Category: Graduate stories

Architectural drawing

Graduates 2023: Hannah Lammiman, Architecture BA(Hons)

As soon as we got to experience the studio culture, everyone kept motivating each other to create a positive environment to work in. 

Please tell us a bit about your work and your influences 

Growing up in Vienna, Austria, I always admired the architecture that I was surrounded by. Otto Wagner and Adolf Loos were two of the main architects that I looked up to and researched as they had many influences on Viennese architecture. They also influenced the way I then started designing. Coming to England has led me to admire architects such as Flores I Prats, particularly the way they draw and the attention to detail they apply to their drawings.

After having started a housing project in my final year, Sophie Delhay has always been an architect that I would go back to as she focuses on social housing, exploring living and human relationships. I thoroughly enjoyed diving into residential architecture for my final design as it deals with architectural and urban design problems involving issues of both collectivity and individuality. The main focus was on the relationship between the inside and outside exploring the sequence of arrival and departure. 

Architectural drawing
Architectural drawing of an inside space
Architectural drawing
Architectural drawing of an inside space
Architectural drawing
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Architecture drawing of buildings

Graduates 2023: Savannah Rai: Architecture BA(Hons)

The design studio projects allow us to gain hands on experiences through the use of real sites which we design our projects in to.

Please tell us a bit about your work and your influences 

In architecture, I am constantly surrounded by precedents which have influenced my work. During my second year I was introduced to radical architecture which took place during the 1960s. These concepts use the idea of building above existing cityscapes to cope with issues such as overpopulation and global warming. This has taught me to push the limits of my designs to create spaces which can be enjoyed by society whilst also respond to modern day issues. 

Architectural drawing of courtyard
Architectural drawing floorplan of buildings
Drawing of rooms in a building
Image of buildings for architectural project
Imaging of spaces of the upper level of a building
Architectural drawing floor plan
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Graduates 2023: Zenida Fernandes, Architecture BA(Hons)

I am excited to use my skills and knowledge as an undergraduate student to contribute to the creation of new ideas that will improve and enhance the lives of those who inhabit them.  

Please tell us a bit about your work and your influences

As an Architecture student, I am passionate about creating spaces that are both fun and enjoyable to the people who inhabit them. Therefore, when designing any project, I always factor in how people will interact with the space and the journey one takes through the building. I believe that Architects have the ability to create a powerful impact on individuals through their designs, and this is something that excites me about studying Architecture.

Over the past three years, my work has been highly influenced by architects of both the past and present, incorporating aspects of their design into my own projects by exploring various possibilities and determining which one suits the requirements of the specific project. My design process has been very iterative, beginning with an initial concept and then refining it in accordance with research and feedback. I also strongly believe in the importance of site visits, as they allow designers to gain a better understanding of space and context and how this might influence your design.  I am passionate about my work, and I am constantly looking for ways to improve my design and push the boundaries of what is possible. 

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Graduates 2023: Olivia Gillam, Architecture BA(Hons)

With a great sense of studio culture, the tutors offer unconditional support tailored to each student.

Please tell us a bit about your work and your influences 

I’d say that my work has a strong emphasis on story telling in a playful and compassionate manner. Creating thoughtful and considerate designs through working closely with the community or tackling current socio-political issues is something that I’ve gravitated towards throughout my projects. For example, I most recently designed a Temporary Accommodation Village above Brighton Stations railway tracks. Inspired by Seneca Village and Moria Refugee Camp, residents can build ‘parasites’ onto their homes through a self-build culture, adding personalisation and a sense of belonging, regardless of how long they might be living there- making the temporary feel permanent.  

How have you found your course and time at Brighton? 

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time studying Architecture at Brighton University. With a great sense of studio culture, the tutors offer unconditional support tailored to each student. We are all very close-knit and it’s just a lovely environment to be a part of. I feel a lot more confident the other side of university, ready to start my Architectural career.  

How did you choose your course – why did you choose to study Architecture? 

