Three students have won awards at the prestigious RIBA President’s Medals 2016 for their innovative work in architecture.
Date: 7 December 2016
The awards, which were announced at a ceremony at the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) on 6 December 2016, reward talent, promote innovation, and encourage excellence in the study of architecture worldwide.
Phillipa Longson, who studied Architecture BA, has been awarded a commendation in the Dissertation Medals for her dissertation ‘Are You My Mother? An exploration into the bonds between people and places.’
Phillipa’s work, supervised by Joseph Kohlmaier, explores the deep, emotional and long-lasting bonds people form with places. Although a great deal is understood about the intricacies of interpersonal attachments, Phillipa’s dissertation examines the relatively little known topic of our attachment to spaces, and asks how we might design for them.
Shenpei Ha, who studied Professional Diploma in Architecture – RIBA2 (now Architecture RIBA 2 MArch), was awarded an SOM Foundation Fellowship by the UK office of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). The award is given to a student who has completed the Part 2 Course of Study at a school of architecture in the United Kingdom.
Tutored by Signy Svalastoga, Edward Simpson and Jonathan Cook, Shenpei's project is titled 'Borrowed Scenery: Miyato Salt Farm Onsen' and is a proposal for a salt farm onsen (hot springs) that will facilitate the restoration of Miyato Island after the 2011 Tohoku tsunami in eastern Japan.
Muneeb Ali Khan, previously at London South Bank University and now a student on the Professional Diploma in Architecture - RIBA2 (now Architecture RIBA 2 MArch) course at The Cass, won a Bronze Medal Commendation.
RIBA President Jane Duncan said: “Congratulations to each of the medal winners. I’m delighted to see the breadth of talent from across the globe recognised through these awards, now celebrating their 180th anniversary.
“The students’ ability to distil complex ideas and present them beautifully is outstanding. Tonight’s winners are talent to watch - I can’t wait to see what else they will go on to achieve.”
The RIBA President’s Medals were established in 1836 and are the RIBA’s oldest awards. This year 275 entries were received from 87 schools of architecture in 33 countries.
Image: Shenpei Ha
