DAB is led by a senior executive consisting of the Dean, Prof Desley Luscombe, Acting Associate Dean (Teaching & Learning), Louise McWhinnie, Associate Dean (Research), Dr Kees Dorst, and the Faculty Manager, Brian Glover.

Developed as a formal structure in 2005, the Faculty has three schools:

• School of Design which provides specialist design education in visual communication, fashion & textiles, interior design, industrial design, design management and animation
• School of Architecture, which leads and provokes the development of the architectural profession and its practices related to digital technologies
• School of the Built Environment, which engages the broad range of professional activities in the built environment: planning, development, construction, investment appraisal, project and urban estate management, and property economics.

The Faculty also has an active research culture, which provides cooperation across the three Schools and encourages external partnerships through its research centres. Creative research and exhibitions in the Faculty are uniquely supported by DAB Lab.