The programme kicks off with Dream Draw Work, an exhibition devoted to the exquisite architectural drawings by Norman Shaw RA and his office. A prolific architect, Shaw is responsible for some of our best-loved buildings in London and throughout the UK. He also made some important additions to the RA’s own buildings: the Restaurant and Weston Rooms and new parts of the Royal Academy Schools. This exhibition focuses on the different functions architectural drawings had in his office, showing off the design practices and draughtsmanship of a brilliant staff. In conjunction with the exhibition architect and draughtsman, Benedict O’Looney is running sketching tours of buildings by Shaw and his followers local to the RA – so you can learn about Shaw’s architecture while trying out some of his stunning techniques!

Throughout June we have ‘Looking at London’, a series in which we’ve asked some of our most thoughtful cultural figures to talk about what London means to them and reflect on its past, present and future. The writer and broadcaster Patrick Wright will host the series that will feature the artist and newly elected Royal Academician Yinka Shonibare, filmmaker Patrick Keiller, comedian and screenwriter Ian Martin and the historian Lisa Jardine.

The Summer Exhibition is always a highlight of our calendar and I can’t wait to see this year’s Architecture Room, which is being curated by Eric Parry RA and Sir Richard MacCormac RA. In July Parry and Ian Ritchie RA will be talking about the intersections of architecture and art at two Friday evening events taking place in the galleries of the Summer Exhibition itself. As I hope you agree, there’s no better environment for such cross-disciplinary discussion.

Finally, we have, of course, the Annual Architecture Lecture, which is this year being delivered by Spanish architect, Rafael Moneo. A Pritzker Prize winner, Moneo is one of the world’s most widely admired and respected architects and it is an honour to be welcoming him to the RA in June to lecture in the inspiring setting of the Summer Exhibition. Tickets are selling out fast, so book yours now!

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Owen Hopkins is the Acting Head of the Architecture Programme.