CUROP Opportunity at the Welsh School of Architecture

CUROP Project: Evaluating Sustainable Design in Stirling Prize Winning Buildings and their Architects

For architects, plaudits such as the “Stirling Prize” and “RIBA Gold Medal” represent the pinnacle of achievement in terms of peer recognition for excellence. It could be argued therefore that for holistic sustainability to transition from a specialist or niche approach to construction to become embedded in mainstream design it must be visibly manifest and indeed celebrated in the work of the most successful practitioners.

This project intends to explore and evaluate aspects of holistic sustainability as manifest in the winners of the Stirling Prize over the past 21 years, considering both building and architect. As such this project will provide an excellent opportunity to develop an intimate familiarity with some of the most iconic buildings of the past two decades

This work will form part of an emerging research theme for the Welsh School of Architecture (WSA) that aims to support built environment professionals to transition towards holistic sustainable practices and a more economically, environmentally and socially sustainable future.

Desk based research will be the source for much of the data for analysis, however, where necessary interviews may also be undertaken by the student.

Work will include:

• The creation of a simple holistic sustainability evaluation framework
• Identification of case studies for evaluation
• Collation of data for analysis using desk based and where appropriate interview techniques.
• Evaluation of case studies
• Drafting summary report and visualisation of findings.

The project:

• Eight weeks, full time, to start, ideally, on the 19th June 2017 (by the end of June at the latest)
• Stipend £200 /week.
• Supervised by Dr Julie Gwilliam and Sarah O’Dwyer
• Based at the Bute Building, Welsh School of Architecture

Who should apply:

This is open to all Cardiff University undergraduate students who will not graduate in 2017. WSA BSc Years 1-3 and MArch 1 (Year 4) students will be eligible.

To apply:

Applications need to be supported by a CV and one page (A4) personal statement that clearly explain your ability to meet the criteria listed below.

• Submit your application to Dr Julie Gwilliam by 17:00 on 15 May 2017.

Applicants will be shortlisted based on the following criteria:

Essential Criteria:

–   Interest and Understanding of the implementation of holistic sustainability in Architectural Design

–   Proven familiarity with Architectural Practice in the UK

–   Excellent communication and presentation skills

–   Ability to generate new ideas

Desirable Criteria:

–   Familiarity with Architectural Journals and information sources

–   Experience of quantitative and/or qualitative research methods within an academic or workplace setting

–   Experience of analysis of data

Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an informal interview.

For further information on research opportunities in general please visit the CUROP website. For more information on this particular opportunity, please contact Dr Julie Gwilliam (gwilliamja@cardiff.ac.uk).