Born in London, England, on May 22, 1934, Peter Batchelor earned a Bachelor of Architecture (honors) from the University of British Columbia in 1960, Masters of Architecture and City Planning from the University of Pennsylvania in 1966, and a Doctorate in City Planning from the latter institution in 1972. He began teaching at the North Carolina State University School of Architecture in 1968. As a Professor of Architecture and Urban Design he tought Anatomy of the City, an analysis of the principles underlying urban development; The Urban House, an integral element of urban form; and graduate urban design studios. His research interests included computer visualization and simulation of urban growth, typological studies of urban housing, and interactive community decision-making.

Batchelor is a licensed practitioner in architecture and city planning and former director of the American Institute of Architects, North Carolina (AIANC) Urban Design Assistance Program which provides interdisciplinary problem-solving teams to communities. Professor Batchelor won more than 35 honors and awards for academic achievement, architectural design, drawing, communication, urban and regional planning and has written over 50 refereed articles in journals and technical reports. He has co-authored two books.

He has practiced urban design in three countries since 1963. Batchelor is a Fellow in both the American Institute of Architects and the American Institute of Certified Planners. He has chaired major national AIA committees and edited , and he was granted the status of Professor Emeritus of Architecture and Urban Design from the North Carolina State University’s Board of Trustees. Professor Batchelor retired in Februrary, 2007.