AJ Student Prize 2023: Kingston University London

About Kingston School of Art

Undergraduate

Charlie Fox

Course BA (Hons) Architecture
Studio/unit brief 20°C (Studio 3.3)
Project title Institute of Architecture, Accra

Project description The Institute of Architecture in Jamestown, Accra, promotes a new way of thinking where thermal comfort is achieved by passive means and sustainable materials. The programme includes teaching spaces, workshops, quiet study areas and collaborative spaces – all with a strong relationship to their surroundings, allowing for activities to spill out into the exterior. The design allows for cool air to be drawn in from the sea and hot air to rise into the large, ventilated roof space. The building is constructed from locally sourced materials where possible while passive ventilation techniques avoid the need for high electricity consumption.

Tutor citation Charlie’s project is an elegant response to the brief: to interrogate ideals of universal comfort through the design of a public building, while developing an awareness of how the pursuit of hypercomfort has contributed to the climate crisis. Laura Evans, Douglas Murphy

Postgraduate

Farah Anwar

Course MArch
Studio/unit brief Dreams, Myths and Fairytales (Unit 5)
Project title The Path of the Lamplighter

Project description The project focuses on the transformation of Kingston’s public realm from day to night, and the dominance of night over our public spaces. The thesis traces a line between the site of a candle factory that sat along the Hogsmill River and the candle shop that was once on the Market Place. This becomes the Path of the Lamplighter; a tale of a lamplighter who would bring light back to the town after the night had stolen it away. The proposal is for a a public space that celebrates the heritage of the town and connects to its current culture by hosting both day and night-time events.

Tutor citation Farah has engaged deeply and with great imagination with the brief, leading the invention of a new community project in collaboration with local organisation the Community Brain, which is set now to become an annual event. Takeshi Hayatsu, Salah Krichen, Fanna Merton