on topics spanning social practice, heritage, and education in architecture. His work has been featured in international conferences and journals, and exhibited at global venues including Venice Biennale, Seoul Biennale, and major galleries in China and Africa.

Major Grants

Ferretto is Principal Investigator on 20 competitive national research grants, including seven General Research Fund awards from Hong Kong’s RGC, supporting ground-breaking research into rural heritage, urban spaces, and innovative learning environments.

Leadership and Service

Ferretto serves as Director and former Associate Director of the School of Architecture, Registered Architect for HKIA Educational Board, international examiner, grant reviewer, and editorial board member, furthering architectural education and research globally.

Selected Built Projects

Pingtan Children’s Library, Hunan, China

Amani Kibera Community Centre, Nairobi, Kenya

Gaobu Book House and Mutation House, Hunan, China

Kuku Maasai Youth Centre, Kenya

Urban Pause: Book Tree, Hong Kong

Mud Library, Guangdong

Malong Educational Tea House, Hunan

Vice Versa Exhibition Series, China