I am a second year undergraduate at London Metropolitan University and have been an archaos exec member for the past couple of years.
I stop in the street to look at stuff, anything really, I need an excuse for that, or I may get carted away. So i want to be an Architect.
Becoming an Architect is complicated, probably too complicated and hopefully through the work that archaos does, it can become simpler and better understood.
I'm currently on my year out after finishing my part 1 at Cardiff before the summer; I am currently RIBA Council Student Rep and have just started my second year term in the role.
I have been on the ARCHAOS exec for about 18 months now and joined after being elected RIBA Council Rep - a role that I think would be impossible to do justice to without working through ARCHAOS. In these last 18 months I have seen and been involved in ARCHAOS taking on bigger and bigger challenges and with them seen ARCHAOS go from strength to strength. I am currently involved (with ARCHAOS) in the validation criteria review. This is potentially the biggest change to Architectural education in 50 years and involves SCHOSA / ARB / RIBA as well as ARCHAOS right there in the middle of the process. ARCHAOS has made some good friends at lots of schools though our involvement, I hope that next year we can build on these friendships to help the ARCHAOS network take off and become the success that it deserves to be.
What makes me tick are the extraneous issues that get in the way of us doing our work as architecture students.
I am worried about students leaving architectural education because of preventable difficulties.
Students need to know what archaos does and more importantly how it helps us. So it is one of my objectives to greatly increase awareness about the role archaos plays amongst us the students and the schools of architecture as well as other related bodies. The position of network and professional liaison coordinator would allow me to do so.
Architecture is my passion and I am doing my last year in the diploma at Kingston University before that I had done my work experience year in Cyprus and my undergraduate course at The University of Melbourne in Australia.
I'm a final year undergraduate in Structural Engineering and Architecture at the University of Sheffield, a course that allows me to qualify for either discipline. I also have a habit of wandering off abroad quite regularly, so the issues of international study and work are pretty close to my heart.
I am currently in my second year at the University of Liverpool School of Architecture. I have been very interested in architecture and the built environment as long as I can remember, yet never thought I could be an architect. It always seemed something slightly too glamorous and 'arty', something not for lesser mortals like me! Thankfully when it came to applying for university my friends and family made me apply for a place at an architecture school even though I was adamant I wouldn't get in. I did get in - and now can't imagine ever having considered anything else.
I feel it is important for students of all courses to interact with students in their own universities and others across the country. This is particularly the case for architecture students where there is a greater need to find out best practice and styles of teaching. We can learn from one another and become better architects in the process. Through joining the archaos exec I hope I can make a greater personal contribution to this goal.
I'm 23 years old, and currently a 6th Year MArch(Hons) student, doing part II at the University of Edinburgh. In 2005, I obtained my part 1, MA (Hons) again at Edinburgh University.
I've had an interest in architecture since I was 9, had architectural experiences within offices since I was 15, and it just seems the more I do, the more I want to do. I have worked for a year at Richard Ashby and Associates on and off during part 1, whilst simultaneously completing my degree and providing freelance architectural services, of which I managed and worked on serveral commissions. Also at the same time as studying, I have held down a part time job for the Galleries of Scotland, and I've been employed as a dancer/spinner/general performer for various club nights and events.
There are loads of architecture related activities I have been involved with too. They include: Giving a lecture about sustainable architecture and land formation, been a guest critic to 1st year students, been a main builder in a hands on project in Spain, had work published, been nominated to enter innovative concrete competitions, have held exhibitions of my work, been a photographer, and now currently an active member of my University society EUSAS.
I'm an all singing, all dancing, architectural fanatic, with an intense passion for architecture and design and I feel I embody the great feminine ability to multitask and juggle responsibilities as you can see from brief biography.
I have a keen interest in the wider scope of issues of architectural education that goes further than my own. This is the reason I became one of the archaos reps for my university last year. I wanted to be involved in this national student phenomena and gain a greater understanding of the organisation's motivations and outputs.
If the organisation is all about the architectural rights of the student and the promotion of the evolution and the collaboration of the educational system, then I would definitley like to play a more active role in archaos. I've done a lot of work already trying to get the societies of Edinburgh University and the ECA to work in conjunction with each other, and it seems like a natural progressive trajectory to help in the collaborative level on a national level. I think I bring enthusiasm, eccentricity and eclecticism to my work, and indeed in general, and hopefully to archaos? As I keep hearing...
"There needs to be more chaos in archaos"
I say "bring it on".
Uni: University of East London
Level: Pt I Year out at Architects Co Partnership (Herts)
Mission: To confuse, deconstruct and reorganise
Age: 24
University: UCCA (university collage for the creative arts) Canterbury campus.
Intention:
To continue the current projects that everyone has worked so hard to establish, whilst looking forward to address future issues. I feel that it is important to develop stronger liaisons between Archaos, university's, students, and the industry at large. Take the good practice scheme further and broaden the database.
I would like to instigate some hands on events, as I feel this would serve to broaden the field of student experience, and develop a better understanding of the industry on all levels. Most importantly, I want to listen to everyone to get them talking and working together, only this way can we make a difference.
Architects are famed for their many disguises: you get those who claim to be artists, those who claim to be theorists, those who claim they are the sculptors that mould society's clay and those who just like to build. The beauty of architecture is that you can change your mind, if you want to be an artist than great, if you want to be a theorist than fine, if you manage to be humble about it you could claim to be a sculptor and if you are unpretentious than you'd just say 'I like to build'. To me what makes great architecture and in turn an architect 'great' is the combination of all of those things and a lot of hard graft.
Archaos in the relatively short term it has been running has managed to accomplish so much. It paves the way for students with talent, energy and motivation for a better environment in which we can cultivate our skills. Through joining this powerful organisation I hope to contribute my energy and hard work into what I believe is currently a major player in moulding our future as artists, theorists, sculptors, builders or if you want to put it another way, Architects.
I'm currently studying towards Part II at Newcastle University and I've represented the student body on RIBA North East Council for a number of years and in that time I've witnessed the region's rebirth. During this period of transition I've worked hard to promote the student agenda by building links with neighbouring Northumbria University and demonstrating the value students can bring to the wider debates within the wider architectural community. I've worked collaboratively with architecture centres, universities, students and the profession to bring initiatives such as AFC's Diversity exhibition and the President's Medal to the North East.
I hope to bring all I have learned to Archaos, whole and unadulterated, and use my knowledge of regional student issues and RIBA working to establish long-term links with the regional schools and the profession.