MArch student Jacques Doody receives highly commended postgraduate award in the AJ Student 2020 Awards
6 October 2020
MArch student Jacques Doody has been received a highly commended postgraduate award in the Architects Journal Student Awards 2020 for his project ‘Dreamland: Samson.
Starting with the statement ‘This is a climate emergency’ Jacques created Dreamland; a self-sustaining theme park on an isolated atoll in the Isles of Scilly that is facing the effects of sea level rise and a changing climate. The park creates a retreat for sufferers of climate anxiety, now a recognised medical condition, and offers holistic rehabilitation and education through a series of fun and engaging theme park attractions. By harnessing the power of play and imagination, the park offers visitors the chance to experience a fresh sense of delight and the ability to shape a more positive future.
Judges described the project as 'very quirky' and 'nostalgic', saying it made them 'chuckle'. Stating that: “this project sidesteps from conventional architectural narrative while demonstrating a lot of personality – something quite unlike any of the others.”
Unit XVIII 1.5 degrees tutors Elly Deacon Smith and Matt Hayes from Arbor Architects who led the student project team said:
’We’re delighted that Jac's work has been Highly Commended in the AJ Student Prize 2020. This is a fitting recognition of the outstanding quality of his work, the dedication and commitment he showed through what turned out to be a particularly challenging year and his playful and captivating interpretation of the sustainability driven brief. Jacques has been a real pleasure to teach and we have no doubt he will go on to do great things in his future career.'
Jac said:
“I am beyond honoured and shocked at being Highly Commended for the AJ Student Prize 2020. It’s been a challenging year but this has also allowed me to focus on my thesis as a point of respite; challenging my own definition of sustainability that can be seen in a new light as a result of the pandemic. I eternally thank Elly and Matt for their unwavering support throughout the year of me and my studio unit under new circumstances for all of us and the Welsh School of Architecture, Dr Mhairi McVicar and the course team for being so quick at accommodating the change in circumstances that we have all needed to get used to this year; providing support for all and encouragement to most importantly stay positive!”
To view other student work from the Unit please visit the WSA: On Display Summer Exhibition website.
To find out more about the Masters in Architecture course (MArch) and now to apply, please visit the course pages.