# Tom Dyckhoff

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**Tom Dyckhoff** is a British writer, broadcaster and historian on architecture, design and cities. He has worked in television, radio, exhibitions, print and online media. He is best known for being a [BBC TV](/source/BBC_Television) presenter of *[The Great Interior Design Challenge](/source/The_Great_Interior_Design_Challenge)*, *[The Culture Show](/source/The_Culture_Show)*, *I Love Carbuncles*, *The Secret Life of Buildings* (on [Channel 4](/source/Channel_4)) and *[Saving Britain's Past](/source/Saving_Britain's_Past)*.

## Early life

He went to [Aylesbury Grammar School](/source/Aylesbury_Grammar_School) (between 1983 and 1987) and then to the private [Royal Grammar School Worcester](/source/Royal_Grammar_School_Worcester) (1987–1989).[2]

Dyckhoff then received a BA in Geography from [Oxford University](/source/Oxford_University).[3]

## Career

He began his career in September 1995, at *Perspectives on Architecture*, (the [Prince of Wales](/source/The_Prince's_Foundation_for_Building_Community)'s architectural magazine),[4] before becoming assistant editor at Design magazine, and then exhibitions curator at the [Royal Institute of British Architects](/source/Royal_Institute_of_British_Architects) in 1998. Between 1999 and 2003 was deputy editor of "Space", *[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)* newspaper's design and homes section, and worked on its *Weekend* magazine.[5]

He is teaching fellow in the history and theory of architecture and cities at the [Bartlett School of Architecture](/source/Bartlett_School_of_Architecture) at [University College London](/source/University_College_London). He is also History and Theory Tutor in [MArch](/source/MArch) Architecture at [Central Saint Martins](/source/Central_Saint_Martins). He has also taught at other institutions including [Design Academy Eindhoven](/source/Design_Academy_Eindhoven); [University of Westminster](/source/University_of_Westminster), London; [Cass School of Architecture](/source/School_of_Art,_Architecture_and_Design_(London_Metropolitan_University)), London Metropolitan University; and at the [Architectural Association, London](/source/Architectural_Association_School_of_Architecture).[6]

Dyckhoff wrote a weekly column for *The Guardian* newspaper's *Weekend* magazine from 2001 until 2020,[7] and from 2003 to 2011, he was the architecture and design critic for *[The Times](/source/The_Times)* newspaper in London.[8][9] He has written for international publications such as *[Blueprint](/source/Blueprint_(architecture_magazine))*,[10] *[Architects' Journal](/source/Architects'_Journal)*,[11] *[GQ](/source/GQ)*, *[Arena](/source/Arena_(magazine))*, *[Wallpaper](/source/Wallpaper_(magazine))*, *[Domus](/source/Domus_(magazine))*, *[New Statesman](/source/New_Statesman)*, *[Monocle](/source/Monocle_(UK_magazine))* and *[Icon](/source/Icon_(architecture_magazine))*.[12] He has taught at University College London, where he was honorary senior research associate, acts as a visiting critic and lecturer at other universities, and regularly holds lectures and hosts events.[8]

Dyckhoff is an [Honorary Fellow](/source/Honorary_Fellow) of the Royal Institute of British Architects,[13] has been a trustee of [the Architecture Foundation](/source/The_Architecture_Foundation),[14] and was on the national shortlisting jury for the [Stirling Prize](/source/Stirling_Prize) for architecture from 2008 to 2012. In 2013 he was a judge on The Stirling Prize.[9][15]

He has also sat on the architecture committees of the [Arts Council](/source/Arts_Council_England), the [British Council](/source/British_Council) and the [Twentieth Century Society](/source/Twentieth_Century_Society) (which campaigns for 20th century heritage),[16] and on the British Council jury selecting the British Pavilion at the [Venice Biennale](/source/Venice_Biennale).[17]

In 2013, he began making radio programmes for [BBC Radio 4](/source/BBC_Radio_4), such as a documentary on [Buckminster Fuller](/source/Buckminster_Fuller) (an American design polymath), and a regular series on design, The Design Dimension.[18] He was an editorial consultant behind rethinking the 21st edition of [Sir Banister Fletcher](/source/Sir_Banister_Fletcher)'s *[A History of Architecture](/source/A_History_of_Architecture)*.[8] In 2017, Penguin Random House published his first book, The Age of Spectacle: adventures in architecture and the 21st-century city, a history of architecture and cities since the 1970s.

