Trainees breathe new ideas into city landscape
Fri, Aug 27, 2010
Ten students from the Portsmouth School of Architecture are nearing the end of their summer internships working to devise ways of revitalising two churches and a drop-in centre.
The University of Portsmouth students have spent the past six weeks working on new design ideas for St Faith’s Church in Havant, St Columba Church in Fareham and The Roberts Centre, a charity drop-in centre, in Portsmouth.
The students are all post-graduates who have studied architecture for four years and worked in industry for a year. They were chosen for the paid internship after applying to spend a summer working for the School of Architecture’s architectural consultancy, the Project Office.
This is the second summer the internship programme has sent post-graduate students into the community to create design ideas and visionary solutions for existing buildings. The summer programme is funded by the South East Coastal Communities.
One of the students’ tutors Nicky Crowson said: “The programme is unique because it gives students the opportunity to do paid architectural consultancy work overseen by qualified architects from the university’s Project Office. It also gives local community groups and organisations a way of finding lots of new and exciting ideas for old buildings.
“It’s a win-win situation. Last summer our students came up with some wonderful and exciting ideas for churches in the city to breathe new life into spaces that were under-used or neglected.
“Their ideas can range from challenging to conservative but everything they do is done in consultation with the owners of the buildings and the local community who use the buildings.
“Sometimes a fresh pair of eyes can see a really good use for a dusty corner or outbuilding, or they can see that by using or making a new entrance will free up lots of much-needed space inside, for example.”
The Project Office has overseen or managed some major building and design works in the city since its inception in 2008. Among the projects staff and students have worked on or are working on are the Hilsea Lido, the Isle of Wight zoo, the University of Portsmouth Students’ Union Third Space, and Bursledon Brickworks.
The Project Office offers businesses and individuals an opportunity to access the first-rate skills of architecture staff at the university working with students at all levels of their degree and postgraduate courses.
Project Office Coordinator and architect Martin Andrews said working with the Project Office allows organisations to work with a design team of professionals and consultants up to date with all aspects of architectural design and construction.
He said: “Most architecture students learn by studying fictitious projects but at the Portsmouth School of Architecture we are giving our students access to real clients and live projects.
“Our students have the benefit of a real site to explore, real materials to work with and real problems to design around. It is invaluable for them at this stage of their careers.”