London Met is one of the most multinational universities in England. Students from 170 countries of the world study here, including many Russians. Architecture is taught at the Sir John Cass Faculty (CASS) along with other creative courses.
I started my bachelor's studies with a foundation year. This course is most useful for those who are not very confident in English, or those who have not previously dealt with training in creative specialties. In my case, this year was useful as an artistic preparation. Year Zero focuses on the development of basic skills: drawing, composition, photography, and writing. While architectural learning as such is not expected at this level, this course allows you to get used to the English education system and the way you work with teachers, and the skills learned will help you to be more effective in the future. The tasks assigned to the students are the survey of buildings, the manufacture of a model of an architectural detail, the design of a device, and a lot of short essays. After completing this course, you can not only continue your studies in the specialties "architecture" or "interior architecture", but also in a number of other courses. The workload of the zero year is only two days a week: this allows a full-time student to earn extra money, but it must be borne in mind that the curriculum provides for a lot of independent work. From the first to the third year, the workload becomes more - three days a week, but in order to have time to complete all the assignments, many come to the faculty every working day, including Saturday.
In the first year, training is carried out in a large group of students - future architects and interior designers, since the first course for these specialties is practically the same. In general, the first course is similar to the zero course in many ways, but its main focus is precisely architecture. The structure of the academic year is a constant increase in the scale of projects, starting with the assignment for the design of furniture or equipment, then the design of the exhibition, and ending with the project of a small building in the prevailing urban environment. The workload is constantly increasing, as, along with the growing complexity of tasks and solutions, over time, more and more attention is paid to various "particulars" and technical details, but the transition from pleasant to serious projects is smooth. To teach students to work together, many projects are done in groups, and such group tasks make up an important part of the final grade - both in the kindergarten and in the first year.
Teaching in the second and third courses is carried out in groups of 20-30 people, the so-called studios (workshops). Each design studio has its own theme, which changes every year. Depending on the theme of the studio, students can pursue a residential environment, commercial or iconic architecture, the relationship between landscape and architecture, or the restoration of a neglected urban environment. At this stage, students should work more closely with teachers based on individualized curricula. Typically, the studio is led by two teachers, with the majority of the teaching staff being practicing architects. Working in the studio not only gives you the opportunity to discuss your projects with teachers twice a week, but also see the decisions of your fellow students. CASS instructors often talk about how much can be learned in “regular” classes, but that students can learn a lot from each other as well.
Every year at the end of November, each studio goes on an excursion to one of the European countries. In addition, sometimes teachers working in London bureaus invite students to visit the buildings they have designed - ready or under construction. In general, studying in a studio is like working in an architectural workshop, where there is a constant exchange of ideas and solutions. At the end of the academic year, students have the opportunity to discuss the details of their projects with professionals from various industries outside the university. This is more true for graduate students, since their work implies more detailed research.
Overall, design constitutes half of the final grade throughout the course of study and is the main goal of study at the CASS faculty of London Met University. Technical subjects account for 25%, and history and theory of architecture and art gives the remaining quarter of the points scored. In the UK, architecture is more of a creative than a technical profession. The British believe that an architect does not need to know everything about building technology or the design of a building being designed, which is why there are a variety of architecture-related educational programs that focus on the technical aspects of an architect's work. For example, these are architectural technology, civil and architectural engineering, architectural design & technology, but these programs do not imply a further license as an architect and usually do not have a continuation at the master's level. …
Since "communication" is a very important skill, special attention is paid to writing texts. Students are required to write a variety of essays, but the most interesting are short explanatory texts for projects, for example, 200 words each, and in order to choose these words well, sometimes you have to work hard. Such attention to the "literary" side of the profession of an architect is typical for all courses, starting from zero, but the degree of this attention still depends on the teacher. This aspect of my studies helped me a lot when working in a construction company, where I had to answer dozens of letters every day.
The opportunity to follow your "development" is provided several times a year at project presentations called "crit" (collective analysis of student papers). In addition to the public presentation of the project, this event serves as an incentive to start a discussion between fellow students, teachers from other studios and specially invited guests. "Crit" is a very important and stressful day, but at the same time it is also a great faculty holiday.
All the while studying at the CASS faculty at London Met, emphasis is placed on several areas: firstly, it is the ability to work in a team, which is extremely important for the architecture industry - as well as for the construction industry in general. Secondly, it is extensive research. Many teachers are most interested not in the project itself, but in the process of its creation, including the conducted research of the environment and context, its impact on future users, etc. At the same time, it is immediately striking how much attention is paid to a person. “Human approach” and “duty of care” are the core values that professors try to convey to the student. A “responsibility to care” is, simply put, concern about the quality of your work and its impact on those around you. This is the important role of an architect in society as a creator of space, responsible to people and to the environment. This is a special ethic that an architect must follow when developing any projects, even the smallest ones.
On the more material side of education, the architecture department of CASS is very well equipped technically. In addition to the computer room, there are laser cutting machines, as well as a workshop with equipment for working with timber, metal and other materials. 3D printers are also available in different sizes. Unlike some other architecture schools, CASS encourages students to use different materials to model different projects.
The conditions for admission are different depending on the country of origin and the chosen course, but they are no more complicated than the Russian ones. Of course, you must prove your knowledge of the English language, however, in addition to the most common IELTS, London Met recognizes other certificates. It is easier to enroll in a preparatory course, which will secure you a place in your first year. The admission process is very simple: if you meet the grades and English certification requirements, you will be invited for an interview. It takes place in a friendly atmosphere; in addition to presenting your portfolio, you also need to talk with the teacher about architecture, your interests and expectations from the study.
From time to time, designers, engineers, architects from different countries of Europe and the world give lectures at CASS. Exhibitions are constantly open, and the expositions change several times a year. Usually they are organized by students of master's courses, but sometimes students of bachelor's degree also present their works. Every year at the end of the academic year, a general faculty exhibition opens, where all courses and studios exhibit their projects. This is a very important event at the London Met, as this exhibition is open to the general public, and for senior students it is also an opportunity to seize the opportunity and show their work to potential employers, since the exhibition is also attended by professionals.
It is important to emphasize that the road to obtaining an architect license in the UK is quite a long one. A bachelor's degree is just the first step on this path, and before returning to a university for a master's course, you must definitely work for one year in an architectural bureau: this is the so-called “year-out”.
