The Architects’ Journal Architecture News & Buildings
About
Location London SE10 | ARB/RIBA courses BA (Hons) Architecture, MArch Architecture | Head of school Chris Pallant | Full-time tutors 22 | Part-time tutors 63 | Students 462 | Staff to student ratio 1:16 | Bursaries available Yes
Undergraduate
Charles Boobar
Course BA (Hons) Architecture
Studio/unit brief Kafka 100 (Unit 8)
Project title Reflections in Retreat: Writers’ Residence
Project description This project pays homage to the Romantic ‘Lake Poets’ of the 19th century who were influenced by the landscapes of the Lake District. It is an accessible communal residence and workshop for writers and is designed to reincorporate itself back into Keswick after its lifetime. At the centre is a great hall where the public can write and study, view the upstairs gallery, or visit an atrium and courtyard. As the site slopes upward, the structures get more private. Here, a temporary residence is connected to a courtyard while a more permanent residence sits higher. The scheme reflects the history of the Lake Poets through its vernacular, materiality and exposition, taking inspiration from Victorian slate buildings.
Tutor citation Charles’ thoughtful approach and research led to a proposition that is both temporary and permanent, sensitive to site, and in a state of continual reuse and rebuilding.
Jen Wan, Eric Wong
Postgraduate
Rachael Cheong
Course MArch Architecture
Studio/unit brief Atmosphere (Unit 14)
Project title BeaconByte
Project description BeaconByte is a living laboratory for studying the role of air-sea interaction in climate change. The project begins by exploring the characteristics of boundary layers associated with air pressure. From this, the institute becomes a canvas, where form and function are inspired by its research. On arrival, visitors face a metaphorical decompression chamber. Then comes the main research hub, linked to living quarters and a subterranean level via a courtyard doubling up as an Atmospheric Chemical Analysis Vessel. Surrounding components morph into meteorological measurement and energy conversion instruments. A bridge connects the land-based facilities to the oceanographic hub, a multi-level research platform.
Tutor citation This is a dramatic piece of architecture, a coastal research institute embodying its marine meteorology studies. The meticulously crafted objects and drawings showcase thoughtful engagement and dedication.
Nicholas Szczepaniak, Wen Ying Teh
