Open Studio is an interactive project run by the School of Architecture + Cities at the University of Westminster to make its design, research and practice-based work available online while it is happening. The site acts as a real time teaching and learning environment in which the work of both students and staff is curated and documented – the work of its design studios, or its other teaching and research groups and workshops. Read more in Blog, follow us on Twitter and like us on Instagram.
When: Monday, 13th of October 2025, 1pm-2pm (BST)
Where: M416 (Robin Evans Room), Marylebone Campus, University of Westminster, 35 Marylebone Road, NW1 5LS + Online
The next Architecture and Cities Research Seminar will be given by Paolo Zaide and Andrea Wu, on 13 October, 13.00 – 14.00, online or in M416. The title of the seminar is A Piece from / for Everyone.
All are welcome.
When: Thursday, 9th of October 2025 at 6pm (BST)
Where: M416 (Robin Evans Room), Marylebone Campus, University of Westminster, 35 Marylebone Road, NW1 5LS + Online
“I was always interested in the Marshall McLuhan idea of looking at the future through a rearview mirror. This premise that we build the future out of the past has definitely instilled in me a value and appreciation for cultural and technological histories, excavation and repurposing, and processes of re-animating and extrapolating from the past into the present.”
Paul Purgas
Originally trained as an architect at the University of Westminster, Paul has presented exhibitions and performances with Tramway, Camden Art Centre, Southbank Centre and Kunstverein Gartenhaus. His written output includes essays for the Unsound:Undead collection published by Urbanomic/MIT Press and the documentaries Electronic India and Krishnamurti in England for BBC Radio 3. He is one half of the electronic music project Emptyset working with electroacoustic and computer music, broadcasting and spatialised sound. Emptyset has presented work at the Architecture Foundation, the Roberts Institute and Tate Britain’s Performing Architecture programme, and performed at Unsound, Sonic Acts and Berghain for Transmediale 2020. In 2024 Paul edited and co-authored the book Subcontinental Synthesis: Electronic Music at the National Institute of Design India 1969-1972. The book followed the BBC 3 Radio programme, Electronic India.
For details contact Will McLean
When: Thursday, 2nd of October 2025 at 6pm (BST)
Where: M416 (Robin Evans Room), Marylebone Campus, University of Westminster, 35 Marylebone Road, NW1 5LS + Online
“Bamboo has a real part to play as a low-carbon material, and it needs to be part of the toolkit that we have moving forward”.
Chris Matthews talking to Dezeen
Chris Matthews is a chartered structural engineer and an Associate Director at Atelier One. Since joining Atelier One in 2011, Chris has been involved in a broad array of projects. Specialities include structural engineering for unusual structures; staging and stadium shows; film engineering; timber structures; bamboo structures; art installations; geometrical optimisation of form-active roof structures. Some key projects include the staging for the London 2012 Olympic Ceremonies, Spaceframe (a carbon fibre LED framing system used globally, previous winner of the Structural Awards innovation category), the First Light Pavilion at Jodrell Bank (the first concrete shell structure in the UK for 25 years) and SEE Monster (a repurposed North Sea oil platform brought to Weston Super-mare). Chris has also designed two world record-breaking Walls of Death! Chris will be talking about how we should be using bamboo as a low (no) carbon construction material in the UK.
Before and after the talk Jan Balbaligo (Natural Builder) has kindly arranged for the sale of Jörg Stamm and Munir Vahanvati’s book ‘Bamboo Architecture Unboxed’.
For details please contact Dr Will McLean – w.f.mclean@westminster.ac.uk
When: Monday, 29th of September 2025, 1pm-2pm (BST)
Where: Online
The first Architecture and Cities Research Seminar of the semester will take place on 29 September, 13.00 – 14.00 online here. Serena Mombelli, a PhD scholar in Urban Planning and Mobility at the Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, currently visiting the Active Travel Academy, will present her work on ‘Decoding the Media Framing and political Discourse around Barcelona’s Urban transformation, 2016-2024.’
All are welcome.
When: Friday, 19th of September 2025 at 6pm (BST)
Where: Marylebone Campus, University of Westminster, 35 Marylebone Rd, NW1 5LS
Register for the launch on Eventbrite
Join us on Friday 19 September for the launch of MORE 2025 — an exhibition of the University of Westminster’s School of Architecture + Cities Master’s students’ thesis projects.
The exhibition will launch in the 4th Floor Architecture Studios at 6pm on Friday 19 September with an in-person event to be opened by Sarah Wigglesworth.
The celebratory event will be followed by contributions from each of the participating courses (paired with the School’s annual student awards):
The MORE 25 collection will be available online at more2025.net. Please note this site will be activated on the date of the exhibition launch.
Congratulations to Nedal Harris Ghosheh from MArch DS22 on being shortlisted for “Drawing of the Year Awards 2025” organised by Archisource.
Author: Nedal Harris Ghosheh
A selection of drawings from the competition is currently being exhibited at the “London Creates” major creative exhibition at The Truman Brewery.
For more details about the exhibition and the accompanying events, see below:
About London Creates 2025
11 – 19 July 11am-6pm | Free to visit | The Truman Brewery, 83 Brick Lane, E1 6QR
London Creates is a major celebration of creativity and a collection of the best creative minds and future thinkers. Be immersed in the creative world of architecture and design, discover hundreds of the top visual representations from the sixth Drawing of the Year Awards 2025 alongside unique insights into the processes of Foster + Partners and RSHP, from the first sketches through to final models and everything in between.
It’s a truly inspirational showcase and masterclass in drawing.
