Our unique Masters in Architecture encourages students to forge a personal stance grounded within a critical, reflective, creative, and interdisciplinary approach. Whilst it may bridging the gap between practice and research across two distinctive years, we ask the same questions of both years. This year, we have seen increased opportunities for MArch one students to engage with and reflect on diverse practice experiences - informing parallel academic development. Within our refurbished Bute building, MArch two students have returned to a vibrant studio culture - accessing new workshops and direct interaction with real-world issues through their dissertation and research-led design thesis’. These range across an increased diversity of unit agendas and live engagement, such as the Liveable Urbanism unit returning to Calicut, India.
Underpinning this is ‘Process’ - a critical aspect of the student experience. The opportunity to gain experience through practice whilst studying promotes notions of learning from-, by- and in- practice whilst simultaneously developing an understanding of how the industry operates. This can form enhanced reflections on how the process by which architectural education becomes professional responsibility occurs. This allows students to adopt professional processes of design, management, and attitudes that support the development of an independent learner and are essential to the focus and rigour required to frame research questions, methodologies, and arguments explored without preconception of outcome. Process is therefore about exploration, testing, research, speculation, and reflection in order to have the confidence to take a stance.
As the School continues to reflect, respond to future challenges and provide enhanced opportunities for various specialisms, we congratulate all our students this year who have shown continued resilience and willingness to question and take risks in the endeavour to creatively explore grounded agendas that will shape architects and practice for the future. For those embarking on the next stage of their careers – we wish you all the best and know that you are well equipped to address the global challenges that lie ahead.