Professor Phil Jones
Head of the Welsh School of Architecture
Architecture is central to the major issues affecting society today. The buildings that we design and operate impact on sustainable economic development, climate change and quality of life. The performance of the built environment is a subject of national and global concern as well as affecting the health and well-being of individuals. Architecture embraces a range of disciplines and topics from the arts to the physical and social sciences, from history and theory to practice. Many topics have to be tackled in an interdisciplinary way. This provides enormous challenges to young architects to provide us with a future built environment that is efficient in its use of resources, effective in providing good conditions in which to live and work, and pleasing to the senses.
The Welsh School of Architecture [wsa] has a reputation of being one of the best schools in the UK and for the past two years it has been voted the UK’s top School of Architecture in the Times Higher Educational Supplement league table. Its holistic approach to design embraces all aspects of architecture. The learning experience is focused around the studio project, based on the traditional one-to-one approach to design teaching. The studio culture is strong and the School has recently invested in improving and expanding its studio and workshop facilities. Academic staff are supported by visiting professors and tutors from local and leading UK practices, providing an exciting and informative mix of design approaches and experiences. Our graduates have a reputation for being able to design buildings that combine aesthetics with performance and build ability. They are therefore very much in demand and are to be found in leading practices throughout the world.
The wsa is recognised internationally for its research. It has the highest research rating of any School of Architecture in the UK. All academic staff are research active, which means that they are at the forefront of their subject specialism. The School has the most advanced research facilities and computer modelling capabilities available, and it is active in developing a range of design tools. CAD facilities are available to support student project work.
The School is currently expanding its taught Masters programme, offering options in Environmental Design of Buildings, Theory and Practice of Sustainable Design, Urban Design (in collaboration with the School of City and Regional Planning, Sustainable Energy and Environment(in collaboration with the School of Engineering), Building Energy and Environmental Performance Modelling and Professional Studies. There is a growing MPhil/PhD community with an international student cohort carrying out research in all aspects of the wsa’s research agenda. There are concentrations of activity in energy and sustainability issues, and Indian temple design, as well as other aspects of technology, history and theory. The School has international research links in Europe, the Middle East, China and Malaysia and has relationships with national bodies in the UK, for example it has been designated the BRE (Building Research Establishment) UK Centre for Sustainable Design of the Built Environment.
The wsa's Centre for Research in the Built Environment is a designated ‘centre of expertise’ recognised by the Welsh Assembly Government as a national research centre. The Design Research Unit, based within the School, is where design and research come together to produce innovative sustainable buildings. Real design projects are carried out in partnership with practice, producing award-winning buildings of national importance.
At a time when some schools are questioning their capacity to deal with the broadening discipline of architecture and to carry out the research needed to maintain a university department, it is heartening to see this School growing in strength, with a fully committed staff taking a research-led approach to design and graduating students of real quality.
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