‘Beyond Borders’ with UWE

On Monday 20 March, we hosted the final review of University of the West of England’s (UWE) interior architecture students’ projects based on our building.

The UWE students were given a brief in November, after a visit to the studios. The brief, ‘Beyond Borders’, to design a space using two rooms of the existing building to house refugees, was inspired by the Royal Society of the Arts’ (RSA) annual design awards.

The students had to consider how society might best serve disenfranchised, vulnerable and excluded groups of people – specifically refugees from ‘beyond our borders’. The work had to include some form of performance as an integral part of the design. Importance was also placed on how the brief could be realised within the space, demonstrating how an existing building can be repurposed to provide a sophisticated place for people with complex needs.

The students revisited us on 20 March to present their work for the last time before assessment. As well as their tutors and industry professionals, members of the Bath Road Studios team were asked to sit in on their presentations and offer feedback.

We were delighted to host the event and were very impressed with the innovative creative work displayed, using an existing space to cater for different audiences and offer support for the community. The students did a great job of addressing a very real issue!