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MArch students inspired by Boston & New York's finest

Wednesday 27 June 2018

MASTER of Architecture students got the red carpet treatment in the United States as part of a special Summer School.

The lucky MArch cohort spent 10-days in Boston and New York at some of the world’s most exciting centres of architectural thinking under a scheme funded by banking group Santander.

The visit took in MIT, Harvard, the PRATT Institute, Columbia and Northeastern Universities along with Utile Architecture & Planning and much-talked about start-up space, the Cambridge Innovation Centre.

The trip is part of the strong professional-based culture of the MArch at the Salford University School of Built Environment and grew out of the impressive personal contacts of lecturers including course leader Dr Claudia Trillo and Dr Athena Moustaka.

Extraordinary opportunity

Dr Trillo said: “This was an extraordinary opportunity not just to visit some of the most exciting places and spaces in the world but to get exposure to prominent academics and practitioners such as Tim Love at Northeastern and Utile, Adam Weintraub at Koko Architects NYC, Ricardo Alvarez at MIT Senseable City Lab,  Grahame Shane at Columbia, Meta Brunzema and Audrey Schultz at PRATT,  and Chris Busch at the Boston Redevelopment Authority.”

Student Tom Letcher, who wants to set up his own architecture practice after graduation said: “It was amazing.  Meeting Tim Love at Utile Architects and seeing some of the jobs they’ve got planned and listening to his story of how they’ve got through three recessions was fascinating.

“When I’ve got my own business, I’d love it to be at somewhere like CIC where businesses are collaborating in one space and sharing ideas and advice.”

Research-led teaching

The Summer School, co-titled Spaces for Innovators, builds on the research of Claudia and Athina investigating the innovation districts under a Horizon 2020 funding stream.

Postgraduate students follow a blended programme of research-led teaching on site, including lectures, interviews and actively engage with fieldwork and observation of innovation in areas such as Boston’s Seaport District and at the High Line in New York City.

The School is planning to run the Summer School on a permanent basis.

-The University of Salford was ranked 5th in the UK and 36th in the World for Architecture and Built Environment teaching in 2017.

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Gareth Hollyman, Senior Press & PR Officer (Science)