This week KSA has been hosting a group of 35 architecture students from Kogakuin University, Tokyo culminating in a one-day charrette jointly run with Stage three KSA BA architecture students. The charrette, or one-day sketch project, invites students to come up with creative and feasible proposals for a redundant site in Canterbury, adjacent to a varied collection of historic buildings. This is a new module to Stage Three, led by Dr Nikos Karydis who also heads up our new MSc in Architectural Conservation. KSA regards it as important that budding architects familiarise themselves with the joys of working with existing buildings, especially in the rich context that Canterbury offers.
The Japanese students, led by Professor Kiyohide Sawaoka, are spending the whole term in Canterbury, attending English classes and continuing with their architectural studies. Kogakuin is a large university encompassing architecture, landscape and engineering, and in contrast to Canterbury’s location is to be found in downtown Shinjuku, one of the most bustling commercial and entertainment subcentres of Tokyo. This is the first time KSA and Kogakuin have worked in a collaborative manner. They have been working in our busy Digital Crit Space, and have presented the best proposals on Friday afternoon, at the end of their one-week involvement in a major project that last the whole autumn term for KSA students.
We hope that this will be merely the start of a lasting relationship with Kogakuin; we are already planning future engagements.
Prof. Gerald Adler