Department of Architecture & Planning
Introduction
Architecture education in Kerala began right here at CET in 1964. The Department of Architecture & Planning has been the torchbearer of architectural education in the state and has played a defining role in shaping the architectural identity of Kerala. The department celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 2014. B.Arch is a five-year programme unlike the four-year B.Tech — it is structured as a studio-based creative-technical discipline where every semester revolves around design projects supported by theoretical, historical, and technical subjects. It is the only undergraduate architecture programme at CET and is highly competitive in admissions.
Core Subjects
The B.Arch curriculum is structured across ten semesters as mandated by the Council of Architecture (CoA), New Delhi. Core areas include Architectural Design (studio projects that grow from small-scale residential buildings in early semesters to complex urban design in later ones), Building Construction and Materials, Structural Systems in Architecture, Environmental Studies and Climate Design, History of Architecture (Indian and world), Building Services (electrical, plumbing, HVAC), Landscape Architecture, Urban Design, Site Planning, and Professional Practice. The programme culminates in a thesis project in the final semester, where students design a large-scale building of their choice from concept to working drawings.
Faculty
The department has faculty with expertise in design, planning, urban design, environmental architecture, and conservation. Faculty bring professional practice experience alongside academic teaching, enriching the studio culture with real-world sensitivity.
Labs & Studios
Unlike engineering departments, Architecture operates primarily around design studios — large collaborative workspaces where students develop their projects through drawing, model-making, and critique sessions. The department also has dedicated computer labs with architectural software such as AutoCAD, Revit, SketchUp, and Lumion. Model-making workshops, photography labs, and a departmental library with architecture books, journals, and project archives support the studio work.
Accreditation & Distinction
The B.Arch programme is the first and only B.Arch programme in the country to be accredited by the National Board of Accreditation (NBA), first accredited in the year 2000. The department has historically been ranked No. 1 in Kerala and among the top five architecture institutions in India — a distinction that reflects decades of design excellence.
Career Opportunities
B.Arch graduates from CET go on to become practising architects, urban planners, interior designers, conservation specialists, and academicians. Many pursue postgraduate studies in M.Arch or M.Planning — including the PG programmes offered by CET's own department in Urban Design, Environmental Design, and Housing. Others appear for the GATE Architecture paper and pursue research. Graduates are employed in architectural firms, real estate developers, government agencies like HUDCO and PWD, and international firms.