Mohammed Khizr
📃 On paper
Module breakdown
- Design from domestic to large scale
- Management Practice Law
- Architectural theory
Year 2
Architectural Design 3 - 2 major projects; the first is a paired project in which you design a small building for a specific purpose - such as a kayak centre, paragliding centre etc. all based around activities that happen in Sheffield. The second is a library/theatre in a different site - previous sites Liverpool...
Architectural Design 4 1 major project, designing a housing scheme with multiple different housing unit types, you create a manifesto for this which you’re encouraged to have a cultural / social / political angle.
👐🏻 General approach
The course has an established ethos of ‘social and political’ meaning that students are asked to consider how architecture impacts these dimensions (in all modules of study).
Year 1 studio projects are normally based in Sheffield and students are asked to visit sites, carry out investigative analysis of sites and respond. All students must evidence understanding of both site and users are part of their responses. Normally the initial studio projects are group projects with projects in the latter projects part of the year being more individual design projects.
Normally, there is a final ‘live’ group project at the end of Year 1, introducing students to another key aspect of SSoA - liveness. E.g. engaging with real clients and the city. Even in individual projects, students are encouraged to collaborate.
“We have a strong design studio culture. The studio acts as a laboratory for trialling your creative and critical ideas, and for developing fundamental architectural skills. You'll share ideas during group tutorials, review other students' work, and begin to develop your personality as a designer.” SSoA website.
Collaborative Practice
MA studio for students wishing to work in practice alongside their studies. Please see the SSoA website for more details. Other MA courses to investigate are
LiveWorks
. Most details are available on the SSoA webpages, easily ‘googled’.
Due to COVID-19 it is hard to predict what trips can take place. Safer to assume that no trips are planned (written in August 2020).
Normally, each year of undergrad will go on a year-trip. In Year 1, this is to a U.K. city and students visit buildings and spaces as groups with tutors, including some building tours. Each student will be allocated a small group to work in and that group will be allocated a building to study, presenting their findings on return to the studio (assessed as part of Communication 1). In 2019, this included the Sage by Foster+Partners and Durham Cathedral based on a trip to Newcastle and surrounding places of interest.
💖 Student support
Student Society is active. Called SUAS and invites guest lecturers, hosts film nights, has social events etc.
Other student groups such as MatriArch “a student led feminist collective. Campaigning for better & supporting the voices of women and non-binary people in architecture education & practice”.
Hard to predict due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions in the U.K. Normally, students have studio space in the Arts Tower. In Y1 and Y2, students share the same spaces on alternate days. Y3 has dedicated studio space on a seperate floor.
You are assigned personal mentors if you wish, staff are absolutely brilliant both intellectually and support-wise - a big part of why I returned to study my Masters.
🛠️ Facilities
The workshop sucks (my only gripe), however you can be proactive and find ways around this by bringing tools into studio.
📄 Application Process
A portfolio submission for Undergrad.