RIBA Norman Foster Travelling Scholarship

Following the success of the inaugural traveling scholarship, which funded Ben Masterton-Smith’s research topic - Emerging East: Exploring and Experiencing the Asian Communist City - a second travel grant of £6,000 will be awarded to one student in 2008, selected from over 100 architecture schools with RIBA validation in the UK and abroad.

The grant will fund international research on a topic and in a location of the student’s choice, to be presented in a report – which can be photographic, graphic or written – and represented in the RIBA President’s Medals Student Awards exhibition.

The judging panel includes Lord Foster and Sunand Prasad, the President of the RIBA. Submissions for the scholarship are required by 14 March 2008, with travel to be carried out by the successful applicant between June and September 2008.

Norman Foster said:

“It is my privilege to fund the second RIBA Norman Foster Travelling Scholarship. We were very pleased to see the results of last year’s winner, Ben Masterton-Smith’s, research into the Asian Communist City. I hope that this year’s award will similarly enable exciting new research, exploration and discovery for its worthy recipient.” 

RIBA President Sunand Prasad added:

“Norman Foster’s generous scholarship is an outstanding opportunity for any student to further their architectural education, by adding another dimension of knowledge to their experience. The chance to travel and undertake a focused architectural study abroad is an inspiring and enlightening opportunity for any student, enabling them to gain valuable experience from which they can draw inspiration from over a lifetime.”

Applicants will be chosen on the basis of proposals submitted for an area of research, which might include: learning from the past to inform the future; the future of society; the density of settlements; sustainability; the use of resources; the quality of urban life and transport.

Each school of architecture can nominate only one student. In order to be eligible, students must have successfully completed at least the first year of the Part 1 degree.
A full information sheet can be downloaded from here:
PDF Foster Info Sheet
File size: 74kB
Along with the poster advertising the scholarship:
PDF Foster Poster
File size: 44.3kB
Once you have all the necessary information please download the application form:
PDF Foster Application Form
File size: 34.7kB
If you have any questions please email [email protected]
Judging of submissions takes place on Wednesday 9 April 2008. The judges are:
* Lord Foster, Chairman - Foster + Partners
* Spencer de Grey, Head of Design, Senior Partner - Foster + Partners
* Stefan Behling, Senior Partner - Foster + Partners
* Sunand Prasad, President - RIBA
* Signy Svalastoga, Director of Architecture - University of East London
* Sarah Miller, Editor - Condé Nast Traveller
Recipients of the inaugural RIBA Norman Foster Travelling Scholarship, 2007

* Ben Masterton-Smith - ‘Emerging East: Exploring and Experiencing the East Asian Communist City’ - awarded £6,000
PDF Emerging East Submission
File size: 1433.6kB
* Isaac Maina Njeru - ‘The Repercussive Architecture of the Shifting City Plan’ - awarded a special commendation and £1,000
* Dean Munford - ‘Can Modernisation Be Sustainable?’ - awarded a special commendation and £1,000