The Architects’ Journal Architecture News & Buildings
About the School of Architecture and Environment
Location Bristol | Courses BSc (Hons) Architecture, BEng (Hons) Architecture and Environmental Engineering, BA (Hons) Architecture and Planning, MArch, Architect Degree Apprenticeship Level 7 | Head of school Matthew Jones | Full-time tutors 53 | Part-time tutors 86 | Students 950 | Staff to student ratio 1:12
Undergraduate
Adam Grover
Course BSc (Hons) Architecture
Studio/unit brief Bristol Fashion – Context and Materiality
Project title Embodied Monastery
Project description The site – dominated by a concrete car park and hotel – sits at the heart of Bristol’s ‘green air zone’. Now approaching obsolescence and a remnant of an incomplete masterplan of Modernism, it has become disconnected from the city and its people. The project proposes a monastery which will highlight the ‘ruin’ of the hotel and car park while creating a new intervention focused on the body and Christian teachings. Unlike traditional monasteries walled off from society, this new version will be integrated into the urban fabric, reimagining existing monastic precedents to address the disconnect in the surrounding area. Adaptively reusing the site, the existing acts as a design driver – for example, the car park’s façade resembles a confession grate while a series of walkways elevate people away from the public realm to talk, walk and pray together or alone.
Tutor citation Adam has proposed an imagined future for the site and creation of a ‘new ruin’, bringing in ideas of circularity and material reuse. It combines consideration of materiality, context and the human form, from the setting within Bristol to the smallest design detail. Joe Edgard, Mina Tahsiri, Anna Nikolaidou
Postgraduate
Dulmini Perera
Course MArch
Studio/unit brief Adaptive Reuse & Regeneration: Gods and Goddesses, Democrats and Republicans
Project title Athens Cultural Centre
Project description Our captivation with ruins arises from various factors: a connection with history, imagining lost empires and an appreciation for the picturesque beauty of weathered structures. Athens has become a popular travel destination because of its rich cultural legacy. Home to 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the city highlights the challenge of managing over-tourism. This project is a proposal for an Athens Cultural Centre, redefining history and culture in a more contemporary language on a site on the south slope of the Acropolis, the Stoa of Eumenes. The vision is for the centre to benefit both locals and tourists alike, as well as preserving the Stoa’s historical heritage. The building consists of three levels: ground, mezzanine and first floor. A pool provides a reflective surface that mirrors the architecture and surrounding landscape, serving as a dramatic entrance. A colonnade-style exterior creates a long open corridor space for outdoor workstations.
Tutor citation Dulmini’s beautifully hand-drawn illustrations and mixed media approach, ranging from urban strategies to detailed technical drawings, adds an artistic flair that enriches the project’s exploration. It showcases exceptional design acumen, meticulous attention to detail and innovative problem-solving skills. Jonathan Bassindale
