Isolated vs. Integrated

I S O L A T E D v s. I N T E G R A T E D A n i n v e s t i g a t i o n i n t o t h e v o c a t i o n a l a n d a c a d e m i c

n a t u r e o f c u r r e n t a r c h i t e c t u r a l p e d a g o g y

E l e a n o r G a i r [120545663]

3

I S O L A T E D vs. I N T E G R A T E D

C O N T E N T S

I n t r o d u c t i o n

C h a p t e r 1 : H i s t o r y a n d C o n t e x t

C h a p t e r 2 : P r o p o s a l s f o r R e f o r m

C h a p t e r 3 : P r a c t i c a l A p p l i c a t i o n

C o n c l u s i o n

Bibliography

Appendix

Illustrations

27

28

31

4

7

11

19

25

4

I N T R O D U C T I O N Architectural Education: First Hand

My ambition, since the age of 14, has been to become an architect. Upon hearing that the course was 7 years in length, my young self didn’t really understand the financial, social and personal implications of embarking on such a quest. I also doubt I shall until completing the third part of the RIBA qualification.

One of the strangest practices I have encountered among architecture students across the UK is the overriding sense of inevitability that we’re expected to work our fingers to the bone, day and night and sacrifice our social lives all in the name of “Architecture”. I remember my very first day, hazily being dragged through anonymous rooms by older students, all the while being told, “this will become your home”… “you will spend more time here than anywhere else” … “your house mates won’t understand” ... “don’t worry, it’s completely normal”. I didn’t fully comprehend the truth behind those words until I found myself echoing them to the next year and again to the year below.

The mystery grows deeper when occasionally we venture beyond the studio and stumble upon other students, working normal hours, who are shocked by the intensive way we work. They question our work ethics and lifestyles. Despite this, architecture students wear their predicament proudly like a badge of honour, resigning themselves to the situation and justifying it with, “I just love what I do.” But is it enough?

Sadly, many of my colleagues are so snowed under with their workload that they have very little time to step back and question the bigger picture of why we are studying and our place in the construction industry once we qualify. There is such a strong focus on the design projects, complex theory, concepts and algorithms it almost feels like ‘an arcane retreat into the world of academia’, avoiding the inevitable careers of the students and stagnating, ‘as a hermitic, inward looking pursuit.’1

Currently, only a third of students ever complete the full RIBA qualification and move into professional practice. This is because students often cannot see themselves moving beyond the bachelors degree. The role of the architect has been reduced to something more akin to a design consultant, “seen merely as a stylist - a position reinforced by the histrionics of many prominent projects and the tendency for leading architects to produce much by the same formula across the globe, regardless of climate or local culture.’2

I have written this dissertation because I believe there are fundamental flaws within Architectural practice and we are at standing at a tipping point, where we shall be forced to evolve and adapt, or else allow our once prominent role within the construction industry to diminish completely. The heart of this potential change lies with the new generation of architects and how they are educated. Architects currently have the opportunity to, ‘address their self imposed remoteness by recognising that they should be the orchestrators of this collaborative endeavour.’3

1 ) Oliver Wainwright, Towering folly: why architectural educationinBritainisinneedofrepair(The Guardian, 30 May 2013) <http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/ architecture-design-blog/2013/may/30/ar chitectural-education-professional-courses> [Accessed 10/01/2015] (p. 1)

2 ) Building Design Online, Architecturaleducation:the1958 OxfordConferencerevisited(06June2008) < http://www.bdonline.co.uk/architectural-ed ucation-the-1958-oxford-conference-revisit ed/3115318.article> [Accessed 10/01/2015] (p.4)

3 ) Ibid., p.4

5


In order to write this dissertation, I first researched into the past 60 years of architectural education and read literature on how we came to the position we’re in today. I believe context is crucial to understanding problems and how to solve them. After establishing why our current system exists, and its flaws, I have spent many hours researching the latest articles on how to emphasise its strengths. Much of this has been online, finding new threads of discussion on how we should best move forward and advance the course.

I attended the Architecture Student Network, “Lines Drawn” Conference at the Centre for Alternative Technology (15th - 16th March 2014), which was an experience vital to my inspiration for writing this piece, as well as for gaining important information to support my arguments.

Alongside this, I believed - as a current student, surrounded by people experiencing the contemporary system - it was vital to gather empirical information. I have done this by interviewing students from across the country, not just Newcastle University, in order to provide a balanced account of the strengths and weaknesses of architectural pedagogy in the UK.

During the course of writing this dissertation, my main discovery was that there were two schools of thought as to how to address the current system. Architectural education, as with any degree which leads to a specific profession (e.g. Law, Medicine, Engineering), walks a line between a vocational and academic focus.

However, unlike the other courses mentioned, two thirds of architectural graduates do not ever fully qualify or register as architects. This means that the degree has to balance precariously between preparing students for a very specific and focussed career path whilst also being as academically, culturally and intellectually relevant as a PPE (Politics, Philosophy and Ethics) course.

With an ever increasingly challenging world of employment, the debate is whether to integrate the degree more fully with the profession, or whether this lack of academic drive will instead cause the course to lose its status and reputation. It may also be counter-intuitive as university should be a place of research which allows education as a pursuit for its own sake.

Students currently leaving education are struggling to find employment due to an education system that fails to prepare them for a life in practice. With a huge focus on conceptual theory, many critics have commented on how life in architecture schools leaves intelligent, capable students without any grounding in reality or practical knowledge of their discipline. Therefore, there is a strong movement towards the degree having a more occupational base and preparing them for their working lives.

There are many options concerning how to achieve this, with varying degrees of intensity, from simply directly incorporating technology modules into design, to completely restructuring the course and allowing a more apprenticeship-style approach to the profession.

However, the counter argument lies in the fact that a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture has always been considered an intellectual marker of competence and often used as a well regarded feeder into many different design or project management related careers. If the degree becomes more vocational, the fear is that it will lose its status and therefore the large proportion of students who were attracted to it because of its theoretical nature.

6

Furthermore, architectural education in the UK is still highly regarded overseas, with many students choosing to travel to be taught here. This clearly demonstrates the popularity of the current system, however it is important to note that, since the rise in fees in 2012, there has been a fall in applicants from the EU.

During this dissertation, I shall look at some of the leading alternatives to our current system and attempt to distinguish which might be the most effective in improving pedagogy for the next generation of architects.

7


CHAPTER 1History and Context In order to understand the current issues within the architectural education system, it is necessary to look in retrospect at the last century as its structure has developed. The role of the architect within construction has changed vastly since the first half the 20th Century, where ‘historically there was a view that the architect was the master of everything.’4 Now, we face a different situation where the architect’s position of leadership has significantly diminished with a growing emphasis on project managers and subcontractors.

Architectural practice has moved from state to private sector business, and this has had a huge impact on the types of buildings we design and also the jobs we pursue after graduating. ‘The days of the 50s maestro sitting at his drawing board dreaming up brave new towns for the post-war world,’ are long over and now ‘the architect is often side-lined all together’5 and seen as an unnecessary luxury expense best left to wealthy clients with large budgets. The profession is becoming increasingly isolated and deemed non-essential within the construction industry.

