uel.ac.uk/ace

Architecture

‘A building has at least two lives - the one imagined by its maker - and the life it lives afterward; and they are never the same.'

Rem Koolhaas

Our Architecture and Design programmes develop practice to enhance life in the context of society and nature. Our staff teach at the highest level and maintain an enquiring research approach to physical and intellectual contexts. Our teaching balances a respect and understanding of the past and the present with an inspirational, poetic and innovative stance towards the future.

Our staff and students, from all over the world, are encouraged to work nationally and internationally to explore a wide variety of interests, approaches and areas of research. Each year’s work explores a wide variety of sites sometimes here in the UK, sometimes in very different cultural and environmental contexts such as Europe, Scandinavia and China.

Sometimes projects focus on remote isolated communities, sometimes projects deal with the complexity of life in the city. We also have links with schools abroad and students have the possibility of engaging with schools of Architecture in a number of cities including Venice, St Petersburg, Paris and Athens.

Foreword

below: Presentation of work in part of the studio.

At the core of our teaching philosophy is the relationship developed between staff and students. Students are taught one to one, in small groups as well as in studios, workshops, seminars and lecture halls. Our project work follows a pattern of investigation, experiment and innovation.

We are fortunate to have in our school Professor Tony Fretton, Maria Segantini of C+S Architects, Katherine Clarke of Muf and acclaimed author Anna Minton. These internationally renowned practitioners feed their expertise into the school in lectures and debates, design reviews and studio teaching. They also offer expertise in postgraduate programmes. In December 2012 UEL Architecture hosted the Production of Place conference with 130 papers from around the world.

We have a number of professional programmes available including BSc Architecture and MArch in Architecture accredited by the RIBA and ARB for both Part 1 and Part 2 respectively. We have a lively undergraduate Product Design programme and an Interior Design programme. The MA/MSC programmes address areas such as Landscape Architecture, Urban Design, Computing, Sustainability and History & Theory.

above: The annual Open Jury event; below: First Year students exploring Depford Creek.

Below left: a portal between two cities, installation in the Palazzo Ducal, Venice by unit 8 students in 2014.

Below: most teaching takes place in the studio space.

21st Century architecture and design faces complex challenges from local to international scales. The complexity of these challenges requires us to balance our own creative thinking with working together with others. Our professional and academic programmes address innovative strategies and new poetic approaches to the understanding of people, societies and places and relate these to new contexts, materials, processes and technologies.

Our students benefit from the traditions in the school of making and the study of materials. To these skills our students can add traditional and new approaches to representation and to advanced computing. Our school has links with a variety of offices. Our studio staff are often practitioners of architecture, art and design and students regularly engage with practitioners at design reviews. Our students have an excellent track record of employment.

We have a very active evening lecture series given by professional Architects, Academics and Engineers. I would like to thank both those who have given the lectures and those students and staff who have led and organised the programme.

Our location in the growing and developing area of East London allows us to benefit from and contribute to the exciting cultural life of the capital. We aim to equip our students with thinking processes and skills to thrive and flourish in the working and cultural contexts of their choice.

Carl Callaghan BA (Hons) Dipl RIBAHead of Subject in Architecture, Design and Built Environment

Above: contextual model for a ceramic tile factory in Athens, Michalis Christodolou

Right: at the end of each year students work is displayed in a public exhibition

Osman Marfo-Gyasi: theory option submission for Computing and Design

MArch Architecture(ARB/RIBA Part 2)

The MArch in Architecture is a two year postgraduate degree programme that satisfies Part 2 of the UK professional qualification for architects and is approved by the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and the Architects’ Registration Board (ARB). This is the 2nd of 3 parts that are required to become qualified and practice as an Architect.

Students are taught in small groups, or units, under the direction of design tutors. Design studios work autonomously on bespoke programmes led by the design tutors and supported by theory, technical and professional studies staff.

The programme emphasises learning through the process of making, and the critical reflection of what has been made. In this way, creativity and critical judgement are developed within each student. You receive personal tuition each week from tutors, who are also practising architects.

Most of the learning is done through design project work in the School’s excellent studios and workshops. Since the aim is to develop each student’s creativity and judgement, the programme is highly demanding and prepares students with the skills to practice architecture and provide an understanding of the technological, professional and architectural contexts which can be deployed in the workplace.

Below left: Orlaith Ryan, interior space of crematorium, north London

Left: RIBA East London section, by Sam Rose

Below: Moksud Khan, community facility in Karosta, Latvia

Images taken from ‘construction week’ live projects: the first two weeks of the programme before choosing their study units students work in groups with real clients, real briefs and real materials to design and build projects for use in the real world. See more at:constructionweek2014.wordpress.com constructionweek2013.wordpress.comconstructionweek2012.wordpress.com

Teaching methods and assessment

At the beginning of the year, a ballot is taken for the membership of the units, allowing each student a choice from usually 7 or 8 different units. Each unit has its own particular agenda and thesis, which are explored during the year. This structure is similar to the undergraduate degree programme, but the depth and the complexity of the work is quite different at postgraduate level.

Working intensely throughout the year, each unit will independently explore a site context in the UK or abroad, from social, political, economic, geographical, urban and landscape perspectives. Each student will develop their own ‘position’ within this framework and develop an individual design proposal, often starting with developing their own brief, identifying users, clients and so on. This design proposal is developed through to a final project and the whole of the process is documented in the academic portfolio. In parallel, support is provided for technical and professional issues, which are explored through the design projects. Units have their own spaces in the studio and the studio develops during the year as a special, intense and creative environment. During the year, ‘crits’ are held when students pin up their work and are provided with non-assessment feedback from a panel. This process is critically important to the development of each project.

Each student must also follow one of several theory routes during the course, in parallel with the studio work. These are chosen from: Landscape, Computing, Sustainability, Theory and Urban Design. They are taught through seminars and assessed through written assignments during the year. At the end of the year, the academic portfolio is assessed for the final marks.

Right page: a variety of different techniques are employed to explore spatial form. Clockwise from top left: 3D printing, computational form-finding by Dawit Teklu, plaster cast of Borromini church by Moiko

Entry requirements and How to apply

The MArch Architecture programme at UEL is demanding and competitive. This is a full-time only course.

A first degree in Architecture (ARB/RIBA Part 1 or equivalent) with a minimum grade of 2.2 is required to enter the course.

Strong spatial design, presentational skills and technical knowledge are required to be able to participate in the programme and these are normally assessed by portfolio interview. Applicants who are unable to attend may send an electronic portfolio and statement for review.

Students entering without Part 1 will have to apply directly to the ARB to have their degree recognised if they wish to proceed to qualification as an Architect. Full details can be found here:www.arb.org.uk/Non-recognised-UK-and-overseas-qualifications

Apply online:www.uel.ac.uk/study/courses/arch-ma-arb-riba.htmor at www.uel.ac.uk and type MArch in the search boxor call the switchboard +44 (0) 208 223 3000 and ask for admissions

If you have any queries about this programme, please contact the course leader, Roland Karthaus: r.f.karthaus@uel.ac.uk

Contact usSchool of Architecture, Computing and Engineering

University of East LondonDocklands Campus4-6 University WayLondon E16 2RD

Tel: +44 (0)20 8223 3333Email: study@uel.ac.uk

ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN

uel.ac.uk/ace