## Television career

Dyckhoff's first documentary was a one off, in 2004, about brutalist architecture for Channel 4, *I Love Carbuncles*.[19] From 2006 to 2016, he was a *[Culture Show](/source/The_Culture_Show)* presenter, where he wrote and presented a range of short and full-length documentaries on diverse subjects, with interviewees, such as [Frank Gehry](/source/Frank_Gehry), [Ikea](/source/Ikea), Chinese design and architecture, [Oscar Niemeyer](/source/Oscar_Niemeyer), [Thomas Heatherwick](/source/Thomas_Heatherwick), [Dieter Rams](/source/Dieter_Rams) and [Lego](/source/Lego).[20][21]

In 2009, he presented *Saving Britain's Past*, an exploration of Britain's relationship with heritage, on [BBC2](/source/BBC2).[22]

In 2011, he was a presenter of [Channel 4](/source/Channel_4)'s three-part series *Secret Life of Buildings*, which used the latest research in psychology and neuroscience and real-life experiments to examine the impact of spaces and architecture on our brains and bodies.[1][23][19]

In 2013, he began presenting *[The Great Interior Design Challenge](/source/The_Great_Interior_Design_Challenge)* on BBC 2.[24] He then presented Series 2 (Oct/ Nov 2014), Series 3 (Feb 2016) and Series 4 (Jan 2017) as well.[25]

In 2022, he is a judge on the 2nd series of [Channel 4](/source/Channel_4)'s *[Handmade: Britain's Best Woodworker](/source/Handmade:_Britain's_Best_Woodworker)*, a carpentry talent competitions show presented by [Mel Giedroyc](/source/Mel_Giedroyc). He joins woodworking expert Sophie Sellu.[26]

## Personal life

He lives in South East London, with his family. He is married to Claire.[1]

## Bibliography

- Dyckhoff, Tom (27 February 2012). *The Architecture of London 2012: Vision, Design and Legacy of the Olympic and Paralympic Games – An Official London 2012 Publication*. John Wiley & Sons. ASIN B00CB5GE5C.

Co-authored with Claire Barrett

- Dyckhoff, Tom (20 June 2017). *The Age of Spectacle: adventures in architecture and the 21st-century city*. Random House Books. ISBN 978-1847946522.
- Dyckhoff, Tom (6 November 2014). *Great Interior Design Challenge Sourcebook: The DIY Way to Add Value to Your Home*. Pavilion Books. ISBN 978-1909815865.

Co-authored with [Sophie Robinson](/source/Sophie_Robinson_(designer)), [Daniel Hopwood](/source/Daniel_Hopwood) and Katherine Sorrell

## References

1. Midgley, Neil (1 August 2011). ["Tom Dyckhoff: Britain's buildings and homes are bad for our health"](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/8671067/Tom-Dyckhoff-Britains-buildings-and-homes-are-bad-for-our-health.html). *The Telegraph*. Retrieved 14 April 2014.

1. ["School Alumni"](https://web.archive.org/web/20141006123335/http://www.rgsw.org.uk/rgs-worcester/alumni/school-alumni/). rgsw.org.ukaccessdate=14 April 2014. Archived from [the original](http://www.rgsw.org.uk/rgs-worcester/alumni/school-alumni/) on 6 October 2014.

1. Dyckhoff, Tom (18 May 2001). ["Tom Dyckhoff finds that geography has shaken off the anoraks"](https://www.theguardian.com/education/2001/may/18/universityguide.tomdyckhoff). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 14 April 2014.

1. Richard Hill[Designs and Their Consequences: Architecture and Aesthetics](https://books.google.com/books?id=-ooprFiVHV8C)

1. Joe Kerr, Andrew Gibson[London From Punk to Blair: Revised Second Edition](https://books.google.com/books?id=5VdsY1LF_gMC)

1. ["Tom Dyckhoff"](https://www.arts.ac.uk/colleges/central-saint-martins/people/tom-dyckhoff). *Central Saint Martins*. 25 October 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2022.

1. ["Tom Dyckhoff"](https://web.archive.org/web/20120308194725/http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006t6c5/presenters/tomdyckhoff). bbc.co.uk. 2014. Archived from [the original](http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006t6c5/presenters/tomdyckhoff) on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2014.

1. ["TV architecture critic Tom Dyckhoff to give Cheltenham Civic Society annual lecture"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140416192752/http://www.gloucestershireecho.co.uk/TV-architecture-critic-Tom-Dyckhoff-Cheltenham/story-20823790-detail/story.html). *Gloucestershire Echo*. 18 March 2014. Archived from [the original](http://www.gloucestershireecho.co.uk/TV-architecture-critic-Tom-Dyckhoff-Cheltenham/story-20823790-detail/story.html) on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2014.