The way in which we design has evolved with the digital age, moving from a hand drawn analogue to sophisticated digital technologies where swathes of building information can be accessed at the push of a button. This complexity with innovative software, materials, construction techniques which are constantly being redeveloped and superseded, has led to such a vast amount of information which the architect cannot hope to assimilate.

4 ) Sir Terry Farrell & The Review Panel, The Farrell ReviewofArchitecture+theBuiltEnvironment- “Our Future In Place”, (Department of Culture, Media & Sport, 2014), p.12

5 ) Wainwright, p.2

Instead, current times push for integrated multi-disciplinary design teams, something reflected within new emerging practices. Recent graduates have even begun re-identifying themselves with ‘badges such as ‘spatial agency’, ‘design house‘ and ‘creative consultant’,’6 in order to ease themselves into this new era of the construction industry. Across the wider spectrum of employment there has also been a push for greater social, racial and gender equality, which is reflected somewhat within architectural education. The population has increased hugely since the 60s, with a rise from 46.1 million in 1961 people to 56.1 million in 2011, a rise of 21.7%. 7 With a look to Newcastle University, in 1961 the School of Architecture consisted of 120 exclusively male students. In stark contrast by 2013, ‘there are 873 students… and 45% are female.’8

This clearly reflects a move towards gender equality as well as a rise in applicants generally, with an increase of over 700% - much more significant than the population growth. This would suggest an increase in popularity for the course. However, from a socio-economic perspective, with the fees for the course skyrocketing to £9000 per annum in 2012, the situation is looking bleaker.

6 ) Will Hunter, AlternativeRoutesForArchitecture, (Architectural Review, 28 September 2012), < http://www.architectural-review.com/academia/ alternative-routes-for-architecture/8636207. article> [Accessed 11/01/2014] p.12

7 ) Mark Easton,EnglandandWalesPopulationUp, (BBC News, 16 July 2012), <http://www.bbc.co.uk/ news/uk-18854073> [Accessed 11/01/2014]

8 ) Farrell, p.13

8

It is now entirely feasible that current students will accumulate a debt of over £100,000 before they qualify into a career with fairly small salary prospects when compared to other professions.9

This has the potential to create a state of affairs where only students from more affluent backgrounds can afford to study architecture, cutting off a resource of capable students, reducing it to a pursuit of intellectual fancy, rather than a relevant, practical, driving force within the construction industry.

In order to survive the current difficult and fluctuating economic state, the new generation of architects has been forced to adapt to suit these conditions. They are more business-minded, flexible and closely aligned with engineering. However, there is a general agreement among practitioners, tutors and students alike that our education system doesn’t always reflect this ingenuity.

Instead many courses are becoming steadily more theoretical and introspective, retreating from the reality of the rapidly evolving world of construction. ‘Indeed, it seems that the more overwhelmingly urgent the looming crisis provoked by systemic collapse of interdependent aspects of our global civilisation, the more frivolous the pursuits of academe.’ 10

The most significant event in the past half-century is arguably the RIBA Conference on Architectural Education, held at Oxford in 1958. Chaired by Leslie Martin, it was attended by a committee of 50 white male architects and a collection of other professionals, selected from ‘inside and outside the profession who were known to have views to express [...] with interests in public or private offices,’

9 ) Wainwright p.2

10 ) Peter Buchanan, TheBigReThink-Part9:Rethinking ArchitecturalEducation, (Architectural Review, 28 September 2012), <http://www.architectural-re view.com/academia/the-big-rethink-part-9-re thinking-architectural-education/8636035.article> [Accessed 11/01/2015], p.1

representing, ‘industry and local authorities, the teaching institutions, building and the associated professions.’ 11

Many have commented, including Susan Roaf (Professor at Herriot Watt University), on the lack of diversity at this meeting and how it may have influenced an ‘emphasis on academic standards’ during the discussions, ‘partly responsible for the marginalization of the architect’s position within the industry.’12

One of the main conclusions drawn by this conference was that ‘the profession should attempt to improve its standards of competence at all levels.’13 The obvious cause for malpractice was seen to lie within education, so reforms were discussed that still resonate in the system today.

The first point of action was to be to raise initial entry standards, reflecting the fact that, ‘the entry standard for architects is well below that required for other professions, for example, doctors, dentists, pharmacists.’14 This resulted in a rise of entry requirements onto the university course from 5 passes at ‘O’ level, to 2 at ‘A’ level. This was done to raise the reputation and profile of architecture graduates as well as to improve general standards.

Secondly, there was a strong consensus that in order to achieve a more intellectual, culturally relevant architect, education within a formal university environment was essential. It was also concluded that students should only qualify at the ‘recognised’ institutions, allowing them access to a higher level of understanding and research.

11 ) Sir Leslie Martin, ReportonRIBAConferenceon ArchitectualEducation, (1958), < http://www.ox fordconference2008.co.uk/1958conference.pdf>, [Accessed 11/01/2015], p. 1

12 ) Building Online, p. 4

13 ) Martin, p. 3

14 ) Ibid., p.3

9


The opportunity for collaboration and integration between different degree courses was also brought up as a way of generally improving the standard of education.

‘They [students] will expect, and

have a right to expect, that knowledge will be

guided and developed by principles: that is,

by theory. “Theory,” as one speaker said, “is

the body of principles that explains and inter-

relates all the facts of a subject.” Research is

the tool by which theory is advanced.’15

The ‘recognised’ schools would be allowed to undertake and develop their own course beyond the RIBA syllabus, and therefore would create a new generation of highly educated architects at the forefront of developments within the construction industry.

One of the major changes determined at the conference was the abolition of the architectural apprenticeship. It was deemed that, due to the emphasis on raising standards of intellect and research based education, it was questionable, ‘whether anything approaching the desirable standard of education,’16 could be gained through that style of qualification.

Again, issues of intellectual reputation and status were the concern of committee members, and since it had been discussed that other respected professions such as medicine and law were not learnt as apprenticeships, it only seemed logical that, to raise its profile, architecture should follow suit.

15 ) Martin., p. 5

16 ) Ibid., p.6

This lead to a discussion on the growing success of the 3 Part course, being trialled at three leading universities, allowing students to alternate periods of training within a school with training in an office, helping to break down the barriers between intellectual education and practical application. This is the current system we have today and there is increasing argument as to whether this system is now outdated amongst professionals, educators and students alike.17

50 years on, a retrospective convention, ‘The Oxford Conference : A Re-evaluation of Education in Architecture’ was held by Susan Roaf in 2008, to discuss whether the decisions made in 1958 were still relevant to architectural education. It seemed particularly urgent as society and technology have advanced so rapidly, ‘and yet the educational system remained relatively unchanged, throwing many of the conclusions of 1958 into doubt, with many of them believed to be obsolete or even incorrect.’18

The deliberately diverse demographic of the conference clearly reflects the cultural shift since the 1950s towards a more integrated society, with over 500 attendees from varying economic backgrounds, professions, nationalities and genders.

