This year, unit four examined the possibilities of the city that is made for play. Based on Spike Island in the centre of Bristol, students made proposals for public buildings and spaces that sought to celebrate public interaction for the sake of pure joy.

Students were not given a fixed brief for a building type. Instead, they developed their own building programme based on a series of research and development projects that gradually teased out areas of interest. These development projects were the precedent study, the primer project, and the site survey.

The precedent study required the drawing and modelling of a built (and in one case un-built) project identified by the tutors. The exercise emphasised the importance of critical appraisal as a tool, allowing new proposals to be framed within a wider architectural discourse.

The site survey highlighted the importance of recording, researching, and understanding context. This work was used to identify thematic areas of interest and relevant sites within Spike Island.

The primer project was a chance to experiment with ideas, materials, and techniques. The students produced a cacophony of games, toys, and puzzles that developed their lines of enquiry and brought delight to the user.

At the culmination of this process, the students formulated their briefs and building proposals. The result was an array of imaginative public buildings and spaces, each seeking to interrupt the utilitarian efficiency of the city made for work and embrace the contingency of everyday life.