Introduction
“The mission of the Department of Architecture is to provide a stimulating and multidisciplinary environment that enables its students and staff to excel in architectural enquiry and design practice."
Professor Sergio Porta, Head of Department
The Department of Architecture at the University of Strathclyde cultivates an environment of intellectual and critical inquiry so that almost any developed interest - be it material, spatial, theoretical, environmental, social, can inform a student’s design. Diversity of approaches to sustainable design, construction and community engagement are encouraged.
The quality of teaching in the Department has been recognised through awards from the RIAS in recent years. David Reat is currently rated the top architectural design tutor in the Country. The Department has consistently produced outstanding graduates who are well regarded by practices locally, nationally and internationally.
Graduates have gone on to establish themselves within practice with three claiming the title of Young Architect of The Year at the Scottish Design Awards in recent years. The annual RIAS and A+DS Awards showcase the best work of students from Scotland’s Schools of Architecture. The Urban Design prize has come to Strathclyde for the last two years: the Sustainability category has been dominated by Strathclyde students, winning six times since 2006. In 2008 student James Tait won the RIAS Silver Medal along with the most prestigious architecture student prize in the UK, the RIBA Silver Medal. In 2012 Ian Brodie, one of our MSc in Urban Design students, won the prestigious UDG Award for the best Urban Design student work in the UK. Internationally, students have won in the bi-annual Archiprix competition and many more student prizes which are listed in our Excellence and Awards Section.
This shows a new found confidence in not only the abilities of students leaving the Department but in Scottish Architecture. We have the privilege, through programmes funded by the EU, to support exchanges between the best schools of architecture in Europe, North and South America and South East Asia. These programmes allow us to offer great opportunities for students and staff to fulfill their personal international aspirations.
Investment and growth is witnessed by a rapidly expanding international PGR population, new large research grants awarded to our staff and new staff joining our Department. The Department aims to:
- innovate and be responsive to all aspects of architectural education maintaining the centrality of project and construction based learning informed by and through scholarship and research
- deliver an excellent professional education in architecture through nationally accredited courses
- insist on a culture of critical enquiry and lifelong learning for students and staff
- produce scholarship and research that is recognised to be of an international standard
- engage constructively and critically with industry, the professions and the community both in Scotland and beyond