Another topic discussed at the 2008 conference was the impact of technology on building in the 50s and 60s, which had a huge effect within construction. With energy costs at a minimum, building services such as air-conditioning and electric lighting were seen as a way of embracing the future of design. As a result, sustainability was not considered as part of the curriculum.

17 ) Nicholas Robb, TheOxfordConference:ADefining InfluenceonArchitecturalEducation, (Design Hero, January 2014) [Accessed 11/01/2015] p.1

18 ) Ibid., p.1

10

Now this flaw is ever present within the UK construction industry, with a seemingly endless cycle of demolishing and rebuilding housing estates and office blocks. ‘Certainly newer technologies and materials, aided by computer aided design have allowed us to better design sustainable buildings, yet many of these issues stem from a lack of thoughtful and conscientious design.’19

This is another area which is currently under scrutiny as how to better integrate the principles of sustainable technologies within the early stages of architectural design education, as a focus rather than an inconvenient last minute consideration.

19 ) Robb, p. 3

11


C H A P T E R 2

Proposals For Reform (Academia)

Course Content

Many critics have argued that the current system of architectural education simply isn’t appropriate in the current economic climate, with schools ‘still preoccupied with cultivating the lone genius rather than the enlightened collaborator.’20

With students plunging into oceans of debt, the course is described as too much of a frivolous pursuit of academia, not fully preparing them for an ever more challenging world of private business. There is a call for a more diverse education which focusses less on conceptual design, and instead broadly addresses all the issues surrounding construction, including structure, budgets, project management etc, to prepare students for the reality of their future careers.21

One line of argument is that currently architects reside in their own world of design and despite attracting, ‘some of the brightest students, according to the metrics, yet they lack the grounding in business, so money is often seen as a limit on imagination.’22

Therefore, the obvious solution is to start integrating business modules, or for the design modules to have assessment criteria which force students to ground projects in reality, by making them address these concerns.

20 ) Catherine Slessor, ArchitecturalEducation:ACallTo Arms, (Architectural Review, September 2012), < http://www.architectural-review.com/ academia/architectural-education-a-call-to- arms/8636434.article> [Accessed 11/01/2015], p. 1

21 ) Farrell, p. 60

22 ) Ibid, p. 61

Another major concern is that students graduating currently have very little technical knowledge of materials, structural detailing or how to integrate these skills into design practice.23 I have found many students, across the country, who are anxious about the lack of training received in this area now that they are approaching graduation, or have entered professional practice.

Students from Newcastle University stated that the course, ‘has always seemed primarily art-driven, in the sense that a design is often judged on its aesthetic appeal and concept-based merits, before being scrutinised for feasibility, practicality, and technical understanding’, 24

This view was reflected by students from the University of Kent where, during the undergraduate course, technical reports are submitted once the design module is already complete.25

However, it’s also been a point of contention about how early to introduce a technical focus. As commented by George Fisher, University of Sheffield, it is beneficial for students to, ‘first design with ambition, then allow the later pragmatisms found in the working world to numb it down slightly... The conceptual stage is strongly encouraged as it’s what makes your design discernible from others.’26 There is a fear that students will limit their potential to create innovative, experimental spaces if they are restricted by their initial knowledge of structural systems as first year students.

One way of tackling these problems, as is currently being introduced to the system at Newcastle University, is to directly integrate technology into the design module, rather than keeping it as a separate entity. This will prevent

23 ) Building Design Online., p. 2

24 ) Bryony Simcox, Interviewed by Eleanor Gair (Empirical Data), [10/12/2014]

25 ) Nicola Clarke, Interviewed by Eleanor Gair (Empirical Data), [05/12/2014]

26 ) George Fisher, Interviewed by Eleanor Gair (Empirical Data), [26/11/2014]

12

students from focusing too heavily on their conceptual designs and instead focus them on how to use detailing to strengthen arguments.

This better reflects how an architect in practice would approach design, with the less artistic side taking more prevalence and helping to inform design strategies, instead of being treated as an inconvenient hindrance at the end of the process. This more vocational practice will eventually help the students in their professional careers, when convincing colleagues from other disciplines within their design teams.

Whilst attending the ASN “Lines Drawn” Conference, one of the major topics discussed was the lack of design methodology taught across all of the universities. ‘It was interesting to hear how many students felt that the design process itself is so absent from the courses - not that there is a single approach that can be taught, but the discussion of different design methodologies does remain strangely unspoken.’27

One way of addressing this, is to integrate an understanding of “why” into the course, and encourage students to question why they’re learning - rather than force feeding them information. The current system has been described as,

‘the laissez-faire, neo-liberalist

approach − what Alvin Boyarsky referred to as

the compost heap approach: pile on enough,

and heat and steam will emerge − found in

several of what consider themselves the elite

schools, is almost certainly inadequate. At least

27 ) Oliver Wainwright, Interviewed by Vinesh Pomel, The ArchitectureStudentNetwork:LinesDrawn PressRelease, (25 March 2014), <http://theasn. org/the-asn-lines-drawn-press-release-25-03-14/>, [Accessed 11/01/2014] , p. 3

the first few years would definitely benefit

from being more tightly and thoroughly

structured to ensure a proper grounding.

Besides, architects are designers and should

apply their design skills to more than buildings.

Why not to the curriculum?’ 28

The idea of getting students to fully appreciate and understand what they’re learning and why, is not a new concept. Roelof Uytenbogaardt experimented in the 1960s at the University of Cape Town with a course which hoped to address students’ complaints about lectures which seemingly had no relevance to the studio based work.

The module achieved this by focusing on a very simple campsite design, encouraging group discussion as to how the tents should be arranged and facilities distributed, with no prescribed lectures - they would only be provided when students specifically called on topics. These discussions were subtly guided by studio masters and quickly questions were raised by students about perceptions of space, historical examples and issues of privacy/seclusion - prompting students to call for lectures on the topics. Instead of unquestioningly being spoon fed information, pupils appreciated the relevance of their exterior modules and thus became able to use them to their advantage within design work.29

The main argument to keep the architecture course from becoming too integrated with the profession, is that the undergraduate degree is recognised as a mark of intellectual ability and all-round competence. The course covers many broad subject bases, including history, philosophy and sociology as well as more technical, construction specific areas.

28 ) Buchanan., pp. 22-23

29 ) Ibid., pp 18-22

13


As discussed in the previous chapter, the 1958 RIBA conference on education wanted to raise the status and standard of the profession and much of this was done by reducing the vocational focus of the course and instead emphasizing its intellectual elements. This was done to produce a ‘culturally relevant’ and respected architect, with a formal university education to rival that of other professions.30 This diverse range of more theoretical and academically focused topics allowed the degree to filter into many different career paths. The question is whether it is right that the bachelors’ degree should celebrate its broad base and be encouraged as a foundation course so that it could, ‘compete with degrees such as Philosophy, Politics and Economics as a basis for multiple career paths.’31 Then later, as students choose to specialise within the masters, the course can develop more of a vocational focus.

