MSc Architecture and Environmental Design

Rosa Schiano-Phan (Course Leader), Mehrdad Borna, Paolo Cascone, Joana Goncalves, Kartikeya Rajput, Rofayda Salem, Amedeo Scofone, Juan Vallejo, Zhenzhou Weng

Rosa Schiano-Phan is an architect, consultant and academic who has worked in environmental design consultancy and research for over 20 years. Rosa has lectured at the Architectural Association, University of Nottingham, University of Oxford, University of Bologna and University of São Paulo. She is the co-author of The Architecture of Natural Cooling (Routledge, 2020).

Joana Goncalves is an architect and academic working as a Visiting Lecturer for the MSc AED, as well as at The Bartlett and the Architectural Association. She was Associate Professor of Environmental Design at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism at the University of São Paulo and has taught at Harvard University. She is the Vice-President of the PLEA conference and author of several international publications.

IN 2021/22, THE Architecture and Environmental Design MSc continued with the investigation of the ‘Environmental performance of work and live environments during the pandemic’. The study investigated work and live environments of case study buildings in London in the context of their climate, urban microclimates, architectural features and occupants’ behaviour. The analysis explored the mutual effects that such factors have on indoor/outdoor activities, environmental quality, human comfort and energy consumption in buildings. These evaluation projects led to the semester 2 design brief on ‘Designing for the Changing Environment in the times of the Pandemic’. Proposals for the complete re-imagination of the studied sites were offered by the students with attention to the compounding requirements of a post-pandemic society, climate change and resources conservation.

The course successfully continues the Collaborative Thesis Programme with Industry, partnering with a range of architectural firms and environmental consultancies. To date theses feature a variety of topics in different climatic and socio-political contexts. The MSc AED embeds the BREEAM Approved Graduate course, while being Learning Affiliate with the Energy Institute. In April 2022, the course has also received conditional accreditation by the Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers and the Energy Institute. These initiatives have led to joint publications with our alumni and employment opportunities for our students.

Guest Critics:

Filomena Russo (University of Cambridge), Giles Bruce (A-zero Architects), Saveria Boulanger (University of Bologna), Dimitris Argyros (Haptic Architects)

Special Thanks:

Yota Adilenidou, Urszula Bajcer (WSP), Herman Calleja (SOM), Joao Cotta (University of Campinas), Karl Cullen (chapmanbdsp), Christian Dimbleby (Architype), Sebastian Eugenio (Architype), Jacopo Gaspari (University of Bologna), Nasser Golzari, Catherine Harrington (Architype), Dean Hawkes (University of Cambridge), Patrik Hermon (LCD), Sandeep Kapoor (Arcadis), Lia Marchi (University of Bologna), Matthew Marson (Arcadis), Phil McIlwain (Stroma), Will McLean, Andrew Moore (Hilson Moran), Alberto Neto (Poly USP), Michael Salka (IAAC Barcelona), Vince Ugarow (Hilson Moran)

Students: