MSc Historic Conservation: field trip to Oxford on 26 November 2024

On 26 November, students taking the Oxford Brookes MSc in Historic Conservation went on walkabout in the city centre with Oxford heritage consultant Nicholas Worlledge (and his delightful dog, Button). Our first visit was to Frewin Hall, an important medieval house that once belonged to the lost college of St Mary. It has been owned since the Reformation by Brasenose College and is currently being converted into student accommodation, including a ‘deep retrofit’ to improve its energy efficiency.

Frewin Hall - the ground floor parlour contains a fine Elizabethan plaster ceiling and oak panelling

Frewin Hall - the undercroft below is far older, belonging to a Norman house of c.1100

Discussing urban design and traffic management strategies on Broad Street

Market Street, where a re-modelling of Oxford’s historic but commercially struggling Covered Market (est. 1774) is proposed in order to enhance public visibility, improve accessibility and – it is hoped – revive trade.

New Street, where the post-war County Council offices are shortly expected to become redundant, providing the largest city-centre development opportunity since the rebuilding of the Westgate Centre (seen in the background) in the 2010s

And finally, in the 19^th-century ‘A’ wing of what was once Oxford Prison, and has since 2006 been the Malmaison Hotel. As Button demonstrates, well-behaved dogs are welcome.

Thanks to David Garrard for the report and photos. For more information on the MSc Historic Conservation, take a look at previous blog posts and our website.

And...follow us on Instagram @brookes_hcon

Urban Design 2024: first year competition

Laura Novo de Azevedo recently organised an 'in module' competition for the first year module 'Cities in Historic Contexts'. The brief was: create and Illustrate your idea of a good place which reflects the learning in the module. You will use any means that you'd like to explore such as AI, collage, photography, physical model, sketchup or video to visually show what a good place looks like from your professional perspective. Describe the qualities of this place in max 100 words (or use voice recording if creating a video). 

And the results: it was a very interesting exercise where students could quickly explore concepts around placemaking with the use of creative methods. AI seemed very powerful in providing quick sketchy responses whilst the use of video added a personal dimension that we didn't see in the AI submissions. it was very good to have a selection of different media. Congratulations to everyone that took part and especially to the following...

Overall winner: Eliza Allen 

2nd place: James Rumble

3rd Place: Gabriel Sankersingh

And...honourable mention for creativity: Lucas Pimentel

See all the entries on Padlet.

Click here for more information about the BA Urban Design, Planning and Development at Oxford Brookes. 

Urban Design End of Year Show 2024: CO-DWELLING WITH NATURE

For 2024, the theme of the Urban Design End of Year Show is: CO-DWELLING WITH NATURE. 

Students from MA Urban Design, the MArchD Urban Design and the BA Urban Design, Planning and Development have explored the idea of co-dwelling with nature in the built environment. The show is open until 5 July from 10am to 4pm each day and is located on the second floor of the Abercrombie Building on our Headington campus. Come and take a look!

Click here for further details.

I went along a few days after it opened to take some photos...

Don't forget to visit! The show is open until Friday 5 July from 10am to 4pm each day and is located on the second floor of the Abercrombie Building on our Headington campus. 

Institute of Historic Building Conservation: Student Awards 2023

 

Geometrical Elevation of Westminster Abbey (Middleton) and Tom Goodwin

IHBC Gus Astley Student Awards 2023...

CONGRATULATIONS to Thomas Goodwin (MSc Historic Conservation at Oxford Brookes University) who has taken the top award with a prize of £500 for his dissertation ‘Using ye Founder Kindly: Restoring, razing, and rebuilding historic buildings in early modern England (1660-1740).’

Thomas said: ‘I am delighted to have been awarded the Gus Astley Student Award for 2023 and look forward to attending the IHBC Annual School in Reading later this year. I would like to extend my gratitude to the IHBC, the Gus Astley Memorial Fund, now part of IHBC’s CREATIVE Conservation Fund, and the guest judge John Fidler. I am also thankful for the support and knowledge of the staff on the MSc in Historic Conservation at Oxford Brookes and the University of Oxford. The insight and constant encouragement of my supervisor, David Lewis, was particularly valuable.’

‘My project examined the history of conservation from 1660 to 1740, connecting emerging conservationist sensibilities in British architectural culture to changes in the theory and practice of architecture. It is surprising just how many enduring values and approaches pioneered in this period there have been. In the course of my research, I encountered everything from statements about the desirability of consciously adopting a contextual approach to design in historic settings, to a concerted campaign to preserve the best architecture of the recent past, in this case, the works of Inigo Jones.’

For more information on the MSc Historic Conservation click here:

MSc Historic Conservation

Urban Design@OBU 50th Anniversary Self Guided Walking Tour of Oxford

Looking southwest over Frideswide Square by Chaz2041 via WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

While you're in town for the 50th Anniversary celebrations, take a look at what's happened in the town since you were here.  We've put together a self-guided walking (cycling) tour past a range of new buildings and spaces in Oxford including: Frideswide Square, the Observatory Quarter, Broad Street, Weston Library, the Castle Quarter, Westgate and more.  In all likelihood, the route will also take you past some of your old haunts so it's also an opportunity to meet with old colleagues and catch up.  Some members of current staff will be doing the circuit in the afternoon of the 4th, starting about 13:00 at Frideswide Square. Link to 50th Anniversary Self Guided Walking Tour of Oxford - take a trip back and see what's new...