‘Many students find out architecture

isn’t what they thought it would be, and

we should want to allow more flexibility for

students who want to diverge to other related

disciplines.’ Dr Charlie Smith, Liverpool John Moores University32

Creating a condensed, more vocational degree could very likely keep away possible candidates, who would in turn, have the potential to champion design principles beyond the spectrum of the construction industry and help develop a more architecturally aware general public.

30 ) Martin., pp.5-6

31 ) Farrell., pp. 62

32 ) Dr Charlie Smith, Interviewed by the Farrell Review Panel, The Farrell Review of Architecture + the BuiltEnvironment-“OurFutureInPlace”, (Department of Culture, Media & Sport, 2014), p. 62

‘A degree in Architecture now has much wider appeal than it did in the past, with two thirds going on to pursue other careers and not registering as architects,’33 Retaining a less vocational nature to the course will ensure these students can still apply lessons learnt about the importance of conceptual focus and design methodology to their future careers.

Before University

It is often commented that architects are isolated with few other disciplines within the construction industry having an understanding or appreciation for design. However, this issue extends to a wider context beyond the industry; we all spend most of our lives inside buildings, and therefore architecture has a direct effect on everyone, regardless of their interest in pursuing design based courses.

It has been common knowledge that ‘architecture relies on a deep-rooted understanding of space and three dimensions, which contrasts with a currently flat and rigidly academic primary and secondary education system in the UK’34 Therefore, integrating Architectural education doesn’t need to start at University, when students have deliberately chosen to follow that career path, it needs to begin earlier.

Many academics have argued that integrating an awareness of space, design and the practical applications of mathematics could begin far earlier – even at primary school. This would have the potential of creating a general public, as well as urban planners, engineers and developers, with a basic understanding of design principles and an appreciation for the relevance of architects within the construction industry.35

33 ) Farrell., p. 14

34 ) Simcox., [EmpiricalData]


14

At the earliest stages of education, there is a call for design and spatial awareness to be taught to children so they will develop an inherent instinct later in life. This could be applied in many forms, such as, ‘outdoor activities like dens and tree houses… and computer games like SimCity’.36

If students can engage from a young age, the hope is they will continue to apply those lessons throughout their lives. This may possibly reduce the number of insensitive residential new-builds that have been so common-place in the last half of the century.

‘We need to create more

opportunities for people to engage with the

built environment from a young age, or we will

be unable to raise a design-conscious public,

interested and invested in improving our towns

and cities for the future.’ - Lucy Musgrave, Director of Publica37

One current initiative being applied by the University of Kent, involves students teaching simple architectural principles at secondary schools, such as technical drawing, basic design and engaging in discussions about the built environment. The hope for this is to encourage an understanding of architectural principles with the general public, but also to show the students that integrating with the community is a valuable practice for their future careers.38


37 ) Lucy Musgrave, Speaking at the Farrell Review Panel, The Farrell Review of Architecture + the BuiltEnvironment-“OurFutureInPlace”, (Department of Culture, Media & Sport, 2014), p. 46

38 ) Nicola Clarke, [EmpiricalData]

Course Length

One major challenge faced by current students enrolling at architectural schools in the UK is the recent rise in fees. It is projected that students who began the course in 2012 will graduate not only with a masters in architecture but an immense £100,000 worth of debt. Since this dramatic rise, there has been a much stronger tide of criticism against the length of the course, which extends much further beyond that of most other university qualifications.

‘The ASN [Architecture Student Network] believes that the course content throughout parts 1, 2 and 3, and the length of them needs to be re-evaluated to reflect the changing needs of the profession, especially with the rise in tuition fees and associated university costs.’39

At a time when there is a need to attract the most promising students towards the degree, it is likely many potential candidates will be discouraged by this prospect. This is compounded by the fact that most students don’t qualify until their late twenties, by which point, compared to other professions, most graduates would have become reasonably established within their chosen careers. These changes could cause the degree to, ‘deter all but the wealthiest of candidates, and become even more elitist than it has even been.’40 - Will Hunter

The current format for architectural education in the UK, established by RIBA, is Part 1: 3 years of academic study (resulting in a BA or BSc) followed by 1 year in practice Part 2: 2 years of academic study (resulting in a M.Arch) Part 3: A final year/years in professional practice with a final assessment by RIBA41

39 ) Architecture Student Network., p. 2

40 ) Hunter., p. 4

41 ) RIBA, Tomorrow’sArchitect, (RIBA Enterprises Ltd, 2003), pp. 11-13

15


This totals a minimum of 7 years before qualification. However, most architects take longer to qualify due to the flexible nature of Part 3.

The question is whether the length of our current system is appropriate as there is a huge amount of disparity amongst architectural education in Europe. For example, in some countries it takes as little as 5 years to qualify and as many as 11 in others - yet with little correlation as to each nation’s reputation for design quality.

Many academics have highlighted that Part 2 courses need to be shorter and more vocationally based. Otherwise students will desert the UK for foreign shores, where architectural education can often be had more cheaply.’42

The latest European Professional Qualifications Directive, looks to try to resolve some of this strong diversity by suggesting that


architectural education across Europe should consist of a minimum of 5 + 0 years or 4 + 2 years (academic study and professional practice).

In response to this, the RIBA Education Committee has launched a Review investigating whether or not to change the existing system within the UK. One of the 5 principles currently being addressed is whether to ‘embed the professional content of architecture entirely within an integrated award - i.e. no parts 1, 2, and 3 plus earlier introduction to, and complete integration of, professional issues within course delivery.’43

43 ) RIBA Education Review Committee, RIBAInfluences ProfessionalQualificationsDirectiveChanges andOutlinesPrinciplesForFutureEducation Reform,(RIBA, 2013), <http://www.architecture. com/RIBA/Contactus/NewsAndPress/News/ RIBANews/News/2013/RIBAinfluencesprofesion alqualificationsdirectiveandoutlinesprinciplesfor futureeducationreform.aspx> [Accessed 11/01/2015]

Figure. 1Map of Europe showing differing course durations.

[Source: Farrell Review]

16

Both integrated systems would hopefully allow for students to qualify sooner, therefore not only avoiding accruing such a huge amount of debt, but also being able to join the working world and establish themselves at a younger age. However, the suggested shorter 5 + 0 course has undergone much criticism as many worry that the loss of the vocational placement year will further isolate architecture students from the construction industry.

‘Students are encouraged to learn

how to make drawings, but it is the finished

building which is the proof of the pudding.

Students must have two or three years of

work in construction offices before they

know enough to draw buildings.’44

In response to this, there has also been the argument that an integrated qualification that doesn’t allow any exit points would discourage students who don’t wish to fully qualify as architects, but simply want a well recognised, design based bachelors’ degree. 45

One student from Newcastle University, Joanna Lindley, stated that she felt, ‘the current route of doing three years for part 1 is a better idea as it means everyone qualifies with a degree, whether or not they want to continue.’46

A condensed degree could result in the architectural profession becoming even more isolated if there is a decline in students only completing the first part of the course.