I started my A-Levels where I was studying English Literature, Biology and Psychology. After feeling so uninspired by the lack of creativity in the courses that I’d chosen, I dropped out and began my Architectural studies at Chichester College where I did a L3 Diploma in Architecture and Interior Design. I feel as though this course set me up well for university and consolidated my desire to (one day) become a fully-qualified Architect. 

What are your plans after graduation? 

After graduation, I intend on completing my year out in practice before the long road ahead to becoming fully qualified. I may go on a holiday or two before though! 

Architecture BA(Hons) at Brighton
Chat to a current student

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Graduates 2023: Leonor De Bronac De Vazelhes, Architecture BA(Hons)

I was very well surrounded by tutors, who constantly challenged my designs and provided me with endless references.

Please tell us a bit about your work and your influences

I would describe my work as sensitive, fun and in harmony with nature. I take inspiration from Japanese architecture, notably Son Fujimoto whose design philosophy is that the purpose of a building is determined by the way people use it. Other key influences in my work are the designs of Maggie’s centres. They taught me about the healing qualities of materiality and layout for both physical and mental health. I have carried this knowledge throughout my undergrad, ensuring that all my designs portrayed this sensitivity and thought, putting user experience at the forefront of design. I intend to keep designing with those qualities in mind once I join the professional world.

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Dr Sultan Al Neyadi headshot

Brighton graduate blasts off for six-month mission on the International Space Station

Brighton graduate blasts off for six-month mission on the International Space Station
University of Brighton graduate Dr Sultan Al Neyadi will make history as the first Arab astronaut to take part in a long duration space mission on 26 February.

Dr Al Neyadi will be part of a NASA/SpaceX crew bound for a six-month stay on the International Space Station, blasting off on a Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, USA.

Dr Al Neyadi, 41, said he “felt ready and excited” for the launch, scheduled for 07.07am GMT on Sunday 26 February. “Just the idea of waking up every morning and having access to a window you can see and scan the whole world in 90 minutes is amazing,” he said during a recent NASA media briefing.

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Alex Witty

Brighton allowed me to be extremely creative and just pretty weird

We spoke to Alex Witty, who graduated in 2022 with a Product Design BSc(Hons), and is the Founder of The Piezo Project, to find out about his Brighton Effect story.

Q: How did your experience at Brighton bring you to where you are now personally or professionally?

Brighton enabled me to think freely and really explore my true interests and passions, which enabled me to grow in confidence and start my own business off the back of my final year project. Brighton allowed me to be extremely creative and frankly, just pretty weird which allowed me to explore my passions without any judgment but instead, support and backing. I can say for sure that without being at the University of Brighton I would not be doing my dream job right now in running my own business.

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Liam Murphy and father co-founders of Stix Mindfulness Remotes

Brighton graduate celebrates as mindfulness product for kids hits the shelves

“It’s crazy to think that a small sketch during my degree has turned into a product that is now on the market. It’s an inventor’s dream!”

That is the view of University of Brighton graduate and entrepreneur Liam Murphy, who celebrates a major milestone this week as his mindfulness product for kids goes on sale.

Liam has launched his product, The Stix Mindfulness Remotes, to market on 2 February 2023 with the aim of improving children’s mental wellbeing through fun, interactive mindfulness activities.

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Photo of Jordan Whitewood in a wheelchair in a forest

Meet the Brighton activist fighting for disability justice in architecture

Architectural researcher and educator Jordan Whitewood-Neal is leading research, conversation and action for disability justice in building design. 

As Disability Awareness Month begins, University of Brighton architecture graduate Jordan Whitewood-Neal is leading a think tank at London School of Architecture, calling for the retrofit of buildings to better support disabled and ageing communities. “The architectural discipline has in the last few years finally begun to address race and gender inequities, but disability always trails behind,’ he said in a recent interview with the Royal Institute of British Architect’s RIBA Journal.

Having recently completed a master’s degree at Brighton, Jordan has been picked out by RIBA as one of its 2022 Rising Stars. “We can already see him making a difference to the way disability is talked about in projects and within the profession,” said Eleanor Young, one of the judges on the RIBA panel.

