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Welcome to the eagerly anticipated end of year exhibition featuring the work of our Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Interior Design, and Product Design students. It’s been another exciting year as we continue to refine the identity of the renamed Birmingham School of Architecture and Design following the addition of the Three Dimensional Design courses in August 2015. These courses have been re-designed via the University’s Transforming the Curriculum process and from September 2017 we will be replacing the current programmes with BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design, and BA (Hons) Product and Furniture Design. Our new Superstudio concept embraces the exciting multi disciplinary nature of the School, offering all BA students the chance to learn skills from across our courses such as glass making, sandblasting, perspective drawing, and CAD, to name but a few. We show films at lunchtime (with popcorn from our very own popcorn maker), and have been privileged to have a number of guests run afternoon workshops and lectures, including alumnus Pierre D’Avoine, Simon Warren, and Tom Jestico. There have been a number of highlights this year such as the listing of our BA Architecture and Landscape programmes in the top 20 of the Guardian subject league tables and our Knowledge Hub project being awarded a National Urban Design Award with our project partner Node. In terms of student satisfaction our NSS scores for Architecture, Landscape, and Product Design at 96%, 90%, and 92% respectively capture the quality of the student experience at degree level in the School, whilst a number of PTES scores at 100% for MA Design and Visualisation, MA Conservation of the Historic Environment, and PG/MA Landscape show that our Masters students are delighted with the education they receive here.
We said farewell to Dr Sue Dawes who retired from the University having worked here since 1978! Sue was a key member of the Ceramics and Glass team that evolved into 3DD and now Product Design. Thanks Sue for your dedicated service over all this time. This year we launched our own staff awards to recognise the excellent work of our team with Jason Nicholson scooping the top prize for his leadership of Product Design. Commendations went to Victoria Farrow for embracing the new School with her Applicant Visit Day organisation, Alessandro Columbano for his Enterprise work, and Russell Good for his leadership of MA Landscape. It was fantastic to see staff congratulate and celebrate the success of their colleagues, the sign of a true team. We’ve also welcomed a number of new colleagues, who, in the spirit of the School have already made their mark. Maria Martinez Sanchez has done a fantastic job leading second year Interiors, collaborating with numerous departments across the University, and re-booting our Erasmus programme to motivate numerous students to study abroad next year. Nick Irvin has joined the MA Design Management team and aside from his work in this area he is writing a new course option for BA students who are interested in the business side of design, as well as leading on the inaugural work placement scheme for our Interior Design students. Kasia Nawratek joined us from Plymouth University to lead second year BA Architecture and has developed the flavour and character of the year with a new focus on public buildings and experimentation. Andy Hilton was appointed to lead MArch year 1 and aside from running studios in both the BA and MArch he has made an impact on the organisation of the year including running the trip to New York which featured some real thrills in the shape of visits to Gensler, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, and the new Medical Centre at Columbia University by DS+R. Finally, Jemma Browne was appointed to support History, Theory and Cultural Context across the School, focusing on working with BA students to appreciate the value and relevance of the subject area. Jemma also took on the huge task of organising and coordinating this end of year show, and I’m sure you will agree it’s a job well done.
Unfortunately we received the sad new that former member of staff John Kirwan passed away at Easter after a long illness. John held a number of key roles in the School at PG level including leading the original Historic Conservation course and made a big contribution to the School over many years. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. I’d like to thank everyone who has contributed to the School this year including the core staff team, visiting tutors, specialist tutors, volunteer critics, workshop staff, colleagues in ADM and across the University and work placement practices who hosted over 100 of our Architecture, Landscape and Interior Design students. We are privileged to have such support. Finally, thank you to the generous sponsors of prizes and events. There are far too many to mention here but special thanks as ever to Ibstock who continue to sponsor the MArch trip to New York, to Interface for their part sponsorship of the Summer Ball and to Niyaa People for being the main sponsor of this event. Also a special mention to our new Student Success Adviser Julia Bloomfield who alongside her day job of supporting students with any issues they face has done an amazing job coordinating the arrangements for the Summer Ball. I hope that you enjoy the work and incredible talent on display and take the opportunity to network with staff, students and colleagues and enjoy what has become THE not-to-miss event in the regional Architecture and Design calendar. Thank you. Professor Kevin W Singh Head of Birmingham School of Architecture and Design