45 ) Architecture Student Network, pp. 1-2

46 ) Joanna Lindley, Interviewed by Eleanor Gair (Empirical Data), [05/12/2014]

‘It is our experience as architects

that three years of architectural training

enables some individuals to become extremely

good and informed clients for the design

profession.‘47

Whilst attending the Architecture Student Network: Lines Drawn Conference in March 2014, a huge amount of time was given to discussing these proposed changes in course length. During an open panel discussion there was, ‘a consensus amongst the panel and students to reduce the amount of years required for qualification’ although, ‘it was agreed that it should ultimately be about how competent you are in becoming an architect rather than the length required.‘48

Pam Cole, head of Portsmouth School of Architecture, suggested a proposal in line with the EU directive:

‘You complete two years of undergraduate training then at the end you decide - or your tutors decide - if you are eligible to go straight through to the masters level qualification. You can also have a placement year after the 3rd year (EU Directive requirement)’ ‘So 2 + 2, with a placement year after the 3rd year which is in effect 3 + 1 + 1, with only one Part 2 award, and no part 1 (but the 3 is not the Part 1 or degree equivalent). Those who want to exit with a degree would follow a different 3rd year and effectively reroute onto the 3 + 1 + 2 route.’ 49

This would allow a much greater amount of flexibility than the current proposals - keeping the benefits of the current system’s exit routes for students who don’t wish to pursue architecture as a career, whilst allowing students

47 ) RIBA, Tomorrow’sArchitect, p. 2

48 ) Architecture Student Network, p.1

49 ) Ibid. p.1

17


who wish to fast track to the end of the degree the opportunity to save money/time and do so.

Diversity

Another successful way the degree has worked in isolation is the range of the ways Architecture is taught across the different universities. There is a base set of requirements established by RIBA (the RIBA Outline Syllabus) for each recognised university to ensure their students achieve. Beyond that, the schools can specify where their curriculum focuses.50

This system, conceived at the 1958 RIBA conference, has created a diverse range of schools with very different styles. This is demonstrated most obviously with students graduating from the University of Bath with a BSc or from the University of Kent with a BA. Having a varied range of architects, with different specialisms is something that sets apart the British education style from Europe, allowing students a choice as to how they develop their skills.

However, this diversity is kept relatively quiet to students going through the process, and at no point did this feel more prominent that the Architecture Student Network, “Lines Drawn” Conference.

I attended the event alongside 4 other members of Newcastle University and students from 21 other schools of architecture from across the UK. It was an eye-opening experience just to discover the range of teaching styles and to discuss the proposed changes in education.

One student, from Newcastle University, commented that ‘it is easy to stay within the bubble of the university and be very inward looking with projects.’51 An opinion reflected by many at the conference who felt they would like to see more collaboration and interaction between different architectural schools.

50 ) RIBA, Tomorrow’sArchitect, p. 3

51 ) Joanna Lindley, (EmpiricalData)

This was an issue highlighted by Kevin Rhowbotham, a critic from the Architectural Review, arguing that there is a huge case to be made for the schools of architecture to celebrate their diversity and learn from one another, but that, unfortunately, this is not a reality.52

‘The current taste is for market competition and would fly in the face of the corporate ideology that schools of architecture have so gaily arrogated from their parent institutions, making of them competitors and not confederates.’ The current league tables and ranking systems isolate different schools who could learn from each other and prevent collaborations that might eventually benefit the wider community. 53

Possible ways of integrating different schools so they could learn from each other could be anything from establishing regular conferences to running short modules alongside each other.

52 ) Kevin Rhowbotham, ProblemsintheBritishArchitecture SchoolRegime, (Architectural Review, 28 September 2012), < http://www.architectural- review.com/essays/problems-in-the-british- architecture-school-regime/8636203.article>, [Accessed 11/01/2015]

53 ) Ibid., p. 4

Figure. 2ArchitectureStudent Network logo.

[Source: ASN website]

18

The Architecture Student Network, established in 2011 at Manchester School of Architecture, has been instrumental in creating links between universities and now SCHOSA have agreed that each of the schools are required to pay for the travel/accommodation of two of their students to attend each conference.

This networking will also not only help boosts standards of teaching by the displacement of ideas, but will also encourage students to think about the wider context of their education and create valuable links for once they’ve graduated.

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Chapter 3Practical Application Integration with other courses

Architects are often criticized for designing for architects, justifying decisions in a manner isolated from the other disciplines within the construction industry.

‘A private language is no language

at all; an isolating agenda which regards

architecture as an auto-poetical play of self-

referential concerns, risks leaving life well out

of the picture; and if there is no social product

to teaching, there is little social benefit.’ - Kevin Rhowbotham, Architectural Review54

To prepare architectural students for their future careers, where (as discussed previously in this essay) there can be much friction between design teams of engineers, planners etc, it has been suggested it would be better to try and integrate the degree with other disciplines.

The idea would be to link short, assessed modules with other built environment courses and encourage a less theoretical and isolated design process, with architectural students being forced to address more practical issues during the conceptual stages of the work.

Even during the 1958 RIBA conference it was established that, ‘if architecture is to take its proper place in the university and if the knowledge which it entails is to be taught at the highest standard, it will be necessary to establish

54 ) Rhowbotham, p. 5

a bridge between faculties.’55

Focusing more on a status image, it has always been deemed good practice to learn from other disciplines, but also to develop design principles within other courses.

This is consistent with my previous argument outlining the importance of creating a design aware general public and construction industry, creating an easier environment in which architects can justify their designs later in their careers.

The Big ReThink

Another practical way of bridging the gap and integrating the different elements of built environment courses has been discussed in one of the most prominent conversations on the future of architecture in recent years, the Architectural Review’s Big ReThink, led by Peter Buchanan. It is composed of twelve essays discussing current issues within the modern construction industry and ways to radically overhaul them.

The ninth essay, titled ‘Rethinking Architectural Education’, proposes a new integrated system whereby students entering into construction related degrees such as Architecture, Engineering, Urban planning etc, would complete a foundation year before diverging into their chosen specialisms. This provide all these with the now generally ignored core of knowledge and expertise they should share, extending their education and creating common ground and mutual understanding facilitating future collaboration.56

55 ) Martin, p. 5

56 ) Buchanan, pp. 7-12

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As discussed in previous chapters, this has the potential to end some of the disparity between the different courses and help to discourage the out-dated concept of the architect as a lone creative genius. This could be a very viable, practical way to integrate different courses and reflect the changing dynamic outside of education where some of the most successful practices incorporate all disciplines under one roof.

Often it’s also argued that, due to the way we’re currently encouraged to specialize so early prior to university (selecting appropriate A levels to best ensure a place in higher education) many urban planners and engineers lack basic design understanding.

Leaving architecture frequently described as ‘the sole bastion of understanding what design in the built environment is all about… Today local authorities who judge planning applications don’t have the training and lack design literacy.’57

Therefore, this foundation year could also help architects to be better understood, as currently they are faced with a construction industry that often has little education in aesthetics or spatial design.

Not only would this encourage an appreciation of the role of the architect, it would also encourage architects to integrate and work in a more collaborative manner with their peers. This would replace the isolated current system which focuses on individual projects, inevitably leading to a resentment of group work and a habit of ignoring technical issues within design.