Evening Talk Series
15th, 16th, 17th July 6-10pm | Free to attend | Open bar
Join us for a series of inspiring talks from leading industry voices discussing creative topics including John McElgunn, Senior Director at RSHP, Narinder Sagoo MBE, Senior Partner at Foster + Partners and David Bullock and Nathan Davies, Creative Directors from Hayes Davidson
Book your tickets: Evening Talks
When: Monday, 19th of May 2025, 1pm-2pm (BST)
Where: Online
The final A+C research seminar of the year will take place on Monday, 19 May online here.
It will be given by Krystallia Kamvasinou and Lorenzo Iannizzotto on the subject of Reimagining Terrain Vague: A Socio-ecological Approach for Vacant Urban Land.
All are welcome.
When: Thursday, 19th of June 2025 at 6pm (BST)
Where: Marylebone Campus, University of Westminster, 35 Marylebone Rd, NW1 5LS
THE UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER’S SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND CITIES INVITES YOU TO OPEN 2025
Head of School Kate Cheyne cordially invites you to attend the opening of the graduating students’ degree show, OPEN 2025, featuring work from:
· Architecture BA
· Architecture and Design Foundation
· Architecture and Environmental Design BSc
· Architectural Technology BSc
· Urban Planning and Design BA
· Interior Architecture BA
· MArch
Preview
Thursday 19 June, 6 – 9pm
Book to attend the launch via Eventbrite
Exhibition continues (open access)
Friday 20 June – Sunday 6 July
Marylebone | University of Westminster, London
You can also RSVP to DCDI-Events@westminster.ac.uk
Image credit: Emma Wilkinson, MArch
Archisource presents the Drawing of the Year Awards 2025, the sixth annual, creative imagery Awards – free to enter and open to all! The Awards are the ultimate accolade in visual representation across architecture, art and design in collaboration with D5 Render and HP. There is over £125,000 GBP ($150,000 USD) in prizes to be won, with the top 250 entries receiving Affinity V2 Universal Licences and D5 Render 180 Day PRO Licences! Top works will also be showcased at the major London Exhibition in July 2025.
The aspirational Awards recognise and celebrate excellence in visual representation, drawing and creative imagery supported by Affinity creative software. Submissions must convey: architecture, design or the built environment, but are open to all disciplines and recognise diverse visual creations across all styles, typologies and functions each year. Submit your works by 20th April 2025 at 23:59 GMT at archisource.org to be recognised for your creative talent.
Top works from the Awards will be showcased at the iconic Truman Brewery in Shoreditch from the 10th to 19th July 2025 as part of the major London Exhibition 2025. The Exhibition will be a major celebration of creativity and a unique collection of the best creative minds and future thinkers including top architecture studios showcasing their design process, alongside the top works that are pushing boundaries in visual representation and creative imagery.
With over £125,000 GBP ($150,000 USD) worth of prizes to be won this is one of the biggest prize collections out there! The six Award winners will receive the ultimate studio set up including a high-performance workstation from HP—either a HP ZBook Firefly 16” G11 Mobile Workstation with Intel® Core™ Ultra 7 processor or a HP Z2 G9 Mini Workstation with Intel® Core™ i7 processor, paired with an OMEN by HP 27” QHD Gaming Monitor or Poly accessory. Winners will also receive software licences from D5 Render, Affinity, SketchUp and MicroStation, giant stationery bundles from LEUCHTTURM1917 and Winsor & Newton, timeless furniture from Vitra, lighting from Tala and more!
Archisource is proud to be collaborating with D5 Render, HP and Affinity for the Drawing of the Year Awards 2025. D5 Render and HP Z Workstations inspire creatives to keep evolving, providing industry-leading tools and technology that help advance creative processes. D5 offers Education Licences to students, educators and educational institutions for free; unleash the powerful capabilities of D5 and transform your architectural projects. Affinity creative suite is the award-winning vector graphic design, image editing and page layout software used by architects and designers around the world.
The widely recognised prestigious Awards celebrate those that have truly excelled in creating standout drawings and imagery. There are six major award categories, focusing on the array of creative processes: Beyond Visualisation Award supported by Hayes Davidson, Digital Drafting Award supported by Bentley’s MicroStation, Digital Media Award, Hand Drawn Award supported by LEUCHTTURM1917 and Winsor & Newton, Mixed Media Award and Visualisation Award supported by Trimble SketchUp. New for 2025, standout works will also be recognised for specific skills and attributes through the Medal Categories including the Affinity Award.
Celebrating the diverse talents of creatives around the world, Archisource welcomes creatives from all backgrounds and drawings of all types. Whether it be hand-drawn or painted, rendered or collaged, detailed linework or diagrammatic – the expert judging panel wants to see your creations.
Archisource believes creativity incites creativity and the Drawing of the Year aims to recognise, celebrate and give a platform to the very best talents across the world and to inspire so many more in that process.
Submit your works to be recognised amongst top architects, designers, artists and creatives globally by 20th April 2025 at 23:59 GMT at archisource.org
Why Choose HP Education:
![Technical Studies Lecture Series: Paul Purgas [Emptyset] “The Architecture of Sound” | Thursday, October 9 at 18:00 (BST), M416 Robin Evans Room + Livestream](http://www.openstudiowestminster.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/2-Paul-Purgas-1.png)
![Technical Studies Lecture Series: Chris Matthews [Atelier One] “Building with Bamboo” | Thursday, October 2 at 18:00 (BST), M416 Robin Evans Room + Livestream](http://www.openstudiowestminster.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/1-Chris-Matthews-1.png)
