The Architects’ Journal Architecture News & Buildings
About
Location Canterbury CT1 | ARB/RIBA courses BA (Hons) Architecture, MArch Architecture | Head of school Colin Holden | Full-time tutors 10 | Part-time tutors 6 | Students 295 | Staff to student ratio 1:17 | Bursaries available No
Undergraduate
Ines El Ferkhsi
Course BA (Hons) Architecture
Studio/unit brief N/A
Project title Giovane Alla Scala
Project description This scheme reimagines the classic opera house for modern-day Milan. ‘Giovane’ means ‘young’ in Italian and reflects the project’s dedication to the needs of a younger generation. Its façade is crafted from timber and designed to foster a sense of openness and accessibility, challenging traditional Italian architectural norms. Rooftop terraces offer views of the city and act as informal hubs of community activity, hosting outdoor performances, art exhibitions and educational workshops. They are also more than architectural features: symbols of the opera house’s commitment to accessibility, community and the power of the arts. Floor terraces are connected from ground to rooftop via cascading steps, reminiscent of Rome’s Spanish Steps.
Tutor citation Ines’ project imaginatively balances pragmatism with striking ambition to reimagine the opera house for a younger generation who feel disconnected from its stuffy reputation. Alex Smith
Postgraduate
Faridah Usman Buhari
Course MArch Architecture
Studio/unit brief Why Can’t We Live Together?
Project title The Multi-Generational Plan
Project description A proposal for multi-generational housing, this project sits on a complex town-centre site in Dover, Kent. Taking reference from one of African American artist Njideka Akunyili Crosby’s paintings, an apartment typology allowing adaptation for large, extended family living has been developed. It’s a concept of flexible, multi-roomed apartments arranged in a dense urban block, animated by faceted walls and lit internally via large light wells. The fragmented geometry of apartment interiors has been carried through to the formal language of the building. Drawing on iconography derived from Crosby’s painting, wallpaper, floor tiles and upholstery have become richly adorned surfaces.
Tutor citation Faridah’s proposal is a highly successful design for an urban apartment building, which tackles important themes around cultural identity, ethnic diversity and evolving family and social demographics. Charles Holland
