Foundation in the Built Environment: London 2019

The School of the Built Environment offers a Foundation in the Built Environment (FBE). The course is designed to develop understanding and problem-solving skills in areas which are fundamental to the environment, design and development of cities. Students are introduced to a variety of subjects that, with the correct choice of modules, will allow progress to one of the undergraduate degree courses offered within the School of the Built Environment.

The FBE students went on a field trip to London on 24 October 2019. The field trip is part of the module 'Integrative and Contextual Studies' and allows students to explore the nature of the built environment and the parties and processes involved in building and maintaining it, as well as the bodies and factors influencing design and development. Photos by Elaine Tooke.

The first stop was The City Centre for a talk
by New London Architecture based around the City of London model.

The students had a talk about the City of London commercial market
by Harvey James from BNP Paribas (and a graduate of Oxford Brookes)

The students went on a self-guided tour of the City of London (in the pouring rain)

The students got back on the coach and went to Grand Union: Alperton (Wembley)
for a tour of show apartments...

 ...and a talk from St George (part of the Berkeley Group) about the Grand Union development.

Grand Union in Alperton (close to Wembley) is a mixed-use development by St George. This is an exciting scheme comprising residential, leisure, commercial and retail which takes advantage of its proximity on the Grand Union Canal and fast access into Central London.

For more information about the Built Environment Foundation take a look at our website:

Built Environment Foundation

Student Outreach: Environmental Science Games

Each year, the students on the Foundation in the Built Environment take a module in Environmental Science. This year they have been involved in research relating to the environment and the built environment and as a result, they have developed a series of outreach games. There were 15 groups of students, all with great research topics that they chose and developed themselves with a focus on the important issues of our times. Topics included: raising awareness for consumers about the industries that are the biggest oceans polluters; how to prioritize renewable energy sources for specific climate zones and making these viable options; the electric city and inspiring the shift towards electric cars and what that would mean on a day to day basis.

Earlier on this week, the students took their games out into the community - half of the groups visited the ISIS Retirement Home (in Oxford) to show the residents how to play their games, whilst the others played their games with the student population in The Forum (a popular coffee area at Oxford Brookes). With both groups of people, the games proved to be a fun teaching tool. Take a look at the photos which speak for themselves...

Playing games with the residents of the ISIS Retirement Home...

 

...and with other students in The Forum

Maria Faraone and Paola Sassi who co-delivered the module are both Senior Lecturers in the School of Architecture at Oxford Brookes and were very pleased with the progress of work through the semester. Comments from them on the project included: 'the students have been very committed to the research and the outreach transformation, and a few of these games are exceptional. We will be encouraging them to apply to Brookes Enterprise Support to continue developing their projects as academic learning tools'.

They went on to thank the following people who have contributed to the students' learning through the semester including:

• David Brugman (Brookes Sustainability)
• Sean Elias (Oxford University scientist and gamer)
• Elizabeth Wilson and Bridget Durning from SBE
• Andrew Rendell from the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences at Brookes
• Geoff Morgan (Subject Librarian at Brookes)
• Kirsten Hall (Upgrade at Brookes)
• Joe Tah (Head of SBE) for facilitating this robust module and its delivery

For more information about the Foundation in the Built Environment, take a look at our website and blog:

Foundation in the Built Environment on the website

Foundation in the Built Environment on the blog

Foundation in the Built Environment: London 2018

The School of the Built Environment offers a Foundation in the Built Environment (FBE). The course is designed to develop understanding and problem-solving skills in areas which are fundamental to the environment, design and development of cities. Students are introduced to a variety of subjects that, with the correct choice of modules, will allow progress to one of the undergraduate degree courses offered within the School of the Built Environment.

The FBE students went on a field trip to The City of London on 10 October 2018. The field trip is part of the module 'Integrative and Contextual Studies' and allows students to explore the nature of the built environment and the parties and processes involved in building and maintaining it, as well as the bodies and factors influencing design and development.

Lettie McKie (centre) and the City of London model

The trip started at Guildhall in the City of London with a visit to The City Centre for a series of presentations about the developments taking place within the City of London. The presentation from Lettie McKie (Education Manager at The City Centre) was about the development of London and was based around the City of London model. After the presentations (and a look through the wall at London's Roman Amphitheatre), the students split into groups to visit one (or two) of the following sites (click on the blue link for more information):

Bloomberg Place

The Walkie Talkie Building and the Sky Garden at 20 Fenchurch Street

The Leadenhall Building otherwise known as the Cheesegrater

The Scalpel at 52 Lime Street

The Lloyds Building, a building with its insides on the outside - a style of architecture known as 'bowellism' developed by Richard Rogers

Paternoster Square

Broadgate

Aldermanbury Square

The Gherkin

No. 1. Poultry

I took a trip past One New Change (designed by Jean Nouvel) to Paternoster Square...