One student, Bryony Simcox (Newcastle University), commented that, ‘A “construction foundation” year would unify students all going into different but interrelated careers within the construction industry by providing them which common knowledge and a shared starting point. Given the widely known friction between actors in the building process, from design through to construction, any addition to encourage learning and working together could create more coherent and connected future design teams.’58

However, there is also the argument that the addition of a foundation year of this nature could create problems. The largest and most immediately obvious issue, considering the current economic climate, is that this would make the course longer still.

57 ) Helen Walker, Speaking at the Farrell Review Education, Outreach and Skills Workshop, The FarrellReviewofArchitecture+theBuiltEnvi ronment-“OurFutureInPlace”, (Department of Culture, Media & Sport, 2014), p. 63

58 ) Simcox, (EmpiricalData)

Figure. 3 Graphic displaying core of built environment[Source: The Big ReThink]

21


As mentioned in previous chapters, the average student graduating in 2019 will have amassed debts of over £100,000; is it relevant to be considering extending the amount of time each student spends in education with course fees skyrocketing?

As noted in Chapter 2, another problem with this proposal is that there is the potential to lose the academic, intellectually challenging reputation of the course if it becomes more vocational. There is a fear that students would become bogged down in constructive detail too early within the educative process and lose ambition within design.

As previously mentioned, the degree is often used as a mark of general intelligence and design competence and many students seek work within other industries after completing the bachelors. This extra foundation year could easily make the numbers of applicants fall sharply.

Live Projects

Another method suggested whilst at the ASN “Lines Drawn” conference was the potential of integrating live projects onto the course. This would provide a vocational experience embedded within the university environment and have the capability to allow students to gain practical experience alongside their theoretical undergraduate studies.59

Many academics have criticized architectural education for not fully preparing students for their working environments60 including at the Farrell Review where it was, ‘agreed that at the very least we should make sure architects have designed a building to a budget by the time they qualify.’61

59 ) Architecture Student Network, p. 3

60 ) Building Design Online, pp. 2-3

61 ) Farrell, p. 61

This has been a relevant topic since the 1958 RIBA Conference, where the committee agreed that,

‘if the student’s complete course of

training is to have any realism, this means

that at some stage he must be brought

into the closest possible touch with all the

requirements of practical building.’62

The suggestion of the live project was as an alternative to the sandwich course, at the time being pioneered at the Birmingham School of Architecture. If these live projects could be successfully integrated into university education, it would allow students to approach very practical experience within a controlled environment.63

As previously mentioned, the current system in the UK is often criticized for its length within the current economic climate, and the integration of live projects directly to the course has the potential to allow students to gain vital vocational experience whilst studying.

Specifically, this could benefit the suggested 5 + 0 option from the EU Professional Qualifications Directive, as students wouldn’t leave university lacking real world experience.

Another benefit from allowing live projects to develop within a controlled university environment, as raised by Emily Partridge, a student from Cambridge and former student of CAT at the “Lines Drawn” conference, would enable students, ‘to develop a moral, ethical and social approach to the built environment [...] while learning how to design a building, the process of making, presentation and communication.‘ 64

62 ) Martin, p. 7

63 ) Ibod., p. 8

64 ) Architecture Student Network, p. 2

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Whilst it would be very beneficial to integrate live projects into education, the question would be at what scale? The problem of creating a permanent building with budgets, time scales and building regulations would be that would it create too much pressure, not allowing breathing room for creative thinking and new ideas, especially within the undergraduate course.

However, the consensus among students was that whilst they appreciated that whilst this could dampen creativity, a grounding in reality was urgently needed to be integrated to help prepare students for life in practice. 65

To solve this issue, many schools, such as the University of Sheffield, and the University of Kent, already include a module with smaller scale, temporary structures within the first year of the undergraduate course. 66

This allows a taste of real 1:1 spaces and how the body reacts within them, and encourages thoughts about more practical elements such as materiality, structure, complexity and budgets.

‘Students should be required to make

a portfolio of inventions in real materials as

samples of actual materials and surfaces,

fully realised at 1:1 scale. Then students

would learn what kind of things really have a

profound effect on the resulting buildings’67


66 ) Clarke & Fisher,(EmpiricalData)


One student, from the University of Kent, described her experience building a 1:1 shelter as, ‘a really good initial project for the course’ and that it, ‘encouraged thoughts about scale and human comfort.’68

A lead from the profession

For larger scale live projects to really have a chance of success, there is a need for the profession to actively engage within architectural education to guide students through the process. However, the integration of professional practice with architectural education has always been a point of contention.

Referring to the 1958 RIBA conference, there has always been a call for a greater connection between industry and academia to reflect courses such as medicine and engineering, where leading practitioners return to universities to tutor upcoming students. 69

68 ) Clarke, (EmpiricalData)

69 ) Martin, p. 6

Figure. 4 1:1 Shelter designed and built by students from the University of Kent

[Source: University of Kent website]

23


The integration of vocation with academia in this way would have many benefits, such as allowing students to shadow and learn from architects currently experiencing the world of business.

As discussed in previous chapters, in such a difficult economic climate it is vital for students to be prepared for their future working environment, and conversations with practicing architects would be a very tangible way of doing so.

Alongside this, often practicing architects criticize the education system for not preparing students for the technical, grounded aspects of the working environment.70 This could be due to many students being tutored by academics who haven’t engaged in practice themselves.

‘It is simply no good for the profession

to complain about the standard of education

when those who have become skilled

practitioners feel unable to collaborate.’71

Many students expressed opinions at the ASN “Lines Drawn” conference about how they wish to see more part-time tutors. In particular, Matthew Murnin, a student from Queens University Belfast, valued the depth of practical experience part time tutors brought to his education.’72

70 ) Building Design Online., pp. 2-5

71 ) Martin., p. 6


Part Time Courses/Apprenticeships

One of the main criticisms of the 1958 RIBA Conference was the abolishment of the architectural apprenticeship and part time course.73 Although many agreed that the apprenticeship was too easy a form of access into the profession which resulted in poor performance of architects in the industry,74 it has also since been deemed just as relevant that not everyone learns best in a formal, university style environment.

‘The best way to teach design is in an

apprenticeship situation, by letting the student

watch someone who has mastered the skills,

who knows how to think with his/her fingers,

drawing on both conscious skills and what has

become unconscious bodily knowledge, so

integrating head, hand and heart.’ 75

- Peter Buchanan, Architectural Review

Another reason to integrate academic learning into an apprenticeship or part time course would be the obvious financial benefits; students would be able to earn while they learn. Given the length of the course and the rise in fees, mentioned in previous chapters, this would open doors for many less privileged students, struggling to justify the vast amount of debt a career in architecture currently entails.