1. Dyckhoff, Tom (14 October 2008). ["Stirling Prize 2008 winner: Accordia housing development, Cambridge"](https://www.thetimes.com/life-style/property-home/article/stirling-prize-2008-winner-accordia-housing-development-cambridge-ln0vndfqf7m). *[The Times](/source/The_Times)*. Retrieved 15 April 2014.

1. Appleton, Josie (4 March 2005). ["Architect of the Year 2004"](http://www.spiked-online.com/newsite/article/1207). spiked-online.com. Retrieved 15 April 2014.

1. ["Tom Dyckhoff"](http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/tom-dyckhoff/270.contributor). architectsjournal.co.uk. 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2014.

1. ["In Conversation: with Will Alsop & Tom Dyckhoff"](http://www.architectureweek.com/cgi-bin/calendar.cgi?id=11511). architectureweek.com. 13 April 2005. Retrieved 14 April 2014.

1. ["RIBA announces 12 Honorary Fellowships"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140416181957/http://www.architecture.com/NewsAndPress/News/RIBANews/News/2009/RIBAannounces12HonoraryFellowships.aspx). architecture.com. 6 October 2009. Archived from [the original](http://www.architecture.com/NewsAndPress/News/RIBANews/News/2009/RIBAannounces12HonoraryFellowships.aspx) on 16 April 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2014.

1. ["Tom Dyckhoff, Peter Rees, and Vijay Thakur join The AF's Board of Trustees"](http://www.architecturefoundation.org.uk/news/2012/oct/dyckhoff-rees-thakur-join-board). architecturefoundation.org.uk. 25 October 2012. Retrieved 14 April 2014.

1. ["Utterly magical building wins Top UK architecture prize – but no cash"](http://www.dezeen.com/2013/09/27/utterly-magical-building-wins-stirling-prize-but-no-cash/). dezeen.com. 27 September 2013. Retrieved 14 April 2014.

1. ["Journal 4: Post-war Houses"](http://www.c20society.org.uk/journals/journal-4-post-war-houses/). c20society.org.uk. 2000. Retrieved 15 April 2014.

1. ["Echo/City – An Urban Register"](http://venicebiennale.britishcouncil.org/timeline/2006). venicebiennale.britishcouncil.org. 2006. Retrieved 14 April 2014.

1. ["An Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01lswct). bbc.co.uk. 1 March 2013. Retrieved 14 April 2014.

1. Cooke, Rachel (15 August 2011). ["The Secret Life of Buildings (Channel 4)"](http://www.newstatesman.com/television/2011/08/building-dyckhoff-office). *The New Statesman*. Retrieved 14 April 2014.

1. ["TV preview: The Culture Show: Lego – The Building Block of Architecture"](http://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/TV-preview-Culture-Lego-ndash-Building-Block/story-20594133-detail/story.html). *Stoke Sentinel*. 10 February 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2014.

1. ["The Culture Show: Lego – The Building Blocks of Architecture"](http://www.radiotimes.com/episode/csrjvf/the-culture-show--the-culture-show-lego---the-building-blocks-of-architecture). *Radio Times*. 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2014.

1. ["Saving Britain's Past"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00mg4ws/episodes/guide). bbc.co.uk. 12 August 2009. Retrieved 14 April 2014.

1. Wright, Mic (4 August 2011). ["My Television Week: Dragons' Den, The Secret Life Of Buildings"](http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/mic-wright/my-television-week-dragon_b_918166.html). *Huffington Post*. Retrieved 15 April 2014.

1. ["BBC Two - The Great Interior Design Challenge, Series 1, Edwardian - Muswell Hill"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03sg6fq). *BBC*. Retrieved 13 April 2020.

1. ["BBC Two - The Great Interior Design Challenge"](https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04nj4d5). *BBC*. Retrieved 13 April 2020.

1. Cox, Robin L. ["What is Handmade: Britain's Best Woodworker and when is it back on Channel 4?"](https://www.concowoodworking.com/what-is-handmade-britains-best-woodworker-and-when-is-it-back-on-channel-4/). *www.concowoodworking.com*. Retrieved 22 September 2022.

## External links

- [Tom Dyckhoff](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3033336/) at IMDb

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Tom Dyckhoff](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Dyckhoff) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Dyckhoff?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.