One New Change - designed to merge into the sky and of course preserve the view of St Paul's Cathedral

The deckchairs were out in Paternoster Square

The Angel's Wings - not just another sculpture

The Paternoster Square Shepherd and Sheep - sculpture by Elisabeth Frink

Back at Guildhall - waiting for the coach back to Oxford

To find out more about the Foundation in the Built Environment click on the links below:

Foundation in the Built Environment - course entry
FBE student work - on the blog

Cowley Carnival 2018: Student Work

Last Friday (27 April) students on the Built Environment Foundation (at Oxford Brookes) exhibited some of the work they have been doing for the Cowley Road Carnival. The carnival started in 2000, aiming to give Cowley Road its groove back. Watch a video of the 2017 events below:

This year, with the support of Cowley Road Works, the students have been exploring the diverse communities and places that make up the Cowley Road. The exhibition featured the research they have been doing into Cowley Road and the visions and ideas they have for making the street an even better public space that meets the needs of all of Cowley's residents.

Emma Wragg the course leader said: 'this is the fourth year that students in the School (of the Built Environment) have benefited from working on a live project with Cowley Road Words.  It  really enriches the student learning experience - developing design, management and collaborative skills that are all crucial in practice. The opportunity to make a difference in their local community also empowers students to produce great work!' 

Some photos of the exhibition follow...

Set up in the JHB Forum

Cowley Road

The portable cardboard box seat

The Lego model

This year, the Cowley Road Carnival will take place on Sunday 1 July. It's a great day out! For more information on the Foundation in the Built Environment take a look at our website:

Foundation in the Built Environment

Foundation in the Built Environment: London Field Trip 2017

The School of the Built Environment offers a Foundation in the Built Environment (FBE). The course is designed to develop understanding and problem-solving skills in areas which are fundamental to the environment, design and development of cities. Students are introduced to a variety of subjects that, with the correct choice of modules, will allow progress to one of the undergraduate degree courses offered within the School of the Built Environment.

The FBE students went on a field trip to The City of London on 1 November. And this year, the weather was great (no rain, unlike the 2016 version of the trip). The field trip is part of the module 'Integrative and Contextual Studies' and allows students to explore the nature of the built environment and the parties and processes involved in building and maintaining it, as well as the bodies and factors influencing design and development.

At London Guildhall

The trip started at Guildhall in the City of London with a visit to The City Centre for a series of presentations about the developments taking place within the City of London. The first from Lettie McKie (Education Manager at The City Centre) about the development of London based around the City of London model, the second from Daryl Perry (Associate: Research, at Bilfinger GVA) and the third from Leonora Schofield (Management Surveyor at Broadgate Estates, and a graduate of Oxford Brookes).

The City of London model

Mike Stubbs introducing the presentations (with Daryl Perry on the right)

After the presentations the students visited the site on which they would base their presentation and written work. There were 7 sites altogether: Broadgate, Lloyds of London, No.1 Poultry, Aldermanbury Square, Paternoster Square, Millenium Bridge/Tate Modern and Bankside 123 - click on the blue links for more information. This year, the photos focus on Broadgate, Liverpool Street and Finsbury Avenue Square...photos of other sites can be found on the field trip blog from 2016. The journey in photos...

From the Bank of England...

...life on the street on Moorgate...

...to the development taking place at 101 Moorgate.

And on to Finsbury Square...

...the location for Patio, a rotational pop-up restaurant.

Walking into the Broadgate development and Finsbury Avenue Square.

5 Broadgate...

...one of the largest stainless steel-clad buildings in the world.

Broadgate: Finsbury Avenue Square...

...with lots of meeting and eating opportunities

Broadgate Circle...

...and a wider view. 

Walking back towards Liverpool Street Station

Development at 100 Liverpool Street...

...and Crossrail.

100 Liverpool Street from the other side...

...and a short walk to the area around Brick Lane.

Not on the brief, but a beautiful area of London...

...with some great street art.

Back through the City...

...to Guildhall and the coach home. Most people fell asleep, but I didn't take any photos. Honest :)