THE STUDENTS

Merle is interested in the ways we experience nature and the connections we build in our personal lives to plants and animals. How can these relationships be unpacked, and developed further?  There is an interdisciplinary aspect to these investigations – sometimes she relates to craft or art, and here she views the experience of nature through the lens of ancient alchemical practice.

Emilia, 22, can often be found meandering through hallowed corridors of mysterious objects. She is fascinated by the mind and its illusive workings: why are some things memorable and others not? How can architecture influence our ability to remember and forget? In this project, Emilia explores three museums in London and attempts to memorize them. She then unpacks her voyages through site writings and paintings to discover which museums were remembered best and begin speculating why. Her vision for the future of museums is one in which everyone feels welcome to learn, explore and find common ground through collective and empathetic debate.

Julæ, 24, is a queer figurative artist who engages with, investigates and writes about the tactile variegations of the built environment. For her ARIII Dissertation, she writes a critique of the visual and socio-economic materialities of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, deploying language as metaphor to argue the syntatic and semantic vacuity of the work. Julæ is pursuing a Masters in Landscape Architecture at RISD and plans to sustain a practice of critically assaying the built environment.

Elina, 23, is passionate about investigating anthropogenic impact on the environment, particularly through an architectural lens. Looking into one of the industrial sacrifice zones in Chile, her country, Elina seeks to uncover the impacts of mass contamination on the wellbeing of residents of the sacrifice zone, specifically within homes and schools. In the future, Elina plans to work in sustainability within the construction field.

Sean enjoys investigating the interdisciplinary impact of social and cultural capital on architectural discourse and education. This year he has researched the influence of LEGO and other block building toys in promoting spatial thinking and influencing children to pursue architectural careers in later life.

Cecelia is passionate about the relationship between architecture and emotional experience. The extent of how architectural materials and design could impact a person's lifestyle, emotions and health has always intrigued her studies in architecture. Through this years dissertation, she started from retracing her own spatial experience to investigate the roles of architectural design in student accommodations on the health and wellbeing of university students.

Christa has always been interested in exploring the boundaries between textiles and architecture. In her last year, she has focused her research on her personal experience of urban noise pollution as a Tinnitus sufferer. She explores the relationship between materiality and public spaces with regard to acoustics. After experimenting with different materials and their effects on volume, reverberation and frequency, she has created her own material and designs that sought to provide noise relief and raise public awareness of noise pollution.

Cristina is passionate about studying Shanghai's shikumen and the relationship between public and private spaces within them. Having lived in Shanghai, shikumen holds a special place in my heart as it evokes memories of my father. Understanding their significance helps preserve cultural heritage and honor my father's memory.

Mihaela tells stories of friction between meaning and being, through a performative play on architecture. Drawing on anthropology, policy, and science and technology studies, she re-contextualizes the dynamics underpinning the architectural profession to reveal their future potential.

Katharina de Mel has maintained an interest in human geography whilst at university, this has enabled her to explore the connections between people, spaces and the act of place making. Resultantly her dissertation centers on how interactive urban spaces can materialize and contest larger urban discourses. She investigates two London food markets, in the rapidly changing borough of Elephant and Castle, exploring what role conviviality plays in the construction of multicultural spaces, and if this has a larger impact within the built environment. Katharina will continue her interest within this field as she starts a Masters in International City Planning at UCL this September.

Katherine is interested in the connection between interior design and the material culture of the home. She enjoys exploring the ways intentional and unintentional design can coalesce in residential spaces. This year she focused her research into the changes design has undergone over time in tandem with technology. By looking at 2 aesthetic categories on TikTok - Cottagecore and Japandi - Katherine investigates the way this platform pushes the boundaries of traditional design processes. Katherine plans to continue on this path in the context of a Master of Interior Design in Barcelona.

Qiqi, a 20-year-old interdisciplinary explorer whose academic pursuits span architecture theory, art, economics, ecology, geography, and mathematics. Qiqi's inclusive design ethos seeks to redefine the built environment by considering the well-being of all inhabitants, connecting birds, waves and winds. Currently, Qiqi is examining the impact of wind turbines on ecological wind energy and climate dynamics through their work.

Stela Kostomaj, 22, is a multi-discplinary artist and maker, particularly interested in the intersection between the tactile nature of fashion and textile with solid material forms such as metal. Her Slovenian background has shaped her creative perspective, and is the topic of her dissertation; centering the experience of her grandparents living in a post-war communist prefabricated tower block.

Yifan Wang, 22, focuses her work on gender equality in architectural spaces and advocates for women’s rights. She is driven by a vision to create inclusive and considerate spaces for all genders. Looking ahead, Yifan intends to contribute to social welfare, with the aim of improving people’s living conditions. In her personal time, Yifan enjoys traveling and photography.

Sunny enjoys exploring the process of design practice in the age of digital technology. Rather than focusing on buildings as the ‘product’ of architecture, and the architect only as the ‘maker’ of the product, her thesis inquires into the nature of design processes and the tension that has long been present in the self-conception of the role of the architect.

Ivanka Zhao, 22, is passionate about advocating for equality in architectural discourse. Her academic interests entail a sociological perspective to reflect on issues of spatial justice. Within the context of architectural participation, Ivanka focuses on the importance of public comments on architecture as an approach to practice "the right to the city". In the future, Ivanka plans to engage in video/documentary making in studies

Doln Narongdej, 22, is interested in the Western influence on religious architecture in South East Asia as well as the religious function of certain architectural design choices in said structures. He passionately enjoys travel and the exploration of culturally impactful architecture and is looking to pursue studies regarding the economics and business management of construction.