Describing himself as an activist as well as researcher, Whitewood-Neal has also co-founded the disability research collective Dis/, drawing on his own experiences as a wheelchair user. Teaming up with James Zatka-Haas and Anna Curzon Price, Dis/ grew out of an event at the London Festival of Architecture in which physically disabled and neuro-diverse creatives shared their experiences of navigating cities – stories Whitewood-Neal said usually remained “completely untold”.  

By leading research and conversation alongside driving action for disability justice in architectural education and practice, he hopes to raise the profile of disabled people within the profession. “A fundamental issue in architectural practice is a scarcity of disabled architects and designers,” he said. 

Dis/ aims to pair disabled architectural researchers with disabled people from outside the profession to talk critically about the city and the architectural needs of people with disabilities – and the struggles many needlessly face. Jordan sees this as not only spurring a consideration of disability as a critical part of the design process, but also a way to challenge the perceived homogeneity of disability – which too often looks no further than installing ramps. 

Signs denoting different disabilities

Jordan said: “After finishing my Masters in Architecture at the University of Brighton I was offered the chance to continue my studies there and expand on my ideas on the Architectural Research MRes. Since starting the course, I have presented my work at various conferences and events as well as undertaken projects including developing a design studio brief titled Retrofit as Reparation that I will be co-leading at the London School of Architecture.

“My research project on the MRes, tutored by Ben Sweeting and Tilo Amhoff, gave me an opportunity to explore novel research methods, alongside more conventional forms of archival research. This research has led to wider work campaigning for more inclusive architectural teaching, as well as founding Dis.”

Follow Jordan Whitewood-Neal on Twitter: @Jordan_WN_

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Students working together round a table

Sustainable Technology and Engineering Projects lab helped engineering graduates gain jobs

Alice and Emmanuel tell us about their experience of the Sustainable Technology and Engineering Projects (STEP) lab and how it helped them get jobs before graduating.

The STEP lab was launched in 2020, as a platform for all engineering students to gain additional experience of working in multi-disciplinary real-world environment. 

Alice’s experience

I joined the STEP Lab as a third-year mechanical engineering student for my final year project. I found the experience un-paralleled in how useful it was at providing insight into what being part of a working engineering environment can look like.  

Within the STEP Lab there are ample opportunities for both individual and team-working, allowing the skillsets required for both to be developed during a project’s duration. The fact that the STEP Lab is multidisciplinary in terms of both students involved and the projects being run within the Lab, this allowed me to explore what aspects of engineering best suited me and what areas I was most interested in.  

Working within the Lab gave me ownership and responsibility of my own work and effort which really encouraged my focus and commitment to the project. The online shared OneDrive folder was invaluable throughout my project, the wealth of useful knowledge and support resources specified to my project, along with general resources used to learn about other projects.  

I’d say one of the most beneficial aspects of the Lab is the sense of community between the students and lecturers. A combination of regular meetings and social events encourages conversations within the Lab discussing the different projects which is helpful for developing knowledge and feeling supported throughout.  

Emmanuel’s experience

For me, the STEP Lab came at the perfect time. During the third year of my degree, I found out about the STEP Lab initiative, and this led to me transferring from a BEng to an MEng program. I was fortunate to benefit from the paid placement over the summer which meant I could learn and gain financial support at the same time.  

The students lead activities which means all members of the team take up responsibility early into the project. Working as a team regardless of the year of study means all members are exposed to different disciplines. All individuals are valued for the skills they offer or the willingness to learn. This prepares us for work in industry.  

The STEP Lab prepared me for my masters and exposed me to a range of equipment and software I hadn’t used during my studies. Because of the additional skills and knowledge obtained from the lab, I was accepted to the first graduate job I applied for in Research and Development prior to the completion of my degree.  

Today I reflect on this unforgettable experience, and I am grateful for the opportunity. It motivates me to carry on and present new opportunities such as job openings to students who are currently going through the same process I did less than a year ago. 

Engineering degree courses

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