RIBA Presidents Medals Student Awards 2007 Announced

The winners of the RIBA President’s Medals Student Awards 2007 in association with Atkins were announced in a ceremony at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) last night. These prestigious awards promote excellence in the study of architecture, rewarding talent and encouraging architectural debate world-wide.

Steve Westcott from the Bartlett School of Architecture won the Silver Medal for his project “Greenwich Perceptual Observatory” and Amandine Kastler from the Architectural Association won the Bronze Medal for the project “The Cabinet of Curiosities”. Joanna Rapp from the University of Westminster won the Dissertation Medal for her work “A Geometrical Analysis of Multiple View-Point Perspective in the Work of Giovanni Battista Piranesi”.

above: Steve Westcott, “Greenwich Perceptual Observatory”

The main President’s Medals are: the Bronze Medal (awarded to a Part 1 student), the Silver Medal (Part 2 student) and the Dissertation Medal, which is awarded for the best exploration of different subjects, methodologies and presentations. Schools of architecture offering RIBA validated courses around the world were asked to nominate two of their best student design projects at Part 1 (first degree), two at Part 2 (second degree) and one dissertation. Additional schools from the United States of America and the European Union were also invited to submit work to the competition.

above: Amandine Kastler, “The Cabinet of Curiosities”

Sunand Prasad, President of the RIBA, said:
“The President’s Medals awards promote and reward outstanding talent demonstrated in projects emanating from RIBA validated architectural schools. The RIBA is particularly proud of its international involvement in architectural education and is delighted with the very high calibre of projects and dissertations being submitted.”

Keith Clarke, Chief Executive of Atkins, said:
“We are delighted and proud to sponsor the President’s Medals. This is an exciting time to be an emerging architect as we respond to major challenges such as climate change. Far from inhibiting us, finding new ways of doing things is becoming more enjoyable and even fun. By nurturing student development, while embracing and rewarding creativity and innovation, we will ensure the quality of architecture continues to grow.”

A number of other awards were also presented at the ceremony:
Commendations for Part 1 were awarded to the projects “The Lost Soul Hotel” by Andrew Street of the University of Plymouth and “Blurred Boundaries - A Communal Centre in Khan El-Khalili” by Seif Shawky of the Arab Academy of Science & Technology. Isabel Pietri Medina from the Architectural Association was awarded a commendation for the project “Mies Immersion” at Part 2.

above: Andrew Street, “The Lost Soul Hotel”

above: Seif Shawky, “Blurred Boundaries - A Communal Centre in Khan El-Khalili”

above: Isabel Pietri, “Mies Immersion”

Julia Udall of the University of Sheffield was awarded a high commendation for her Dissertation “Architecture by Other Means” Further commendations in the Dissertation category were awarded to Patrick Quinlan from University College Dublin for his work “To Have and to Hold - A Study of Landscape Management and Attitudes in the Golden Vale” and to Daniel Kerr of the University of Huddersfield for “Superhistory - Architecture in the Face of Time”.

Andrew Street, from the University of Plymouth, also won the Komfort Award, for the best use of interior space, for his Part 1 project “The Lost Soul Hotel”. Ed Butler, from Liverpool John Moores University, was awarded the Komfort Award for his Part 2 project “Geological Archive”.

above: Andrew Street, “The Lost Soul Hotel”

above: Ed Butler, “Geological Archive”

Akram Fahmi, from the University College for the Creative Arts, received the Paul Davis & Partners award for landscape and urbanism, at Part 1 for the project “Urban Sustention”, and Isabel Pietri Medina, from the Architectural Association, was awarded for her project “Mies Immersion” at Part 2.

above: Akram Fahmi, “Urban Sustention”

above: Isabel Pietri, “Mies Immersion”

The iGuzzini Travel Award, for projects that show outstanding and innovative use of lighting in architecture, went to Arya Safavi, from the University of Westminster, for the project “Euphonic Engine” for Part 1 and Steve Westcott from the Bartlett School of Architecture for “Greenwich Perceptual Observatory” at Part 2. The travelling awards consist of a visit to the iGuzzini headquarters in Recanati, Italy, for the students and tutors involved in their architectural education.

above: Arya Safavi, “Euphonic Engine”

above: Steve Westcott, “Greenwich Perceptual Observatory”

The Skidmore Owings and Merrill Foundation awarded two travelling fellowships of £1,250 each, to Claudia White from Oxford Brookes University for Part 1, for the project “Transology; a Vehicle Manufacturing Plant for Southwark, London”, and to Rosy Head from the Royal College of Art for Part 2, with the project “Dark Fruit”.

above: Claudia White, “Transology; a Vehicle Manufacturing Plant for Southwark, London”

above: Rosy Head, “Dark Fruit”

The Serjeant Award for Excellence in Drawing was awarded to Sarah Custance from the Bartlett School of Architecture for “A Script Writer’s Retreat” at Part 1, and to Steve Westcott, also from the Bartlett School of Architecture for “Greenwich Perceptual Observatory” at Part 2.

above: Sarah Custance, “A Script Writer’s Retreat”

above: Steve Westcott, “Greenwich Perceptual Observatory”

The public exhibition of winning work is on display at the RIBA, London W1 until early January 2008. A President’s Medals exhibition of winning work from 2007 will tour the UK in 2008. For more information and dates, please visit the awards website at www.presidentsmedals.com.

Atkins is the principal sponsor of the President’s Medals which are also sponsored by iGuzzini, Paul Davis + Partners, the SOM Foundation and Komfort Workspace.  Gleeds provide additional in-kind support while the Architects’ Journal is media partner.