📃 On paper
Module breakdown
Year 1: (It is compulsory for all work to be hand-drawn throughout the year) All units work on the same site and first put into groups of 4 or 5 for a small build/installation project
Technology module in first year you’re taught how to survey and draw technical drawings by hand. There are two essay writing modules focusing on Architectural History and Theory in first and second semester.
Second semester of Year 1 you all work on your individual design project for a different site in Oxford compared to first semester. You formulate your own design brief and focus client.
Field trip to either London or a city in Europe in second semester
Second years and third years are put together in the same units (We have 11 different units). Each unit has a different design methodology they follow and a site set in different countries which you later in either in November or January get to go on a field trip to visit the site. (Y2 are usually given a smaller site to Y3, especially in S2)
In both Y2+3 you get to formulate your own design brief and discover your own client/community you would like to design for. In the technology module in Y2 you work in groups and Y3 is all independent work.
👐🏻 General approach
Sometimes and in some units in particular there’s a bit too much perfectionism and others are quite rough around the edges and flexible but the many tutorials+crits (with invited guests) give a lot of input from various creatives which constantly challenges your own way of thinking and encourages you to develop your own voice and design from your passions.
The approach to the course is very much design focused and you will be expected to produce a high volume of work. It values an iterative process which means you will be expected to constantly change your design and produce new versions of it as you go along. You will also be expected to have a high level of resolution in your final design, which means you will need to develop many different aspects of design from thinking about its overall form and gesture,
The technology aspect of design is improving in Brookes and becoming very well integrated into our design projects and highly focused in third year in particular.
💖 Student support
We are encouraged to speak on issues when they arise to help deal with them efficiently and quickly as this is a fast paced course, with computer/software issues we have an incredibly helpful IT/Reprographics technician
We finish the year much earlier than most universities (early May) and the way the modules are well structured, leaving you time and energy to focus on each of them to the best of your ability. (E.g. our dissertation in Y3 is due at the end of January so from then on you are only focused on your S2 design project)
Oxford Brookes is known to have many links with firms and our end of year exhibition invites over many architects to view our work and consider to hire you to their firm.
Third year students are provided with support for interviews, writing CVs, cover letters and portfolio.
OxArch host an event for architects to review your portfolio and CV and give you some tips to increase your chances of getting a Part I Architectural Assistant role
🛠️ Facilities
The OSA (Oxford School of Architecture) Magazine is sponsored by Apt, Assael and Jessops & Cook Architects and run by Architecture students. They release two magazines that carry two different themes per year (One for S1 and another for S2). It showcases work across the year, both essay writing and design projects, great opportunity to immortalise your work at university!
Some units have links with other organisations and therefore have an opportunity to take part in exciting live build 1:1 projects.
Our studio space is open for 24 hours, we have a mini kitchenette on both floors to make tea, microwave and refrigerate food.
We have one print room (with various types of printers- 3D included) which gets very busy later in the year.
One large workshop with various machinery and 3 laser cutters
Softwares: All computers have installed AutoCAD, Illustrator, Premierepro, Photoshop, Rhino, 3DS Max (All the softwares needed to help complete your projects)