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The Architecture MSci annual theme of ‘Cultural Understanding’ saw our first-year students embark on a journey of exploration and discovery by taking on two main projects.
The year began with an examination into the elements of architecture, in which students were introduced to architectural thinking based on case studies found around UCL’s Bloomsbury campus. From this starting point students went on to develop short, speculative projects which saw them engage with newly gained digital and analogue skills.
Building on this foundation, the projects took a shift in scale as students expanded their inquiries from the realm of objects to the dynamic fabric of the city. With a focus on the London neighbourhood of Brixton, students developed their first architectural interventions in response to the brief London Local/e. In this they were asked to critically contemplate the essence of ‘locality’ and to unravel the spatial and urban characteristics that define a ‘locale’.
Throughout the year students have been asked to study and respond to a series of complex site conditions. In so doing they have addressed the intricate interplay of social, historical, technological, political and cultural narratives that shape the fabric of Brixton. With both a firm grounding in understanding of the site and a unique and original personal lens, each student has crafted a building project that reflects their individual perspective.
Their projects, guided by classes in structural and digital skills, showcase an ambitious investigation into locality and ‘local’ elements as key drivers of the project’s programme and narrative. The result is a unique reflection on what it means to insert a project in a part of London that has undergone significant transformation in recent years.