Not only would this provide students with an understanding of the vocation directly from practice, it would also help them appreciate the value of money as often the huge tide of

73 ) Robb., pp. 2-4

74 ) Martin., p. 7

75 ) Buchanan, p. 24

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debt becomes too great to fathom.76

The point raised during the 1958 RIBA conference against apprenticeship style education mainly focused on the fear that architectural education would lose prestige and academic focus.77

However much this might sound like it misses the point of education as a ‘pursuit for its own sake’, architectural education is supposed to prepare its students for a vocation. 78

‘Architecture isn’t just an arts degree,

it is a professional training too.’ 79

- Will Hunter, Architectural Review As mentioned in chapter 2, due to the large and valued diversity amongst existing university pedagogy within the UK, this continued variation would also strengthen that flexibility. This could act as a route for students who are certain about their chosen career and allow them to gain essential vocational knowledge whilst gaining the necessary qualifications.

Some note should be given to schools who already offer the Part 2 in a part time fashion, allowing students who have secured placements in offices during their fourth year to continue earning whilst studying, often with sponsorship to help pay for their education. These part time courses extend over a greater period of time, normally four years instead of two, however it does give students the security of a job after qualifying with a masters’ degree.

76 ) Building Design Online., pp. 2-5

77 ) Robb., pp.3-5

78 ) Hunter., pp. 5-6

79 ) Ibid., p.6

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CONCLUSION

The thin line that architectural education currently treads between vocational integration and the isolated world of academia cannot be continued. Sadly, due to rising fees, an ever changing economic climate and a challenging construction industry the role of the architect urgently needs to adapt, and the key to this survival lies within education.

After researching and reviewing all the information for this dissertation, I have discovered that the 1958 conference was particularly influential in the establishment of the current education system and there has been little change since. The alterations were a direct and deliberate move to transform the vocational, apprenticeship-based system to an intellectual, culturally relevant, pioneering establishment which championed academic research.

However, since that time, huge cultural, economic and social shifts have caused the role of the architect within the construction industry to be questioned, especially following the failed attempts at utopian urbanization during the 50s and 60s.

This shift has caused architecture as a profession to change, becoming more dynamic and entrepreneurial in order to continue to be relevant. Despite this, architectural education has stagnated and retreated towards an ever more isolated and theoretical pedagogy.

This dissertation has led me to conclude that the existing system is too long. The overwhelming evidence from students, academics and professionals alike suggests that, with the huge rise in fees, it is currently unsustainable as a profession for anyone except the wealthy.

However, all parties also agreed that the course needs to retain an element of flexibility and exit points for students who don’t want to fully train as architects. Therefore, I believe the 3 + 1 + 1 system suggested by Pam Cole at the ASN “Lines Drawn” conference has the most potential.

This flexibility should also extend to part time courses and apprenticeships, allowing students to integrate study with work and thus overcome financial difficulties. This has already proven to be successful for part 2 and within other degrees such as engineering.

However, the main adjustment to the course that needs to be addressed is the actual content. There is currently too much of a sway towards academic, conceptual theory.

‘rather than relevance, what is

sought is startling originality, no matter how

spurious.’80

A degree in architecture, whilst retaining a broad base of theory, ethics and history, should prepare students for life in professional practice, especially during the current difficult economic times.

This can be achieved in many ways, from simply creating a new way of focusing on technology by directly integrating it into design modules from the early stages so it can be used as a tool for conceptual expression, rather than an inconvenient after thought. Also, applying more real life considerations to the design process that include budgets, time scales and methods of construction would be a valuable practice.

80 ) Buchanan., p. 7

26

Another obvious way of integrating an element of students’ future working environments is to have joint modules with other courses, allowing both a dispersal of architectural principles to other disciplines and encouraging teamwork. This would reflect the current professional environment where successful emerging architects work within design teams rather than as lone creative individuals.

The proposal of a foundation year to integrate all the built environment courses, as suggested by Peter Buchanan, does sound like an obvious way to unite different elements within the industry when they enter the process, hopefully easing friction in future careers. However, the added time this would take when there is already so much pressure due to rising fees could make it a difficult scheme to put into action. Therefore, a similar approach could still be used, although condensed down to the first semester, rather than the entire first year.

I found one of the most prevalent propositions to be the wider incorporation of live projects into the degree. Because students are frewquently criticized for being unprepared for the reality of the construction industry, allowing a controlled environment in which to encounter vocational issues would be hugely valuable.

It would also be beneficial for schools to utilise tutors who are also practicing as well as those focused on theory, in order to gain critical vocational advancement as well as academic advancement for their students. This would create a working environment which would stimulate a way of thinking about design which is directly influenced by the profession. In conclusion, I believe that it is time for change; ‘for the uk’s architecture school to stand still in the current educational, political and ecological environment is not an option.’ 81


After researching and writing this dissertation, I have deduced that this change should be a clear move towards integrating current architectural pedagogy with the profession, and thus better prepare students for their future careers.

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B I B L I O G R A P H Y

Architecture Student Network, The ArchitectureStudentNetwork:LinesDrawn PressRelease, (25 March 2014), <http://theasn.org/the-asn-lines-drawn-press-release-25-03-14/>, [Accessed 11/01/2014] Buchanan, P. TheBigReThink-Part9:Rethinking ArchitecturalEducation, (Architectural Review, 28 September 2012), <http://www.architectural-review.com/academia/the-big-rethink-part-9-rethinking-architectural-education/8636035.article> [Accessed 11/01/2015]

Building Design Online, Architecturaleducation:The1958OxfordConferencerevisited(06June2008)<http://www.bdonline.co.uk/architectural-educa-tion-the-1958-oxford-conference-revisited/3115318.article> [Accessed 10/01/2015]

Colomnia, B.RadicalPedagogiesinArchitecturalEduca-tion,(Architectural Review, 28 September 2012), <http://www.architectural-review.com/essays/radical-peda-gogies-in-architectural-education/8636066.article>[Accessed 12/01/2015]

Easton, M. EnglandandWalesPopulationUp, (BBC News, 16 July 2012), <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18854073> [Accessed 11/01/2014]

Farrell, T. & The Review Panel, The Farrell Review of Architecture+theBuiltEnvironment-“OurFutureInPlace”, (Department of Culture, Media & Sport, 2014)

Hunter, W. AlternativeRoutesForArchitecture, (Architectural Review, 28 September 2012), <http://www.architectural-review.com/academia/alternative-routes-for-architecture/8636207.article> [Accessed 11/01/2014]

Krupinska, J. Whatanarchitecturestudentshouldknow, (Routledge, May 2014)

Martin, L. ReportonRIBAConferenceon ArchitectualEducation, (1958), < http://www.oxfordconference2008.co.uk/1958conference.pdf>Accessed 11/01/2015]

Rhowbotham, K. ProblemsintheBritishArchitectureSchoolRegime, (Architectural Review, 28 September 2012), < http://www.architectural-review.com/essays/problems-in-the-british-architecture-school-regime/8636203.article>, [Accessed 11/01/2015]

RIBA Criteria & Outline Syllabus Review Task Force.Tomorrow’sArchitect, (RIBA Enterprises Ltd, 2003)

RIBA Education Review Committee. RIBAInfluencesProfessionalQualificationsDirectiveChangesandOutlinesPrinciplesForFutureEducationReform,(RIBA, 2013), <http://www.architecture.com/RIBA/Contactus/NewsAnd-Press/News/RIBANews/News/2013/RIBAinfluencesprofe-sionalqualificationsdirectiveandoutlinesprinciplesforfutu-reeducationreform.aspx> [Accessed 11/01/2015]

