The world’s only comprehensive online course for designing beautiful cities and buildings.
Learn classic planning and traditional architecture
At the Classic Planning Academy, we have a commitment with beauty and the creation of beautiful places. As part of that commitment, we teach the most successful strategies for designing a beautiful, pleasurable, and healthy built environment. The world's most beautiful cities and towns are rooted in similar principles, honed over thousands of years. In our unique curriculum, we have made this knowledge accessible to a new generation of designers.
Unlike other professional certification courses, our curriculum and methods are holistic: we teach architecture, planning, and the building arts together and students learn and apply the science of beauty in their designs. Our curriculum is focused on Western Classical Architecture and it also includes the study of Islamic and other traditional architectural expressions from all over the world.
Learn to design
buildings rooted in a timeless tradition.
Plan healthy, lovable, walkable cities that make people feel good
Directly and practically address climate change and urban sprawl
Experience fully hands-on ‘learning by doing’, including the building arts
Suits those who are working full time
Taught by leading industry experts at the top of their craft
Study from anywhere with fully online, fully live classes
Pay in monthly installments or an annual lump sum
What you will learn
Beautiful architecture, from the exquisite to the humble
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Learn how to design authentic traditional buildings through studying the fundamentals of classic architecture, including geometry, the classical orders, proportions, elements, materials and processes, composition and architectural orthographics — and how to apply these through instructor-led drawing and the practical application of learned techniques to real projects.
Learn the fundamentals of good urban planning and how to design a city using the same principles on which the world's best cities are laid out. Apply the science of beauty to create environmentally sustainable and resilient cities that maximize livability, pleasure, relationships, and well-being.
How to design a good, healthy city
Learn about authentic classical and vernacular buildings and traditional artisanal building techniques such as carpentry, plasterwork, stone carving, tiling, decorative finishes, ironwork and glasswork. Understand from master craftspeople how the building arts are essential to realizing a good and healthy city and how to integrate them with urban planning.
Bringing your designs to life with the building arts
Who are our students?
Our typical student cohort consists of a diverse group of motivated and ambitious people from many different backgrounds. Most of our applicants are Architects and Planners in their early to mid careers, although in the past we have had engineers, developers, sculptors, investment managers, contractors, psychologists, and even members of the clergy! Our students come from different cultural countries, which enriches the overall experience by the share and awareness of different traditions all over the world. We have had students from 15+ countries, across the various continents.
We accept discerning, intelligent, and ambitious applicants from any skilled background to participate in our courses. If you believe you fit this description, we invite you to apply now!
Planners and planning students
Urban planners and planning students disillusioned with jargon and academic theorising who want to go beyond piecemeal problem-solving and learn how to create long-term plans for resilient, healthy and pleasurable cities.
Architects and architecture students
Architects and students who want to learn timeless fundamentals, tap new markets, and learn rare and in-demand traditional architecture skills.
Employees who want to upskill
We work with employers to train their staff in high-demand new skills. If you own an architectural firm or planning studio, lead a municipal office or government department, contact us for information about corporate discounts.
“I had always sensed that there was something ‘up’ with the environments in which most of us work and call home today. With the Classic Planning Institute, I was led on a journey of practical study, quickly learning that the wisdom generated over thousands of years is where the answer lies. To say that I have been forever changed, is an understatement.”
Alison Hogg, UK
“The Classic Planning Academy has showed me a network of great individuals that has treated me with the outmost decorum and personal style. The knowledge that I learned has helped me to see the world differently in terms of goodness and beauty, in a holistic way, with in design, building crafts, and urbanism or settlement planning.”
Flavio Diaz Miron, Mexico
“The introductory courses lead by Dr. Nir Buras are a hidden treasure for anyone with an interest in design. The format provides deep knowledge of architecture, planning and history in a highly accessible way. The passion for teaching that Dr. Buras has for these subjects and his generosity with this time to interact with students creates a learning environment that is exemplary. I highly recommend this classes to people of all ages and professions and especially to architects and urban planners.”
Zachary Kane, US
Get certified
Classic Planning Certificates demonstrate an applied comprehension of traditional architecture, classic planning and the building arts. Our digital and hard copy certificates are a word mark to include in professional biographies and resumes
If you are a practicing professional and would like to become certified, your employer may fund your certificate. See our 'Corporate Clients' Section
How we compare
For architecture students or students considering practicing architecture, we recommend treating our courses as similar to a master at university, intended to complement and supplement your degree.