Follow Urban Design and Planning on Instagram @obuudp

 

You can now follow Urban Design and Planning on Instagram - click here - and see what's happening!

Urban Design at Oxford Brookes: 50th Anniversary Event on 4 November 2023

50 years of Urban Design at Oxford Brookes University 

Come back and look forward 

Urban Design staff and students are proud to invite you to celebrate fifty years of Urban Design education at Oxford Brookes University on the 4th of November 2023. With more than 2000 postgraduate, undergraduate and research Alumni, we want to celebrate our collective achievements: teaching and putting the teaching into practice. Please join us to mark this important milestone, meet former and new staff and colleagues and discuss our collective futures. 

The celebrations will include an Alumni Exhibition, Drinks and Dinner (and possible free fireworks).

Follow us on Instagram @obuudp

UD@OBU 50th Anniversary on 4th November 2023: Details..

Alumni Exhibition and Drinks 

From 17:00 - 18:00  at The Terrace, John Henry Brookes Building, Headington Campus. Connect, reconnect and view the Exhibition. Cost: £15 per person.  Pay here at the online shop   

Alongside the Exhibition, there will be a series of pre-dinner talks given by practising design professionals about their latest work in masterplanning, urban design, architecture, sustainability and community engagement. Confirmed speakers include Hawkins\Brown Architects, Gen Two Real Estate, David Lock Associates, PLACE by Design and edge Urban Design.

Special Rate for Students and Grads (from 2022 and 2023)

Join us for drinks and networking from 17:00 - 18:00  at The Terrace, John Henry Brookes Building, Headington Campus. Connect, reconnect and view the Exhibition. Cost: £5 per student/grad 2022/23. Pay here at the online shop  

Dinner 

From 18:00/18.30 - 23:00 at The Terrace, John Henry Brookes Building, Headington Campus. Cost for Dinner (including Exhibition and Drinks): £100 per person or £85 for OBU staff/students*. Details of the menu to follow. Bookings for Dinner are now closed. 

Dress code for the Dinner is SMART CASUAL.

*staff includes former OBU staff and student rate includes current students and recent graduates (graduating in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023)

Exhibition and Sponsorship

We invite urban design practices and individuals to showcase their previous and current work and ideas for future directions and innovative projects. Sponsorship is open to practices and individuals. Sponsorship recognition is through inclusion in the Alumni Exhibition and the Anniversary brochure. Funds from sponsorships will go towards supporting current and future students through:

• Sponsoring students to attend the event
• Student recognition awards
• Scholarships

The levels of sponsorship are as follows:

PLATINUM - £500
Includes two A1 exhibition boards or vertical banner and/or a video up to three minutes together with a whole page in the Anniversary Brochure

GOLD  - £350
Includes one A1 exhibition board for exhibition and/or a video up to two minutes together with a half page in the Anniversary Brochure 

SILVER - £ 250 
Includes exhibition video up to two minutes and a quarter page in the Anniversary Brochure

BRONZE - £150
Includes one line and logo in the sponsorship recognition page of the Anniversary Brochure 

For more information on the Exhibition or Anniversary Brochure, please contact Regina Lim at rlim@brookes.ac.uk. To sponsor the event/book exhibition space register your interest and pay here

Optional Day Activities (on 4th November 2023)

Self Guided 50th Anniversary Walking Tour - take a trip back and see what's new...

While you're in town for the 50th Anniversary celebrations, take a look at what's happened in the town since you were here.  We've put together a self-guided walking (cycling) tour past a range of new buildings and spaces in Oxford including: Frideswide Square, the Observatory Quarter, Broad Street, Weston Library, the Castle Quarter, Westgate and more.  In all likelihood, the route will also take you past some of your old haunts so it's also an opportunity to meet with old colleagues and catch up.  Some members of current staff will be doing the circuit in the afternoon of the 4th, starting about 13:00 at Frideswide Square. The Walking Tour is here.

Headington Campus Tour from 16:00 - 17:00: a guided tour of the redeveloped Headington Campus buildings and spaces.  Meet at the Piazza, London Road at 15:50.

Parking and Accommodation
There is limited parking at the Headington Campus so, we will practise what we preach and recommend using Park and Ride.  The closest is Thornhill, off the A40.  The 400park&ride/U1  bus stops in front of the Brookes London Road Piazza.  If you get the train, the buses from the station/Frideswide Square to the Headington Campus are the 280 and 400/U1, You might also park in town (Westgate, Gloucester Green or Worcester Street) and catch the 400/U1, 8 or 280 from the High Street.

Suggested overnight accommodation in Oxford

• Premier Inn, the Westgate - £91 pp per night
• The Dial House, 25 London Road - £89-£99 per night
• Red Mullions, 23 London Road - £90-110 per night