Roaf, S. & Bairstow, A. The Oxford Conference : a re-evaluationofeducationinarchitecture,(WIT Press, July 2008)

Robb, N. TheOxfordConference:ADefiningInfluenceonArchitecturalEducation, (Design Hero, January 2014) < http://www.design-hero.com/test/portfolio/files/projects-essay-cs-influence.pdf> [Accessed 11/01/2015]

Slessor, C. ArchitecturalEducation:ACallToArms, (Architectural Review, September 2012), <http://www.architectural-review.com/ academia/architectural-education-a-call-to- arms/8636434.article> [Accessed 11/01/2015]

Wainwright, O. Towering folly: why architectural educationinBritainisinneedofrepair(The Guardian, 30 May 2013) <http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/architec-ture-design-blog/2013/may/30/architectural-education-pro-fessional-courses> [Accessed 10/01/2015]

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A P P E N D I X

I have included relevant extracts from the interviews I conducted with students.

Clarke, N. Interviewed by Eleanor Gair (Empirical Data), [05/12/2014]

Does your degree have more of a focus on the Technical or Artistic elements of Architectural Education? (i.e. Structural details/building regulations or architectural concepts and theory) Undergrad is a good mixture of both. They want you to be conceptual but they expect you to have a building that works at the end of it and have all of the details. But then masters is a lot freer, you can pretty much do whatever you want and they really encourage you to be arty and conceptual. One student was encouraged not to have any walls within their building.

During the undergraduate degree did you have to put forward structural details or models of junctions with you design proposals? In third year this was the case, we did technical reports showing structural details, ventilation systems and how junctions worked once we’d completed our design proposals.

Have you engaged in any live projects? If so - please give details. If not - would you like to see this integrated onto your course and at what scale? (e.g. A small pavilion, or modelling 1:1 junctions) In first year, our very first project was in groups and we designed and built huts which we had to sleep in overnight. It was a really good initial project for the course and encouraged thoughts about scale and human comfort.

Fisher, G. Interviewed by Eleanor Gair (Empirical Data), [26/11/2014]

Are you encouraged to pursue designs heavily grounded in reality (i.e. Budgets, Material/site restraints, Building Regulations, Fire safety, Disabled Access)? Only to a small extent, disabled access and site restraints are usually picked up on but budget/ building regulations and fire safety are not so important First design with ambition, then allow the later pragmatisms found in the working world to numb it down slightly.

Have you engaged in any live projects? If so - please give details. If not - would you like to see this integrated onto your course? Yes, in first year we were given a specific material( e.g brick, stone, concrete, wood…) with which we had to design an interactive installation that we built and put up for the day in Sheffield centre for the public.

29


Lindley, J. Interviewed by Eleanor Gair (Empirical Data), [05/12/2014]

What are your opinions on Pam Cole’s proposal for an alternative route? (3+1+1) “You complete two years of undergraduate, then at the end you decide - or your tutors decide if you are eligible - to go straight through to the masters level qualification. You can also have a placement year after the 3rd year. So 2+2, with a placement year after the 3rd year which in effect is 3 + 1 + 1, with only one Part 2 award, and no part 1 (but the 3 is not part 1 or degree equivalent). Those who want to exit with a degree would follow a different 3rd year and effectively reroute onto the 3 + 1 + 2 route.”Personally, I feel that the current route of doing three years for part 1 is a better idea as it means everyone qualifies with a degree whether or not they want to continue and it gives them more time to decide if it’s what they want to do without having to make that decision after only 2 years (or less than 2 years). However I think the year out in a firm should be compulsory, I think the real experience of working in a practice and working on real projects is vital, not only for educational advancement and understanding how architecture works in real life. But also so that the student knows what the job would be like on a day to day basis and have a better idea of what they would be doing at the end of their degree.

Did you find engaging with students from other Architecture schools useful and if so, in what ways? It was incredibly interesting to talk to other architecture students from around the country and discuss the different ways in which architecture is taught at our university and discuss the pros and cons of each. For example, I was shocked to hear that some universities do not have studio space such as Newcastle, or others do, but can only use it between 9 and 5pm. Though this is not unusual for other courses, I take for granted that we have 24 hour studios and they are an integral part of the course, they are used at all hours. I think having this flexible communal studio space is really important and one of the best parts of the course at Newcastle. I also learned more about Newcastle’s way of teaching, such as some of the tutors splitting their time between working in an office and working in the university tutoring.

Simcox, B. Interviewed by Eleanor Gair (Empirical Data), [10/12/2014]

Does your degree have more of a focus on the Technical or Artistic elements of Architectural Education? (i.e. Structural details/building regulations or architectural concepts and theory)The Newcastle University Architecture Department has always seemed primarily art-driven, in the sense that a design is often judged on its aesthetic appeal and concept-based merits before being scrutinised for feasibility, practicality, and technical understanding. Particularly in the first two undergraduate years, technology lectures felt like separate or even additional information to compliment the main bulk of the course (‘design’), rather than essential information that must be fed in parallel into the more creative side.

Would you see it as a valuable practice for Architectural principles to be integrated into education from a much earlier age? (For example: At primary school level, compulsory den building to encourage spatial awareness, At Secondary school level, practical applications of mathematics and physics via building design) Architecture relies on a deep-rooted understanding of space and three dimensions, which contrasts with a currently flat and rigidly academic primary and secondary educational system in the UK, as so i would see it as a valuable practice to integrate architectural principles into education from a much earlier age. There are proven benefits of improved spatial awareness/understanding, as well as the effects of engaging in physically or visually stimulating work such as real construction (ie ‘den-building’) and design (graphically communicating ideas through different medium).

30

What are your opinions on having a “construction foundation” year, which all engineers/planners/architects must do before specialising into their own degrees so they all can gain perspective/knowledge of each other’s purpose. A ‘construction foundation’ year would unify students all going into different but interrelated careers within the construction industry by providing them which common knowledge and a shared starting point. Given the widely-known friction between actors in the building process, from design through to construction, any addition to encourage learning and working together could create more coherent and connected future design teams.

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I L L U S T R A T I O N S

Figure. 1Length of Time to Qualify as an Architect in Europe (in years), [graphic]Farrell, T. & The Farrell Review Panel, The Farrell ReviewofArchitecture+theBuiltEnvironment-“OurFuture In Place”, (Department of Culture, Media & Sport, 2014)

Figure. 2Architecture Student Network logo, [graphic]Architecture Student Network, <http://theasn.org/about-us/>

Figure. 3Graphic displaying core of built environment [graphic]Buchanan, P. TheBigReThink-Part9:RethinkingArchitecturalEducation<http://www.architectural-review.com/academia/the-big-rethink-part-9-rethinking-architectural-education/8636035.article>

Figure. 41:1 Shelter designed and built by students from the University of KentUniversity of Kent<http://blogs.kent.ac.uk/ksa/files/2013/10/winnersforweb.jpg>

Documents

Isolated vs. Integrated