A review of Charles Barclay’s lecture in the Forum, 2 April 2009, 6.30pm
Charles Barclay’s presentation of his practice’s competition-winning astronomical observatory, which was completed a year ago high up in the wilds of Northumbria (away from the light pollution which effects much of the night sky of Britain), revealed a practice of serious intent whose [...]
A ’space of difference’ or, to be more precise, an ‘other space’ is the idea that literally describes the concept that names David Kohn Architects’ project entry for the Arts Space of the Future competition in 2008 – Heterotopia. Both otherness and difference imply distance; subjectively from the self, collectively from culture, spatially from the [...]
In a seminal work on the physical and imaginary functions of the skin (Le moi-peau, 1985), French psychologist Didier Anzieu suggested that Western thought is deceived by the idea that appearances, the outer limit of things, conceal an essence within. In physics, this is documented by our obsession with ever smaller units of matter. Similarly, [...]
A reviewew of Rut Blees Luxemburg, Commonsensual, 20 November 2008, Forum
The lights are already out, and the projected image arrests you immediately. A scattering of spots, shimmer back under a golden light. The ambiguousness of what they are intrigues, and plays with your perceptions. Could it be distant lights out of focus on a rainy night [...]
A reviewew of Rut Blees Luxemburg, Commonsensual, 20 November 2008, Forum
Rut Blees Luxemburg seized upon the lecture at Spring House as an opportunity to explore and reflect upon a forthcoming monograph of her work over the last fifteen years. The collection explores a series of thematic and formal preoccupations that have evolved in her work [...]
A review of the Waugh Thistleton Architects lecture in the Forum, 23 October 2008
This Thursday’s talk was about ideas. Not glamorous Big Ideas, but the ones that should be at the heart of any architectural practice concerned with its responsibility towards society and the environment. Unfortunately there are few practices that approach the implementation of [...]
First thank you to all of you who made last years summer show a success. The show was very well reviewed and seemed to capture the spirit of the Department. Also congratulations to Anna Page who was one of the BD class of 2008 and Stef Rhodes who won the RIBA Boyd Auger research award [...]
A critical debate has been out there for a while, usually posed under the sign of opposition: should architecture respond to contextualized differences or should design practice address and communicate the values of universal rationality? To put it differently: how design can fill the gap in-between the local and the global?
Last week at Spring House, [...]
And out there, there are two worlds; one in need of a social architecture which is sensitive and contextual, and another world edging on the virtualisation of culture, to which architecture must reach in order to reinstate a new material and sensual space. Roughly speaking, the national pavilions on the 11th International Architecture Exhibition state [...]
I have a problem with the end-of-year shows. By temperament I want to see everything, and divine some kind of order in the detail before I can be confident that I understand it. The shows don’t – can’t – allow this. Despite all efforts made to structure an exhibition, to edit and elucidate, the quantity [...]
THE SURVIVAL OF THE SCHOOL:
The Architecture of Education in Angola and Mozambique

Following a commission to design a Primary School in the outskirts of Angola’s capital Luanda, it is proposed to visit the site and to analyse typologies of existing educational buildings in the territory. The intention is to deepen the knowledge of community needs and deprivation, so that the role of the school as an engine for social development can be discussed. The trip will also include a passage in Mozambique, where my grandmother founded a Primary School in the early 1960’s. I propose to visit a building that will certainly influence the project I am designing.
Paulo Moreira
MA Cities Design and Urban Cultures
Awarded the Noel Hill Student Travel Scholarship 2009
by the American Institute of Architects – UK Chapter
An Architecture student from London Metropolitan University has been recognised by the Royal Institute for British Architects (RIBA) for her project which aims to improve slum housing in India… read more >
A London Metropolitan University team has been highly commended in industry leading publication, The Architect’s Journal (AJ), in its 2009 Small Project’s Award ceremonies… read more >
Paulo Moreira, a postgraduate student at London Met’s Department of Architecture and Spatial Design is to be honoured with the Noel Hill Student Travel Award at the 2009 Excellence in Design Awards Gala… read more >
The Department is forming a choir. It is open to everyone in and outside the ASD. We will be singing classical repertoire throughout the ages, from medieval plainchant to John Cage, but there will be a strong focus on experimentation and contemporary music; we will explore the voice, body and space; and in the long-run, this might become part of a wider discussion about the relationship of music, performance and architecture. The ASD choir is led by Cathy Heller Jones. Join us for a first open session on Monday 3 November, 6.30pm. Location to be confirmed - watch out for posters. For more info, contact j.kohlmaier@londonmet.ac.uk
SD Projects is the Department’s live projects office for students and staff that provides a supportive professional environment for carrying out consultancy commissions, live projects and research. If you want to find out more please download our latest newsletter or call in to see us in room SPE3-06 on the third floor of Spring House. Download our most recent newsletter here.