Feature | Most architecture schools | Classic Planning Academy |
|---|---|---|
Learn while studying or working full time | ❌ | ✅ |
100% online | ❌ | ✅ |
Learn traditional architecture | ❌ | ✅ |
Learn classic urban planning | ❌ | ✅ |
Fully learn-by-doing curriculum moderate on theory, high in practice | ❌ | ✅ |
Create 100-year city plans | ❌ | ✅ |
Practice hands-on traditional building arts | ❌ | ✅ |
Qualify to practice architecture or planning | ✅ | ❌ |
Government subsidies | ✅ | ❌ |
Suits those who are working full time
Taught by leading industry experts at the top of their craft
Study from anywhere with fully online, fully live classes
Pay in monthly installments or an annual lump sum
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Who can apply for our courses?The Classic Planning Academy course content is taught at university level, but highly accessible. There are no formal limits on who can apply. For the Year One Certificate, no experience or background in architecture or planning is required. We encourage applications from those who identify with the Classic Planning Institute’s purpose and have an ambition to practice architecture or planning in the future. We also welcome applications from enthusiasts and those wishing to pursue learning for their own edification, as well as citizens who wish to positively influence their local community.
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What are you looking for in potential students?The Classic Planning Academy accepts students on the basis of merit, potential and suitability. For the Year One Certificate, no formal experience or background in architecture or planning is required. Your education, professional experience and personal statement will be considered when assessing your application. Classic Planning certificates are hands-on, so the course suits those who enjoy creating, drawing and designing. We encourage those who identify with the Classic Planning Institute’s mission to apply, and we encourage applications from all walks of life and people of all ages.
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What is the applications process?Applications for the next intake for the Classic Planning Year One commencing in October 2025 are open. Apply online through this link. The applications process involves a short online interview with Academy Director Pablo Alvarez Funes and CPI Principal Dr. Nir Buras. To ensure a good student experience, each program only accepts a maximum of 20 students per intake with a minimum of 8. The Classic Planning Academy accepts students on the basis of merit, potential and suitability. It is free to apply.
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Are there any prerequisites?For the Year One Certificate, no experience or background in architecture or planning is required. You are not required to have a university degree to undertake our courses. Upon admission to Year One, candidates are required to confirm certain university-level prerequisites in the arts, science, and technical domains. This will allow us to tailor the contents to ensure an optimal educational experience for all our students. In most cases, students of the Year Two Certificate will be required to have completed Year One Certificate. For those with classic planning and/or traditional architecture experience, exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis. Contact us for more information.
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Do I have to be a planner or an architect?For the Year One Certificate, no experience or background in architecture or planning is required. In most cases, students of the Year Two Certificate will be required to have completed the Year One Certificate. For those with classic planning and/or traditional architecture experience, exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis. You are not required to have a university degree to undertake our courses.
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Can I do this while I work or study?Our courses are suitable for those who work or study full time. The minimum time commitment is five hours of class attendance per week. We encourage our students to spend additional time on their own to finalize/refine the assignments. Time for private 1 to 1 tutorship will also be available upon request.
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What are the fees?The Year One course is US$5950 and the Year Two course is US$6500. You may undertake the Year One certificate as a discrete, self-contained course (i.e., you are not required to sign up for the whole two years). Payment plans are available.
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Are group or corporate discounts available?Yes. Please contact us to find out what discounts are available for groups of three or more students from the same university or businesses who wish to certify multiple staff members.
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Will this qualify me to practice architecture or planning?No, the Classic Planning Certificates are not intended to replace a professional qualification in architecture or planning.
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What is the assessment process?For Year One, students complete two short exercises in Traditional Architecture and one long Studio Project in Classic Planning. These give them the change to put into practice what they have learned. Students' work is reviewed by Pablo Alvarez Funes, Dr. Nir Buras, and then presented to an international Jury in order to obtain the certificate of completion.
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Can I just do one part of the Year One Certificate?To get the most out of the program, we recommend doing both semesters of our Year One Course (Architectural Literacy and Classic Planning), although exceptions may be made on a case-by-case basis.
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When is the next student intake?The next student intake will be in Autumn 2025, with the semester starting once a minimum quorum of 8 is met.