UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 20 MARCH 2019
Students studying BA (Hons) Interior Architecture and Design and BA (Hons) Product and Furniture Design recently had an exciting opportunity to visit Hong Kong and work with students from the SHAPE - School for Higher Professional Education.
Three students from each course joined their tutors on the week-long trip where they were able to explore the Hong Kong culture both educationally and socially. During the week, Birmingham School of Architecture and Design (BSoAD) students presented their third year project to the Hong Kong cohort, as well as discussing their thesis prep; showing visuals and research for their dissertation.
The trip provided a fantastic opportunity for students to experience working within another culture and begin to understand what challenges this could present. The trip was open to all final year students on both courses and to help with the cost, BSoAD provided each student with a £500 bursary towards their expenses.
It was important for the students to experience the teaching and learning while they were there and to understand how their approaches to design may differ. Students had the opportunity to join in with some of the teaching elements and take part in a model-making workshop with the class.
"It was very interesting to work with the Hong Kong students. The task was to create a section model of a selection of buildings. They said they were used to working on smaller scales. We learnt a bit from each other as well as skills and knowledge. It challenged the way I usually think." Megan Daykin
Alongside work, students were able to spend time exploring the city with their new peers, as well as having a tour of some notable key architecture sites by Head of School Kevin Singh. The students visited HSBC, Fosters Building, the Art Deco Design Centre, as well as a trip on the Star Ferry.
In between guided tours and university work, students made the most of their free time by heading out to embrace the city and culture and do some independent sightseeing.
"We went to some touristic places but also accidentally ended up in other parts of the city, which maybe you wouldn’t find out a tourist guide but gave us a truthful taste of the Chinese culture." Valentina Lupi