6 Beyond the Studio | Cultural Context ON THE BA Cultural Context programme students progress through one module per year : CC1 A History of Architecture, CC2 Architectural History and Urbanism and CC3: Dissertation. After a year of online learning, CC1 was able to return to in-person explorations of the history of architecture, including site visits to architecture and urban developments across London. From the remains of Londinium to the architecture of late 20th century financial institutions in the City, students visited ancient temples, churches, villas, ordinary houses, offices, and civic ar ts centres. As in previous years, students tested different perspectives on the diversity of architectural cultures throughout history and across the globe, presenting their own interpretations in written essays and verbal presentations based on evidence – buildings, drawings, photographs and texts – sensitive to specific cultural and environmental conditions. This year CC2 comprised a series of walks, lectures and seminars, examining themes that included gender ; environmental sustainability; heritage; regeneration and gentrification; and cultural identity. The curated lecture series introduced active research in architecture and urban studies and students produced group workbooks that reviewed and analysed these lectures. The live guest lecture series introduced a range of critical methods, such as oral histories and interviews, archival research, and ethnography, which students applied to their final essays. Students had guided visits to sites and exhibitions and also selected their own case studies to explore independently for the presentation assessment. In CC3, students choose, research and write about their own topics for their disser tation. This is done with the suppor t of seminars, presentations and weekly tutorials. The disser tation is a major oppor tunity for students to begin shaping the trajectory of their own academic and professional careers. Last year’s COVID restrictions steered quite a few students to accessible London-based topics. Among the many notable disser tations produced this year were: Alison Carrillo Culqui’s study of Latin American cultural influences in London’s Elephant and Castle; Marina Ioannu’s examination of the way COVID changed the meaning of public/private thresholds; Hasniha Thanganathan’s analysis of the Nagapooshani Ambaal Temple in Enfield; Rebecca Weller’s comparison of new market Halls in London; and Mina Gohary’s reading of how East and West Berlin’s identities are manifest in architectural elements. Cultural Context Nick Beech (module leader CC1) is an architectural historian and teaches histor y as part of a wide range of material cultural practices. Kate Jordan (module leader CC2) is an architectural historian with research interests in gender, heritage and faith architecture. Ben Stringer (module leader CC3) teaches design and cultural context. His recent publications focus on ideas about the rural. (top left) CC1: London's financial district – Lloyds of London [photo © William Warby] (top right) CC2: Exploring The Barbican Centre [photo © Clare Hamman] (bott om left) CC3 – Rebecca Weller: Pop Brixton [photo by author] (bott om right) CC3 – Alison Carrillo Culqui: Latin American food shop, Elephant & Castle [photo by author] CC1 Tutors: Susanne Bauer, Nick Beech, Kate Jordan, Maja Jovic,Tszwai So, Mireille Tchapi, Alessandro Toti CC2 Tutors: Nick Beech, Stefania Boccaletti, Kir ti Durelle, François Girardin, Clare Hamman, Kate Jordan, Maja Jovic, Constance Lau, Gwyn Lloyd Jones, Diana Periton, Mireille Tchapi,Tszwai So, John Zhang CC3 Tutors: Susanne Bauer, Nick Beech, Davide Deriu, François Girardin, Kate Jordan, Constance Lau, Gwyn Lloyd Jones, Kester Rattenbury, Michael Rose, Rachel Stevenson, Ben Stringer,Victoria Watson, JulianWilliams, John Zhang
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