Category: Undergraduate

A model car made of brightly coloured cardboard

Graduates 2023: Max Male, Product Design BSc(Hons)

The strengths of the course are it’s passionate lecturers and the flexibility they give you to discover the stuff you care about

Please tell us a bit about your work and your influences

I’m an explorative maker and designer. My work is about fun, learning and making with a strong focus on sharing that with others. I’m also really interested in the psychology behind how we interact with objects and the hidden stories those objects tell. My graduate project SnapKit! is an invention toy that enables you to turn cereal boxes into inventions with a hole-punch and connectors. It enables anyone to unlock their invention potential! 

A hand holding a red piece of circular plastic
An abstract shape of interlocking pieces of cardboard

How have you found your course and time at Brighton?

I’ve loved my time at Brighton and the strengths of the course are its passionate lecturers and the flexibility they give you to discover the stuff you care about (not to mention the amazing studio atmosphere). 

 What are your plans after graduation?

After graduation, I’ll be continuing with a design internship and teaching windsurfing whilst I convert my van to travel in over winter!

Find out more: www.maxmalemakes.com

Follow Max on Instagram @max.male.makes

Find out more about Product Design BSc(Hons) at Brighton

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Architect model of a building

Graduates 2023: Nasko Kondakov, Architecture BA(Hons)

In a world where sustainability and environmentalism are taking centre stage, Architecture at Brighton equipped me with the skills necessary to have a head start in the revamping industry.

Please tell us a bit about your work and your influences

I was born in Burgas, Bulgaria, about a decade into the transitional democracy that followed the communist regime. I grew up surrounded by the remnants of the socialist days, but also engulfed by various architectural attempts at modernisation and Westernisation. It was fascinating to witness the world around me changing, and looking back at it now, it helps me identify the origin of the issues that followed. Fixing that had always been a driving force of my architectural pursuits.

Yet my early influences were not ones who had done so in their own countries or focus fields. I was looking at the glamour of starchitects like Zaha Hadid, Bjarke Ingels, Frank Gehry, enamoured by their mastery of the craft and the recognition their projects amassed. It was a reputation I not only sought for myself, but also for my country. Later I learned more about De Stijl, the Bauhaus movement, Frank Lloyd Wright, Eero Saarinen, and so many others, who have helped guide me on my journey so far!

Final year work

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Graduates 2023: Ella Forbes, Interior Architecture BA(Hons)

I’ve always been very interested in designing homes, and knew for a while that I wanted to be creating spaces for people in which they can feel happy/comfortable in. 

Please tell us a bit about your work and your influences

These images are from two different projects which I completed in my final year. One of them was based in Lewes, we had to design a temporary structure, which had to relate to the history of Lewes. I chose to design ‘a Wool house’ as wool was Lewes’ main source of income during The Middle Ages, and it was also transported down the River Ouse to other places. The other project was called ‘Film and Architecture’ which we had to design a house based off characters in a film. I picked the Marriage Story which is a film about a couple going through a divorce and the struggles they face. 

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Set of four drawings of inside spaces

Graduates 2023: Khadiga El Shakhs, Interior Architecture BA(Hons)

I have been given the freedom to use my voice and create a healthy inclusive working environment for me and my peers, which has made my journey as an international student so much easier.

Please tell us a bit about your work and your influences

The main influences behind my work stem from my side passion for the field of fashion, textiles and styling. All of my projects attempt to merge influences from both fields of design. I started exploring different ways in which I can incorporate fashion into architecture through material experimentation specifically using textiles. For example, I started making models out of fabrics and learning how to sew in order to put stuff together. This allowed me to apply a technique that would usually be used in fashion, to architecture. A common area that I found between both practices was sustainability, hence through my projects I was able to learn about sustainable materials and precedent studies in fashion and in architecture. This led me to write my dissertation titled: “the interconnection between fashion and architecture”. 

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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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Photo of Andrea Dhelpra, smiling standing by the river in London

Computing project exhibition 2023: Andrea Dhelpra, Computer Science BSc(Hons)

The highlight for me was the opportunity to apply everything I learned in my final project. This project was personally meaningful to me, and I enjoyed the process of putting my knowledge and skills into practice.

Tell us a bit about your project

I became interested in the blockchain field in 2020 during my second year of studies. I was getting really excited about the things that are possible thanks to this technology, so I started my side project with some friends and decided that it would be a great idea to commercialise a cryptocurrency trading bot. This suited very well with my final project, so I decided to use the support given from the university to start building a prototype.

My supervisor helped me understand how I could make the bot stand out from the competition and how it could be further improved. This was very helpful guidance from an experienced point of view. In addition to that, the research materials and resources available at the university, such as textbooks and access to online papers, helped me perform an extensive literature review that allowed me to become more informed about what I was building.

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Log in screen for computer science project about blog chain

Computing project exhibition 2023: Constandinos Kotsis, Computer Science BSc(Hons)

In essence, the university holds your hand whilst you navigate your way and once you are ready, it lets you go to start your journey.

Tell us a bit about your project

The final year project thesis I have developed is centred around blockchain technology and providing a unique solution to online voting systems. It addresses the issues surrounding election fraud, voter anonymity and the miscount of votes and proposes a blockchain electronic voting decentralised application combining the different features of blockchain technology at its forefront. I was intrigued by the overall reputation that blockchain has in academia and society and wanted to explore the field further.

It certainly isn’t something I knew a lot about which can be a testament to how risky choosing a field with minimal experience can be for the final year project. But luckily it turned out very well. The University prepared me from the get-go; at the beginning of the year I had already chosen a supervisor for my project and had an initial idea for what I wanted to do.

It all went from there really, I continued having regular meetings with my supervisor talking about my project and also about my plans after university.

Wallet screen for computer science project about block chain
Mobile registration screen for computer science project about block chain
Mobile registration screen for computer science project about block chain
Log in screen for computer science project about blog chain
Constantine Kotsis head shot
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View of architecture students wooden structure in the market

Brighton Open Market pop up architecture show

Congratulations to our first year Architecture students who have been working so hard on their timber pavilions. These have now been installed at Brighton Open Market in the City Centre where the general public can view them. The Open Market on London Road is this years site for design proposals and for the installation of their One to One constructions which form the basis of their group work for the construction technology modules.

Students worked together to create the four constructions installed for our pop-up show. The constructions are based on the students’ individual designs from the first semester, applying their theoretical knowledge to practical designs, honing their skills and enhancing their understanding of the design process.

Do go and see them…..

View of architecture students wooden structure in the market
Person looking at architecture students wooden structures in the market
Person crouching infront of architecture students wooden structures
People walking next to architecture students wooden structure in the market
Close up of inside of a cone structure with magazine articles stuck to it
Close up of cone-like architecture students wooden structure
Back of a group of people infront of architecture students wooden structures
Close up for the back of a wooden, cone-like structure

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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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Laura RubyLeave a comment